Knee Pain Specialist

What causes knee pain?

Knee pain often occurs during athletic and work-related activities, whether you twist the joint, fall, or take a hit to the knee. However, anyone can develop an overuse injury, which gradually damages the tissues in the joint due to frequently repeated movements.

As you get older, arthritis tops the list of knee pain causes. In addition to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, a few of the knee conditions responsible for chronic (long-lasting) pain include:

• Ligament tears
• Meniscus tears
• Joint dislocation
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Runner's knee
• Chondromalacia patella

If your pain persists despite routine medical care, the team at Innovative Pain Specialists can provide treatment options that effectively alleviate your symptoms and may help you avoid surgery.

What other symptoms accompany knee pain?

The injuries and degenerative conditions responsible for knee pain also cause other symptoms. You may experience:

• Inflammation
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Stiffness
• Limited joint movement
• Clicking or popping
• Locked knee joint
• Difficulty bending or straightening your leg
• Inability to bear weight on the knee

Torn ligaments may cause joint instability and make it feel like your knee will give out.

How is knee pain treated?

You may need surgery to ensure damaged structures like ligaments heal and regain optimal strength. In most cases, knee pain treatment begins with nonsurgical therapies such as immobilization, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy.

If your knee pain persists, your provider at Innovative Pain Specialists creates a customized treatment plan that may include one of several treatments. A few examples include:

Visco-supplementation

Visco-supplementation is an injectable treatment for arthritis. Your provider injects Synvisc Synvisc®, Orthovisc®, Euflexxa®, Supartz®, Genvisc®, or other medications that contain hyaluronic acid, a thick substance that lubricates the joints, improves movement, and relieves pain.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

Your provider makes PRP in the office by drawing a sample of your blood and processing it to separate the platelets and plasma. When they inject PRP into your knee joint, the platelets accelerate healing, trigger new blood vessel growth, and reduce inflammation.

Interventional procedures

Interventional treatments target the nerves responsible for your pain and may reduce nerve inflammation or block pain signals traveling through the nerves.

Three effective treatments for knee pain, a genicular nerve block, radiofrequency ablation, and spinal cord stimulation, use different techniques to prevent your brain from receiving pain signals. As a result, most patients get significant relief from their knee pain.

You can receive expert care for knee pain at Innovative Pain Specialists. To schedule an appointment, call the nearest office or book online today.