There are a variety of treatments available regarding the relief of knee pain. Pain relief varies with the individual knee and with the cause of the knee pain. Care for arthritis pain often includes a combination of treatments. Consult with your physician to determine the best course of treatment.
Medications
Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, are used to treat arthritis and control pain. Common medications are aspirin painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoids.
Low-intensity exercise
Exercise routines, including exercises for joints and muscles, focus on improving strength and flexibility. This will reduce pain, increase movement, reduce fatigue, and make you feel better. If done properly, it will not “wear out” the joints or worsen osteoarthritis.
Heat/Cold Therapy
Applying hot or cold to a joint can provide short-term relief from pain and stiffness. Cold compresses help reduce inflammation and swelling and are useful for red bumps on the skin. Hot compresses relax muscles and increase circulation.
Weight management
Losing weight can reduce the weight on your joints to relieve pain. After all, your knee joint carries the weight of your entire body and everything you carry.
Injectables
Sometimes hyaluronic acid, produced by naturally healthy joints, can provide temporary relief from knee pain. Anesthetics can be injected along with a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug (usually cortisol) to numb the knee joint for pain relief.
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
A physical therapist can work with you to create an individualized exercise program and give instructions on how to perform heat therapy and massage therapy. An occupational therapist can introduce you to a variety of helpful devices, such as those used to raise the height of a chair or toilet seat.
Assistive Devices
You can use crutches or other walking aids to protect your knee joint from excessive stress. Insoles called orthotics are designed to support, adjust and improve the function of the foot. In turn, they reduce the stress on the knee joint.
Suspenders
Different types of braces can help reduce knee pain and improve function and motion. A “support” brace can support the entire load on the knee, while an “off-load” supports only one side of the load and can be used when one side of the knee is damaged.
What to avoid
Avoid specific sports such as excessive stair climbing, impact loading sports such as jogging, alpine skiing and high impact aerobics; physical activities including fast starting movements, twisting, or impact stress sports; excessive bending and knee flexion; lifting or pushing heavy objects; sitting on low planes or chairs. When exercise is unavoidable, alternate periods of rest during the activity so that the knee is not strained by heavy functioning.
Mental Health
Talking with family and friends about how you are feeling, doing mental exercises such as meditation and maintaining a positive mindset, and joining a local support group can help you better manage your knee pain.
Non-traditional and alternative therapies
Because herbal and nutritional supplements are not regulated by most health care and regulatory authorities, and because therapeutic effectiveness is not universally supported by scientific research, it is important to talk to your doctor about all the supplements and medications you use or are considering using.