Face it, our knees are going to hurt sometimes. The knee connects the thigh bone to the shin bone and has many parts that make it work. An injury to any one of those parts can cause pain.
Some knee pain will go away on its own, but there are some symptoms you should not ignore.
Knee Noises
When you crack your knuckles, a pop often occurs when gas bubbles are released. A snapping, cracking, or popping sound in the knee when there is also pain and swelling is not normal. Ignoring letting it go can cause permanent damage to the knee.
A sharp pain and a painful pop could mean an ACL tear, so attention from a doctor is necessary.
Something is Moving Inside
The knee joint itself is supposed to move, but things are not supposed to move around inside it. Pieces of bone or cartilage can sometimes break loose in and around the knee joint. They don’t always cause problems right away, but eventually, they probably will.
The foreign object can get into the joint itself and eventually keep the knee from moving.
Pain When Walking or Climbing Stairs
Osteoarthritis impacts millions of American as they age. Knee pain while climbing stairs is a sign of possible osteoarthritis. Ignoring it can lead to more pain and discomfort as the joint deteriorates since osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease.
Some other signs of arthritis are a pain at night that wakes you up, swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness that takes hours to wear off.
Instability, Swelling, and More
We rely on our knees to keep us upright. If a knee feels unstable or like it might collapse, it might be a sign of something serious.
Slight knee swelling might not be a cause for concern, but sudden and extreme swelling can mean a tear or a fracture. Ignoring it is not a good idea.
If you injured your knee playing sports or doing another activity, let a doctor check it out. It could be minor, or it might not be. Tearing an ACL, MCL, LCL, or meniscus could require serious treatment down the road, but getting help early might prevent the need to take invasive steps later.
The medical professionals at B3 Medical in Tampa offer many non-surgical options to treat painful knees. The team at B3 Medical has developed an injection-based protocol that has given relief to many knee pain sufferers. Contact us today!
