Knee pain: what it can be and what to do

Knee pain is a symptom that can arise due to joint wear, excess weight or sports injuries that can happen at the football game or during a run, for example.

However, when knee pain prevents walking or worsens over time, it can be a sign of a more serious problem, such as ligament rupture, osteoarthritis or Baker's cyst, which can be confirmed through tests such as x-rays or computed tomography.

However, knee pain, in most cases, is not severe and can be treated at home with the application of ice twice a day, for the first 3 days from the beginning of the pain. In addition, the use of an elastic band on the knee throughout the day helps to immobilize it, reducing pain while waiting for the appointment.

What can cause knee pain

The main causes of knee pain are:

Pain in the side of the knee, when running or after running: it is usually the iliotibial band syndrome that must be treated with anti-inflammatories, stretches and myofascial release. Find out here how to cure iliotibial band syndrome here. It can also indicate injury to the lateral meniscus or injury to the lateral collateral ligament. Knee pain in the inner part: it can arise due to a sprain of the knee, caused by blows on the side of the knee, causing swelling on the opposite side of the trauma, tendinitis of the goose leg, injury to the medial collateral ligament or even a rupture of the medial meniscus. Learn to identify and treat meniscus injuries. Pain in the back of the knee: Baker's cyst may be suspected, a small swelling that arises behind the knee and causes increased pain when the patient does squats or bends the knee. Pain in front of the knee: it can be a patellar chondromalacia. See how your chondromalacia treatment can be done by clicking here. Knee pain upon waking: it is more common after 40 years of age and is generally related to the existence of rheumatoid arthritis in the joint, with pain being more frequent during the first minutes of the morning, and it improves with movement. Here's how to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Crouching knee pain: one of the common causes is patellar chondropathy, which is wear and tear on the joint around the patella, or injury to the meniscus. Understand patellar chondropathy. Knee pain when walking, at the end of the day or standing for a long time: it can be arthrosis, which causes wear of the knee, and as the disease worsens, there is knee stiffness when getting up in the morning and improves with rest. Learn how to treat osteoarthritis. Knee pain when bending the leg: may indicate injury to the meniscus. Knee pain when stretching the leg: may indicate injury to the tendon or rupture of the patellar ligament. Pain in every knee: it depends on whether there was any direct trauma such as falling on your knees on the floor, which can indicate bruising, twisting the knee, partial rupture of a muscle or ligament. Knee pain and cracking when moving the knee laterally: it may indicate injury to the anterior, posterior cruciate ligaments, coronary ligament, meniscus rupture or osteochondral fracture. Knee pain when climbing stairs: it can be osteoarthritis, meniscus injury or osteochondral injury, for example. Knee pain when descending stairs: may indicate injury to the patella. Knee pain and swelling without trauma: may indicate hemophilia, rheumatoid arthritis, infection or gout. Deep pain, right in the middle of the knee: It may be a rupture of the anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments.

If in addition to the knee pain you notice that it crackles when moving, tries to go up or down stairs, see what may be causing this symptom in: What to do when the knee is cracking.

Knee Pain Remedies

Anti-inflammatory drugs in pill form can be used as long as indicated by the doctor, but it can also bring pain relief by applying an ointment such as Gelol, Cataflan or Calminex, which can be purchased at the pharmacy, without a prescription.

But in addition, as a natural remedy there are foods that fight inflammation such as salmon, chia seeds, saffron, mashed garlic and ginger teas, for example. Find out more examples of anti-inflammatory foods that you should consume more in days of pain.

Alternative treatment for knee pain

Usually, knee pain can be treated with anti-inflammatories prescribed by the orthopedist, such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen, or surgery to replace damaged portions of the knee. However, an alternative treatment for knee pain can be adopted, especially for those who have a stomach sensitive to anti-inflammatories and includes:

Homeopathy: use of homeopathic remedies, such as Reumamed or Homeoflan, by Almeida Prado, prescribed by the orthopedist, to treat knee inflammation caused by arthritis or tendonitis, for example; Compresses: place hot compresses with 3 drops of essential oil of sage or rosemary 2 times a day, from the 3rd day of onset of symptoms; Knee rest: consists of bandaging the knee, especially when it is necessary to remain standing for a long time.

The patient with knee pain can enrich his daily diet with foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as ginger, turmeric, salmon or chia seeds, which help to complement the treatment and prevent pain in other joints. In addition, very sugary foods should be avoided, as they aggravate inflammation anywhere in the body.

Check out these and other tips on how to relieve knee pain in the following video:

Other natural ways to relieve knee pain

Some tips for relieving knee pain include avoiding running or walking whenever knee pain is present, not gaining weight and sitting in high chairs, so as not to strain your knees when getting up.

Alternative treatment for knee pain should not replace the treatment indicated by the doctor, as it can worsen the problem that caused the knee pain.

When to see a doctor

It is important to consult the orthopedist or a physical therapist when:

The pain lasts for more than 3 days, even after resting and applying cold compresses; The pain is very intense when doing daily activities such as ironing clothes, carrying the child on your lap, walking or climbing stairs; The knee does not bend or make noise when moving, the knee is deformed, other symptoms appear, such as fever or tingling;

In these cases, the orthopedist may order an x-ray or an MRI to diagnose the problem and recommend appropriate treatment.