What Kind Of Doctor For Knee Pain

Should I See An Orthopedic Doctor For My Knee Pain

Its hard to know when to see a doctor about knee pain, and even harder, sometimes to know what type of doctor to see. If you suffer from knee pain, one of the best things to do is start with the standard treatment for knee pain or injury: over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain meds like ibuprofen along with PRICE therapy .

Your knee should begin to heal and your pain should decrease after a week of this treatment. If youre still having significant pain after a week, you should get in touch with an orthopedic doctor. As a specialist in bone, joint and soft tissue injuries, orthopedic specialists know how to track down whats causing your pain and treat it.

Whatever you do, dont just tough it out. The inflammation thats causing your pain can spread to surrounding tissue, which can make healing take even longer.

What are some common causes of knee pain that wont go away?

Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by degeneration of cartilage in the knee. It can become so severe that the cartilage will be completely eroded, with bone rubbing on bone. The good news is that osteoarthritis is usually treatable without surgery. An orthopedic physician can definitely help you with this condition.

Ligament Injury. Ligaments hold your leg bones together and keep your knee steady when you move it. Ligament injuries are especially common in athletes and can cause severe pain. Such injuries may require surgery to repair.

Some knee pain requires immediate action.

• Unbearable pain

When Should You See A Doctor About Knee Pain

Knee injuries can cause different forms of pain or instability that can impact your quality of life. On today’s Health Minute, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matheau Eysser talks about common symptoms to look for when deciding whether your knee pain should be examined by a physician.

However, if your symptoms are a dull ache, pain when standing from a sitting position, or pain that improves after walking a couple of steps, this could indicate arthritis. If you are experiencing these types of symptoms, it is a good idea to have your knee checked out by your doctor.

What Kind Of Doctor Should I See For Knee Pain

Knee pain can arise from many injuries and conditions. The type of specialist you consult see may depend on several factors most especially, whether or not you have had an acute injury, such as by twisting your knee during sports activity or experiencing an impact during a fall or other accident.

HSS offers a multidisciplinary approach to knee care. Our orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors provide acute injury treatments that may be surgical or nonsurgical. For pain that arises when there has been no obvious injury, you may benefit from treatment by a physiatrist, rheumatologist or physical therapist.

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When To See A Knee Doctor

Not all knee pain requires medical treatment most minor tweaks, sprains and injuries can be treated at home with rest, ice and elevation. If youre experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should contact an orthopedic knee specialist for a consultation.

If you:

• Have distinct knee swelling or an obvious deformity
• Cant bear weight on your knee
• Your knee gives out when you try to walk
• Have a fever in addition to redness and swelling
• Are in severe pain

Chronic Knee Pain

Living in constant pain and being unable to live a normal, active life shouldnt be your norm.

If youve been experiencing chronic knee pain, its time to see a knee pain specialist. While some chronic knee conditions cannot be cured, treatments can help reduce your symptoms and pain.

Keeping You Active At Orthopedic Specialists & Sports Medicine

Finding a doctor who can expertly diagnose and treat your knee pain is one of the most important decisions you will make regarding your care.

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Orthopedic Specialists & Sports Medicine, Edward L. Westerheide, M.D., Brad L. Bernacki, M.D., Alex Tancevski, M.D., and Benjamin W. Burkett, M.D., are specialty-trained in diagnosing and treating a variety of knee injuries and conditions. Our doctors always strive to find a conservative treatment for you first before recommending surgery. However, if knee surgery is the best option, our surgeons have extensive experience in performing surgical knee procedures, such as knee replacement, partial knee replacement, ACL reconstruction, and knee arthroscopy. Dr. Westerheide is also trained to perform customized knee replacements through ConforMIS. Our surgeons are dedicated to providing compassionate, expert orthopedic care to get you moving and keep you active.

Taking a team approach, our knee surgeons work closely with our specialty-trained therapy team. Our physical therapists provide expert rehabilitation services and will tailor a treatment plan to your individual needs in order to restore function and get you back to the life you love.

To schedule an appointment with one of our knee surgeons at our office in Granville, please request an appointment online or call 788-9220.

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What Does An Orthopedist Do

Orthopedists handle the disorders, injuries, prevention, treatment, and repair of the skeletal system and its related joints, ligaments, and muscles.

Orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons are specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of bone and joint disease. They use an array of testing modalities to aid in diagnosis and treatment.

