Arthritis Knee Pain: Top Ways To Treat The Condition

Do you have arthritis knee pain? Many people suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis are dealing with the pain, deformity and loss of motion that arthritis can cause in the knees. Although many people end up requiring knee replacement surgery as a way of healing the damage, this can be a massive procedure that can take a long time to recover from.

The knee is made up of three bones. It is located where the bottom of the femur and the top of the tibia meet. It is protected in the front by a bone known as the patella, or kneecap. There are a number of tendons and ligaments which hold the bones in the proper alignment and allow the bones to hinge properly. There is also cartilage which is located on the bones and under the kneecap that cushions the joint and prevents damage to the leg bones. A tissue pad called the meniscus also helps cushion the joint.

In osteoarthritis, knee pain is a result of the break down in cartilage. The ends of the bones become rough and jagged in later stages of the disease, and knee damage and pain can result. Osteoarthritis is normally a disease which affects older people but younger people who have injured their joints may also experience the symptoms of osteoarthritis. With rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s immune system attacks the joints and can destroy cartilage. There is inflammation, heat and swelling in addition to joint pain. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect people of any age, which makes it different than osteoarthritis.

Medication can be your first line of attack but these are different depending on your disease. All types of arthritis rely on anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers to treat discomfort. With rheumatoid arthritis, you may also have DMARDs, which are disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. Two DMARDs include methotrexate and azathioprine, although there are a number of other effective DMARDs currently available. Osteoarthritis may use glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation in order to help improve the condition of cartilage in the knee joint.

You may find that if your knees are the only joints affected, the pain may be a result of a knee injury that was improperly diagnosed or treated. If you speak with your doctor, they can perform tests such as x-rays in order to check the state of the knee. If damaged cartilage is suspected, the doctor may perform a scope to check the cartilage in the knees. It can be repaired or removed if it is damaged. You want to make sure that full joint replacement is a treatment of last resort because of the length of time it takes to recover.

You can also try some of the topical products that are on the market. There are a number of effective creams and lotions available. They have different active ingredients and some work by cooling the joint. Others work by heating the joint gently. Your doctor can tell you which products are better for your particular situation. It may be tempting to stop using the joint but you need to make sure that you don’t do this. It will only make the joint stiff and unusable. You may want to consider exercises such as swimming that use the joint but do not put weight on them. Physiotherapy is also a good alternative for you to explore.

Knee pain can be one of the most difficult aspects of arthritis to deal with. You use your knees for so much in your life that having pain can cause problems in your every day routines. Knowing what your treatment options are can help you get on with your life and stay as normal as possible.

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