Pain in the knees can have many different causes and can require efforts to bring knee pain relief as soon as possible. Sometimes knee pain is extreme or may be a sign of a dangerous problem. Other times, it is an annoying inconvenience. Certain types of knee pain require the immediate attention of a medical professional. Find out which kinds of knee pain clearly indicate that you should have your knee looked at by a doctor right away.

Signs of Septic Arthritis Infection

Fever

Take your temperature if you think something may be wrong. If you have a fever it could be a sign that there is a serious infection in the fluid or tissues in your knee joint. Running a fever is a sign of this infection and indicates you should see a doctor when you are also experiencing knee pain.

Redness

Check the skin around your knee to look for redness. If the coloring is red or has red splotches or lines, you could have septic arthritis.

Tenderness

You may be experiencing sharp pain as well as tenderness in your knee. Does it hurt to touch your knee or when your knee comes in contact with furniture or the floor? If you are suffering from septic arthritis, your joint may feel tender.

Warmth

If you have septic arthritis in your knee, you are likely to feel heat or warmth when you put your hand on or near the joint. Heat often indicates an infection.

Signs of Severe Injury

Popping Sound

You will want to see a medical professional if you heard a popping sound at the time you believe you hurt your knee. Audible popping means that you may have damaged or severely torn a ligament. Another source of a popping sound can be your joint attempting to move normally without success.

A damaged ligament can stop your knee joint from moving smoothly, which may stop you from participating in normal activities. Popping sounds can occur when the knee joint cannot move without parts of it scraping or colliding.

Unusual Appearance

Sometimes an injury can be seen when you hurt your knee. You may see that the joint has become deformed and looks like the parts of your knee and joint are not in the proper places. You may also notice that your leg is bending backward or in another way that is not normal. Sometimes you may even see bones or other internal body parts coming out of the skin.

Any of these situations indicate that you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Swelling

Swelling occurs when you injure yourself and fluid begins to gather at the site of the injury. Swelling in the knee is an indication that you have broken or torn something in the joint. When swelling is accompanied by unusual noises and pain you have probably suffered a significant injury and need medical care.

Extreme Pain

Inability to Bear Weight

Knee pain can be experienced in different degrees. If your pain is so intense that it hurts too much to put weight on your foot, you should see a doctor. Do not attempt to walk when it causes significant pain. You could damage the joint further.

Inability to Bend

You may have a serious injury if you find that you are unable to bend your knee without experiencing unbearable pain. If your knee will not bend normally, you have probably torn a ligament or broken a bone.


Possible Reasons for Needing Knee Pain Relief

Osteoarthritis

The cartilage that surrounds your knee provides cushioning from friction as the parts of your knee joint rub against each other. Over time, this cartilage can break down. The result is pain and inflammation as those areas are no longer protected.

Sometimes the damage is so extensive that your bones begin to rub against each other.

Arthrofibrosis

This condition occurs when the knee joint becomes stiff and harder to move due to a build-up of scar tissue after a surgery or knee injury. The scar tissue causes the knee joint to tighten and reduces the ease of movement.

Pain from a Previous Injury

The knee is an area that may continue to be a problem for many years after it becomes injured. Each time you injure your knee, the risk of long-term consequences grows. Eventually, you may find that you are dealing with consistent pain that is the result of that old damage.

Knee Weakness

There are many causes of weakness in the knees. It can be the result of an injury or an illness. It can also be caused by nerve damage or overuse of the knee. When the muscles around the knee are weak, pain and irritation can be a result.

Excessive Exercise

Pain in the knees can be a result of asking too much of the joint. Too much exercise or physical work may cause a strain on the knee joint and lead to inflammation and pain.

Torn Meniscus

The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that wraps around your knee joint to cushion the movement between your thigh and your shin. The meniscus can be torn when you forcefully twist your knee joint. This is a common injury with pain that often gets worse when you perform certain movements like squatting.

ACL Injury

The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, pulls the shinbone and thigh bone together. It runs diagonally across the center of the knee joint. It can become damaged when you make an abrupt movement like suddenly changing direction when running or when you land in the wrong position after jumping. It can also occur when you collide with another person at a high speed, such as in sports.

A torn ACL will usually repair itself over time, but it can be very painful and cause problems with mobility.

Patellar Tendonitis

The patellar tendon is an important connection between the kneecap and the shin bone. It helps create movement from the front of your thigh, and it is very important in jumping. Damage to this tendon causes pain that begins during times of intense physical activity but gets worse and appears more often over time.

Knee Bursitis

Bursae are cushions of fluid that help to decrease friction and make movement easier in the joints. These areas can have inflamed, causing pain during movement. This can be caused by an impact to the knee or by extended periods in a position that puts pressure on your knee

Broken Kneecap

The kneecap is considered one of the most painful bones in the body to break. You can break your knee cap by landing on your knee or having your knee struck by something. In addition to the kneecap, other bones around your knee can become broken as well. A broken knee often requires therapy for a long time.

With the right medical care team, you can get knee pain relief. If you are experiencing knee pain, contact us at B3 Medical and we will assess the cause of your knee pain and talk to you about treatment or therapy options that may be the right course of action for you. If you are hurting, we want to help you get knee pain relief. Call us to start the process.