Knee Arthritis Pain Treatment Specialist in Houston, TX
Pain, swelling, and rigidity of the knee joint are the most prevalent signs of knee arthritis, which can be exacerbated by particular motions and physical activities such as walking or standing for extended periods. Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA, our board-certified interventional pain management specialist at InovoSpine, provides several procedures that may alleviate discomfort. For more information, contact us or book an online appointment. We are conveniently located at 1140 Business Center Dr, Suite 110, Houston TX 77043.
Table of Contents:
What is the best treatment for arthritis in the knees?
What not to do with knee arthritis?
What happens if arthritis in the knees is left untreated?
One of the most common causes of knee pain is arthritis in the knee, leading to swelling, inflammation, pain, and stiffness. The condition requires management and professional treatment to prevent it from progressing and interfering with the patient’s ability to live a healthy, active lifestyle.
There are many different treatment options for arthritis in the knees depending on the progression of the arthritis and how the body responds to previously tried treatments. It will always be preferable for patients to start with less invasive treatment options. These options will include management to prevent symptoms and flare-ups, such as maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in low-impact exercises to stay active without putting excess strain on the knees (swimming is preferable over jogging, for example), wearing a knee brace, going to physiotherapy, wearing shock-absorbing shoe inserts, and receiving acupuncture.
When just using the management tools is no longer proving sufficient in reducing symptoms, patients may be recommended to try different medications, either over the counter or prescribed by their physician to reduce inflammation and manage pain levels. This level of treatment may also include corticosteroid injections, ointments, or dietary supplements. If all of these options prove to be insufficient, surgery may be recommended to eliminate the source of the pain. Commonly performed surgical procedures that are used to treat arthritis
in the knees include:
– Arthroplasty: Replacement of the damaged joint.
– Knee Osteotomy: Realignment of the surrounding bones to place less pressure on the damaged portion of the knee.
– Knee Arthroscopy: A minimally invasive procedure to remove damaged cartilage, bone, and inflamed tissue.
When managing knee arthritis, there are a few movements and exercises that should be avoided to prevent further strain and inflammation being done to the knees. It is very important to maintain a healthy active lifestyle to further manage arthritis, low-impact exercises being performed in the right way will help to prevent the condition from worsening while maintaining mobility and functionality of the knee and can even decrease pain in the knee. Engaging in the “wrong” kinds of exercises and workouts can lead to increased pain and irritation of the knee. High-impact sports will typically come with an increased risk of injury or further damage, meaning that training and recommendations will be required from a physical therapist or other specialist to be able to engage in these types of activities safely. Sports and exercises that are considered to be high-impact include:
– Jogging/running
– Running or walking upstairs
– Deep lunges
– Squats
Activities such as swimming, mild to moderate intensity cycling, and pilates will typically be a bit safer to engage in to reduce pain and inflammation in the knees but should still be performed with caution to prevent further injury.
Arthritis is a progressive condition, meaning that without proper management and treatment, it will only continue to worsen. Not only will the pain and inflammation persist and continue to worsen, as well as continuing degradation of function for the affected limb, there are also a few other complications that can develop resulting in requiring more invasive treatments or suffering from a substantial change in quality of life. The arthritis can continue to progress to the point of loss of mobility, and independence in the patient, eventually requiring a complete joint replacement.
Other common side effects and complications of leaving arthritis in the knee untreated include:
– Increased difficulty bending or straightening the affected knee;
– Bone spurs;
– Joint deformity;
– Loss of independence (increased difficulty shopping, cleaning, and other chores independently);
– Weight gain due to limited mobility;
– Increased difficulty sleeping due to discomfort and pain
– Development of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression due to increased social isolation and loss of independence.
The longer patients with arthritis in their knees go without any sort of medical intervention or treatment, the more the condition will progress, leading to significantly more discomfort, and pain, and allowing for the condition to start to interfere with their ability to function normally.
InovoSpine can help you regain pain-free movement by providing effective treatments for knee arthritis. For more information, contact us or book an online appointment. We are conveniently located at 1140 Business Center Dr, Suite 110, Houston TX 77043. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX, and surrounding areas.
Additional Service You May Need
- Regenerative Medicine
- Spinal Arthritis
- Diagnostic Mapping
- Interventional Pain
- Minimally Invasive
- Spine Pain
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Facet Joint Pain
- Herniated Discs
- Muscle and Joint Pain
- Post-Laminectomy Pain
- Myofascial Pain
- Peripheral Nerve Pain
- Regional Pain Syndrome