Things to know about Knee pain

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Tran Thi Tuyet Nhung - Doctor of Musculoskeletal - Joints - Department of General Internal Medicine, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
According to statistics, the number of people suffering from bone and joint diseases in Vietnam is increasing and tends to be younger. Knee pain is one of the warning signs of osteoarthritis that should be noted.

1. Is knee pain dangerous?

Knee pain is a condition caused by many causes, one of which is osteoarthritis of the knee, which is common in many subjects and different ages, especially in middle and old people.
According to body structure, the knee is located in the center position, is the connecting bridge of the femur, patella and shinbone: tibia, helping to support the weight of the whole body, so this is the set very vulnerable part.
When the cartilage cells are damaged, the cartilage covering the joint surface is gradually worn down, becoming rough leading to the joints rubbing against each other, in addition, there is an inflammatory process that causes knee pain. , swollen knee arthritis, adversely affecting the movement of the legs.

Knee pain can be a warning sign of many dangerous osteoarthritis diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis. If the disease is not treated in time, it can cause unpredictable consequences, even putting the sufferer at risk of lifelong paralysis.

2. Causes of Knee Pain

There are many causes of knee pain and here are some of the main causes.

2.1. Due to knee injury

Knee injuries that will be left after a fall, accident, carrying heavy objects or doing sports activities will lead to a number of injuries that cause Knee Pain, in addition to skin injuries that can be mentioned. Injuries such as ligament strain or rupture, tendon tear, bone fracture, knee dislocation,...

2.2. Due to medical reasons

Knee pain can be a sign of the following typical musculoskeletal diseases:
Knee Osteoarthritis is a high degree of aging or damage to the knee joint cartilage and subchondral bone. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common chronic disease that can cause knee arthritis and lead to many other dangerous complications.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body produces antibodies against the connective tissue in the joint capsule, causing the joints to become inflamed, red, and painful with movement. Rheumatoid arthritis causes severe damage and affects almost any joint in the body, including the knee joint.
Gout is a disease caused by a disorder of uric acid metabolism in the body. Gout causes acute inflammation of the joints and can progress to chronic pain.
Knee Bursitis Disease occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed, causing pain in the knee area and adversely affecting the mobility of the knee joint.

2.3. Due to unhealthy lifestyle

Knee pain in young people is becoming more and more common as a result of unhealthy lifestyles commonly found in today's pace of life. A lifestyle with reversed working hours, often staying up late, using a lot of stimulants such as alcohol, beer, tobacco, ... and an unscientific diet cause bad effects on bones and joints. Over time, making bones and joints weak and susceptible to diseases. This is considered the root cause of joint pain, especially knee pain.

3. Signs of Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common initial symptom in a number of bone and joint diseases. This symptom is often accompanied by a number of other symptoms below:
Pain occurs in the knee and below the knee Pain when moving with swelling and pain in the knee can be a sign of damage to the meniscus, the synovial membrane fluid or system of tendons and ligaments around the knee joint.
Painful swelling and heat in the knee This is a sign of bursitis. The bursa are small fluid-filled sacs that surround the knee, cushioning the bones and lubricating the joint, reducing friction during movement. When the bursa becomes inflamed, it swells up, making movement difficult.

There is a crackling sound in the knee. The joint cartilage in patients with knee pain often has a loose connection, affecting the movement of the joint, causing a clicking sound in the knee when the patient moves.
Some other manifestations such as joint deformity, stiff joints, ... often appear along with the feeling of pain and fatigue in the knee area.

4. Knee Pain Treatment

Each case with different causes of knee pain will have its own treatment method. Therefore, as soon as the above symptoms appear, the patient should quickly go to the doctor to determine the cause of the disease and have the appropriate treatment.
Currently, people with knee pain can be treated with supportive medicine, massage, cold compress, hot compress, physical therapy, or a combination of some of the above methods. . Patients should note that these measures should only be taken when prescribed and directed by a doctor. In the case of severe degenerative disease, complicated ligament damage or arthritis that has a lot of joint deformity, has done the above measures but there is no change, the doctor may appoint surgery. for the patient.
Vinmec International General Hospital has applied platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection as a safe treatment for arthritis patients, helping to end pain quickly and sustainably.

Knee pain signals the risk of many different diseases. Therefore, early detection of symptoms for timely diagnosis and treatment is extremely important in preventing and minimizing later complications of the disease. Equip yourself with the basic knowledge to be able to protect yourself and those around you from serious complications caused by osteoarthritis!
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