When to See a Professional About Knee Pain

When you live an active lifestyle or have an active job, one day of knee pain might not be unusual. A little pain isn’t much to worry about, but what do you do when it becomes more frequent?

Getting your knee pain under control is what our team at Integrated Body and Medicine in Highland, Indiana, strives for.

What causes knee pain?

When your body ages, so do all of your joints. Your knees carry a lot of your weight over the years and are under stress day in and day out.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the main causes of knee pain as you get older. OA leads to degeneration of the cartilage in your knee. The cartilage is what helps protect your joint from wear-and-tear. Other reasons your knee pain include:

• ACL injuries
• Fractures
• Meniscal injury
• Bursitis
• Tendinitis

You may also experience pain if you have other types of arthritis, such as inflammatory arthritis or septic arthritis in your knee. Infections in your joint may also lead to pain, among other symptoms like redness and swelling. 

Symptoms that signal a problem

It’s completely OK to have a twinge of pain occasionally, especially if you’re on your feet a lot. But if the pain becomes persistent or you aren’t getting relief from home care, it’s time to seek help.

Other symptoms that signal a possible problem in your knee include:

• Stiffness
• Progressive swelling
• Limping due to pain
• Trouble walking or climbing stairs
• Constant aching

If you’ve injured your knee, you probably know right away that something is wrong. But with a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, your symptoms develop over time. By waiting, you open yourself up for further joint complications down the road.

When you should seek treatment

If your knee pain is infrequent and gets better on its own, you might be OK treating your symptoms at home.

But how do you know when knee pain is too much for you to handle? Here are a few guidelines that help you determine when to get professional treatment for your knee:

• Severe pain after being injured
• Your knee swells quickly
• You have redness or tenderness
• Your knee or leg is deformed
• You can’t flex or extend your knee

You should seek immediate medical care if you’re not able to put any weight on your leg due to pain. You might also feel as though your leg is going to give out or not hold your weight.

Seek treatment when you think you’ve injured yourself or if your pain is not getting better at home.

Don’t continue to suffer from knee pain without relief. Call our Highland, Indiana, office or schedule an appointment through our online system today.