Understanding Knee pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Knee pain

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Knee pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages. It may be the result of many causes: an injury to the knee and its component: ligaments, meniscus, or patella. arthritis (inflammation) of the knee - it can cause by an infection, or by an autoimmune disorder. Bone tumor can cause knee pain when a tumor grows on the femur or the tibia - two of the bones that meet in the knee joint. In the older community knee pain may be the reason of osteoarthritis - a degenerative disease of joints in the body.

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Signs & symptoms

Symptoms that sometimes occur during knee pain are: swelling, stiffness, redness, weakness or instability, and sometimes popping noises.

Diagnosis

During knee pain diagnosis you will be asked by your healthcare provider about your medical history and symptoms. A physical examination will be used to inspect your knee: its color, shape, range of motion, and stability. Your healthcare provider may suggest following tests: imaging tests to better detect fractures, inflammation and other lumps in the knee junction area. These imaging tests are: X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI scans. If your doctor suspects an inflammation, he may suggest an arthrocentesis procedure - a small amount of fluid is removed from within your knee joint with a needle and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Treatment

Treatment of knee pain varies depending on its cause. In less severe cases, like a mild trauma or an osteoarthritis without complications - over-the-counter painkillers may be suggested. Bacterial infection of the knee should be treated with antibiotics as soon as possible, to prevent any damage to the knee. Inflammation caused by an autoimmune disorder may be treated with steroids or other immune-mediated drugs.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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