Surgical Treatment Option for Knee Pain

 

Arthritis is among the leading causes of knee pain.  Fortunately, many treatment options are available.  The effectiveness of different treatments varies from individual to individual.  The choice of treatment should be a joint decision between you and your physician. 

 

Listed below are various non-surgical treatment options you might want to discuss with your physician.

Physical therapy is often effective in reducing knee pain.  It often helps increase strength and mobility.

Simple weight loss can reduce the stress on weight bearing joints.  Losing weight can result in reduced pain and increased function.

 

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are commonly prescribed to help relieve knee pain and reduce swelling.  NSAIDs are available in over-the-counter and prescription forms.

For moderate to severe knee pain, intra-articular treatments may be recommended.  These treatments involve one or more injections into the knee joint.  These injections can provide pain relief and reduce inflammation.  The pain relief is not permanent and a limited number of injections are allowed.  Many patients experience improvement for weeks to months.

 

Before attempting any treatment on your own, talk to your physician.  Together you can develop a program that will help ease your pain and improve the functioning of your joints.