Knee Pain Treatment Specialist Q&A

Typically, knee pain that occurs as a result of strenuous activity can be treated at home. Knee pain that is the result of a minor injury will require observation for a few days following the injury to evaluate whether self-care measures will be necessary and helpful.

There are a number of self-care remedies, which include:

– Avoiding strenuous or painful activities;
– Icing the injury for periods of fifteen to twenty minutes several times a day;
– Making use of compression bandages to control and manage swelling;
– Elevating the injury;
– Taking NSAIDs or other over-the-counter pain relief medications.

However, if your symptoms include the following, speak with your doctor: significant swelling; redness; tenderness and warmth surrounding the joint; significant pain; and fever. Also, if you have had pain for a length of time which is unusual or if it worsens and interferes with your normal routine, contact your doctor.

Seek out immediate medical care if you experience the following: your knee appears deformed; if you heard a popping noise at the time your knee was injured; an inability to bear weight; intense pain; or sudden intense swelling of the joint.

As with any pain management treatment, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating knee pain. The cause of your pain will be taken into consideration in the diagnosis and treatment. However, there are several commonly prescribed or used treatments.

Your doctor may prescribe medications to help manage your pain and other symptoms, or an underlying condition if there is one. In addition, therapy is usually recommended to help strengthen the surrounding muscles to help make your knee more stable. In some cases, surgery or injections may be a suggested treatment option, depending on your diagnosis – these may include injections of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, or platelet-rich plasma; and surgical treatments may include arthroscopic, partial knee replacement, or total knee replacement surgery.

While knee pain is a fairly common symptom, typically brought on by a minor injury that can be treated with at-home treatments, there are more serious types of knee pain that require immediate and/or swift medical intervention to resolve or mediate.

If you experience any of the following, contact your doctor for an immediate appointment: if your knee is unstable or cannot bear your weight; if there is marked swelling of the area; if you are unable to fully flex or extend your knee; if there is an obvious deformity; if, in addition to redness, swelling, and pain in your knee, you experience a fever; and if you have severe pain associated with a knee injury. If your pain is interfering with your usual routine and sleep schedule, you should contact your doctor for a consultation.

For those seeking treatment for chronic or acute knee pain brought on by an injury, then contact us here at San Antonio Pain Consultants. Our experienced Dr. Darius Zagunis M.D. specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of knee pain and can help you develop a treatment plan and goal that is right for you. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 3903 Wiseman Blvd, Ste 117, San Antonio, TX 78251. We serve patients from San Antonio TX, Shavano Park TX, Leon Valley TX, Helotes TX, Alamo Ranch TX, Fair Oaks Ranch TX, Balcones Heights TX, Fair Oaks TX, Castroville TX, and surrounding areas.