Current studies tell us that 19% of the population suffers from some form of knee pain. It appears to affect more women than men with nearly 20% of women reporting pain and only 10-15% of their male counterparts. Knee pain is any pain that affects the knee joint and can result from an injury to the knee or even the hip. If you are experiencing knee pain, what kind of treatments can you expect?
1. Over-the-counter medications for knee pain
Non-prescription pain relievers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications can offer some relief to individuals dealing with the effects of knee pain. However, most often these drugs mask the symptoms and don’t treat the problem. For short-term relief consider medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, but talk with your doctor or specialist to determine a long-term strategy for pain management.
2. Knee braces
A knee brace will limit the motion of the knee joint and reduce the risk of a repetitive injury. It’s another choice for a non-invasive method to stop pain in the knee. Depending on the type or severity of your injury, you may need to use a functional brace that supports the injured joint or a rehabilitative brace that promotes healing. Talk with your doctor about the best brace for you.
3. Physical therapy
A trained physical therapist can assist you with exercises that can help strengthen the muscles around your knee to allow the injury to heal and alleviate pain. They will also be able to show you ways you can work with your knee at home to promote continued healing.
4. Acupuncture
Some people have had success with acupuncture treatments. Small needles are inserted in your skin to stimulate the body’s natural flow of energy. This can help open the area up to the body’s natural healing process. Acupuncture has no known side effects and the treatment can be relaxing as well.
5. Knee injections
As we noted in our post on knee injections:
“Injections for knee pain relief are usually administered only for knee pain caused by arthritis, since other types of knee pain are better alleviated by methods such as physical therapy, braces, compressions, or surgery.”
Are you experiencing knee pain that could be helped by one of these treatments?
Image by Perfect Zero via Flickr