The knee is a joint that has the flexibility to support the weight of our body. It is also a joint responsibility for a person to stand, sit, walk, climb, crouch, run and jump. Knee problems could reduce one’s mobility and could make one’s daily life miserable.
One common knee disease is arthritis. Arthritis is a group of diseases affecting the joints of the body including the shoulders, elbows, fingers, wrists, hips, ankles, knees, and any area of the body with joints.
There are many types of arthritis and one common type is knee osteoarthritis, a common type of knee arthritis. This is a condition where the cartilage that serves as a cushion between the joints gradually wears away causing painful bone-to-bone friction.
Although knee arthritis is commonly associated with aging, other contributing factors in the occurrence of knee arthritis are knee injuries, overuse or prolonged stress on the knee joints, and heredity. Knee arthritis can be very disabling and it is important to know how to relieve painful knee arthritis to function normally in your daily life.
Arthritis is a progressive joint disease and as the cartilage between the joints continues to get damaged the pain becomes more unbearable this could affect one’s mobility and can even affect a person’s job or source of income.
Early treatment is important to avoid the condition to get worse. Knee arthritis could be a cause of disability if not treated early. The following tips can be very helpful to relieve painful knee arthritis.
Medications
Your doctor may prescribe medicines to relieve painful knee arthritis. For pain, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen at first but if it does not relieve the pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen may be prescribed to relieve the pain and swelling.
Your doctor may also recommend topical creams or sprays to be applied directly on the skin surface of the painful joints. Steroid injection on the affected joints is also another option that your doctor may recommend for relieving painful knee arthritis.
Pain medications could have adverse side effects like liver damage, kidney damage, and stomach bleeding so it is important to take medicines under the supervision of your doctor. Working together with your doctor gives you the chance to find the best medications suitable for your condition with minimal risk of side effects.
Special Footwear
Some people with knee arthritis show improvements by wearing special footwear. Shock-absorbing footwear with insoles is sometimes recommended by doctors or therapists to help relieve painful knee arthritis and improve mobility.
Using special footwear may also reduce the intake of pain reliever drugs. Ask your doctor about special footwear appropriate for your condition. Aside from special footwear, splints and braces may also be recommended for a limited time to support the joints and help you increase your mobility.
Heat or Cold Treatment
The application of heat or cold compress can be very helpful to relieve painful knee arthritis. The application of heat helps improve blood circulation and relieves pain and stiffness in joints. Heat can be applied using a warm towel or warm heat pads or hot packs.
A warm bath is also another way to apply heat to the affected area. A cold compress on the other hand can help reduce inflammation. A cold compress can be applied using cold packs or bags of ice. Ask your therapist or doctor to know if heat or cold treatment is best for your condition.
Exercise
People with arthritis tend to avoid exercise, however, avoiding exercise increases stiffness in the joints, reduces mobility, and diminishes muscle strength.
Although high-impact physical activities are not recommended for people with arthritis, joint movement can be very helpful to lessen the stiffness and relieve painful knee arthritis. Ask your doctor about the exercises appropriate for your condition.
Depending on the severity of your arthritis, your doctor or physical therapist may recommend low-impact exercises like swimming and walking to improve your range of motion, strengthen the muscles around the joints and relieve painful knee arthritis.
Rest
Although people with arthritis are encouraged to exercise and not to remain idle, having enough rest is also necessary to relieve painful knee arthritis. Your knee joints are weight-bearing joints and they need rest to recuperate from too much stress.
Although it can be difficult to sleep at night due to the pain you are suffering, it is still important to get a complete night's sleep to give your tired knees some rest. There are relaxation and stress reliever techniques that can help you sleep soundly at night. If getting restful sleep at night is difficult for you, it is best to consult your doctor.
Keep a Healthy Weight
Obese people who are overweight have a higher risk of developing knee arthritis. Your extra weight becomes an extra load for the knees to carry resulting in unbearable stress on your joints.
Too much stress on the knee joints may cause wear and tear of the joint cartilage resulting in knee arthritis. Gaining excess weight could also increase the risk of disability in people who already have arthritis. To relieve painful knee arthritis and reduce the stress on your knee joints it is important to reduce your excess weight.
A well-balanced diet and physical activities are essential for healthy weight loss. Weight reduction is not an easy thing to do, it can be very helpful to seek professional help if you find it difficult to reduce weight on your own.
Surgery
Surgery may be performed for severe knee arthritis. Joint replacement, repositioning of joints, and removal of loose cartilage or bones are some of the reasons for surgeons to perform surgery.
Of course, there are many factors to be considered before subjecting yourself to the knife-like your age, occupation, the severity of pain, and the impact of arthritis in your daily life.
Alternative Treatment
When traditional medical treatments and self-help care failed to relieve painful knee arthritis, alternative treatments are another option that can be explored.
Alternative treatment is an option for people who do not want to subject themselves to the knife. One alternative treatment is acupuncture, a procedure where a licensed acupuncture therapist inserts needles into problematic joints to relieve pain.
Of course, you have to do your homework and research more before subjecting yourself to alternative treatments.
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