Knee pain can be uncomfortable, and not only does it hinder your movement, but it can also make your life unbearable. If you are experiencing knee pain, there are various treatment options to alleviate the pain.
What Causes Knee Pain?
Knee pain can be caused by an injury, overuse in athletics, arthritis, and other health complications like gout. The pain can go away, but if you experience the following, you should see an orthopedic surgeon for treatment:
- Very swollen knee
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Fever
- Extreme pain
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic knee arthritis, reactive arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis affect the knee joint. This is whereby the cartilage that cushions the end of the bones can deteriorate with time. This cartilage is what provides a barrier between joints, and when it wears down, it can lead to a condition known as osteoarthritis. This condition is uncomfortable because the bone on bone movement causes intense pain.
Knee Pain Treatment
If a patient experiences extreme pain and if they have knee deformity, a doctor might recommend knee arthroscopy or knee replacement.
What is Knee Arthroscopy?
Knee arthroscopy is a non-invasive surgical procedure whereby an orthopedic surgeon inserts an arthroscope, which is a small camera, in a knee joint. The image is viewed on a monitor. It is a painless surgical procedure, and the patient can return to their typical day to day activities.
What is a Knee Replacement?
Knee Replacement is a procedure that benefits people who have arthritis, whereby medication and physiotherapy have not helped in alleviating the knee joint pain. It involves the replacement of the worn-out joint with an artificial one to improve mobility.
What Happens After Knee Arthroscopy and Knee Treatment?
Knee Arthroscopy Recovery Plan
Knee arthroscopy recovery does not take long. The patient gets to leave the hospital that very day, and they are given specific instructions for improvement, which include:
- How they should handle the injured leg and using of crutches to walk
- Regularly dressing their wound
- Taking their prescription medicine
- Resting properly
- Having physiotherapy exercises
Knee Replacement Recovery Plan
The procedure can take about 2 hours or less, but the patient's progress will need to be monitored, and that means staying in the hospital for some days or longer if need be. They will also need prescriptions to relieve the post-surgery pain as they recover. The orthopedic surgeon's recovery plan will include:
- Use of crutches to walk
- Taking care of the surgical wound
- Physiotherapy exercises to strengthen the knee
- Check up after six months and follow up thereafter to check the implant
Gustavel Orthopedics for Knee Arthroscopy or Knee Replacement
When you experience knee pain, the last thing you want to worry about is the quality of specialized care you deserve. Dr. Michael Gustavel is a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon in Boise, Idaho practicing since 2002. At Gustavel Orthopedics we pride ourselves in patient care & independence in health care choice. Contact us to request an appointment and for more information on knee arthroscopy and knee replacement.