There Are Many Types Of Knee Problems But Certain Symptoms And Injuries Warrant A Call To Your Doctor If You Experience Pain Swelling Instability Or The Inability To Walk Its Time To Seek Medical Attentionsome Types Of Knee Problems And Knee Pain Are Easy To Treat And Relieve At Home But Symptoms Such As Continuous Knee Pain And Swelling Or Significant Changes In Your Range Of Motion And Serious Injuries Like Cartilage Tears And Kneecap Dislocations Require Professional Medical Care If You Experience Acute Knee Pain With No Apparent Cause Or Have Problems Stemming From A Knee Injury You Need To Have This Vital Joint Examined Immediately Contact Your Doctor Now If Any Of The Following Types Of Knee Problems Apply To You:

Pain Lasting More than Two DaysIts important to monitor any stiffness and pain in your knee for up to 48 hours after it begins. Try to rest your knee, and ice the area several times a day. Use anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen to reduce your pain. If rest and ice dont take away the stiffness and pain in your knee, consult a physician to see if you have torn your meniscus or cartilage. The most common chronic knee pain stems from arthritis, but this type of pain will generally increase over time rather than arising suddenly .

Swelling Untreatable with Rest and IceSwelling is a direct response to an acute injury, which could be as simple as a sprained knee ligament or an indication of tendonitis. If you hear your knee make clicking sounds when you try to move your knee, this means the tendons are snapping against each other due to the strain placed on them after swelling into a new position. If at home measures havent reduced the swelling on your knee after two days of rest, its time to call your doctor.

Inability to Bear WeightTest your ability to put weight on your knee by standing on your uninjured leg first. If you are not able to bear weight on each leg equally, its time to seek treatment. If you cant stand up straight or are unable to put weight on your injured knee without pain, you need to see your doctor as quickly as possible to assess the damage to your knee.

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What Kind Of Doctor For Foot And Knee Pain

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Stem Cell And Prp Therapy

Many orthopedic doctors also use regenerative medicine to relieve pain and boost injury healing. Stem cell therapy and PRP therapy use components taken from your blood. In stem cell therapy, adult stem cells are harvested and injected into the knee to promote the healing of damaged tissue. In PRP therapy, blood is taken from your body, platelets are isolated and concentrated using a centrifuge machine, and injected into the knee. The platelets contain growth factors that can boost the repair and healing process. Patients with soft tissue injuries and osteoarthritis may benefit from stem cell therapy and PRP therapy.

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Chronic Medical Conditions Can Cause Hip Problems That Occur On A Regular Basis Knowing What Is Causing These Symptoms Helps Determine The Best Course Of Treatment

Knee pain can occur due to injuries, inflammatory conditions, underlying diseases, or wear and tear that affects the structures in the joint. Having this type of pain diagnosed is essential to ensure that you receive proper treatment for it. Knowing who can diagnose knee pain and who can treat it can help you understand what to expect from your knee-related medical appointments.

Diagnosing Knee PainDetermining the cause of knee pain typically begins with your primary care doctor or you can schedule an appointment directly with one of Arkansas Surgical Hospitals orthopedic surgeons. A physical exam is conducted. The exam will help determine the origin and severity of your pain.

If you are evaluated by your primary care physician and your knee pain requires more detailed evaluation, your doctor might refer you to an orthopedic surgeon, who specializes in diagnosing and treating problems with the musculoskeletal system.. Your orthopedic surgeon will most likely take imaging tests to see your knee joint in greater detail, including X-rays to check the bones in the knee joint or magnetic resonance imaging scans to check the cartilage and ligaments in the knee. Depending on the results of these imaging tests, your orthopedic surgeon may prescribe a conservative treatment plan which could include medication, exercise, joint injections or a supervised therapy program. A surgical procedure might be also be recommended if warranted.

If You Have Swelling That Lasts More Than 48 Hours See A Doctor

48 Hours of Knee Swelling?

See a doctor

When you have suffered an acute injury to the knee, the result will be increased, noticeable swelling about the injury itself.

Soft tissue will swell when there is damage, resulting in pain, loss of motion, and severe limitations in mobility.

Note: sometimes swelling can be observed visually. On other occasions, you can’t see it with the naked eye. Pain, stiffness, or clicking as injured tendons snap over one another are all indications that something is wrong.

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The Region’s Most Comprehensive Knee Care

At the Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center, our experienced knee doctors and staff are proud to offer exceptional orthopedic care to people throughout the communities of northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. Our doctors are available at our office in St. Joseph, Missouri, as well as at the Mosaic Medical Center in Maryville, Missouri, the Northwest Medical Center in Albany, Missouri, the Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton, Missouri, the Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and the Hiawatha Community Hospital in Hiawatha, Kansas.

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Daniel Smith, Dr. Brett Miller, Dr. Corey Trease, Dr. Brian Duncan, Dr. Blake Peterson, and Dr. Michael Smith, have years of experience in treating patients with a variety of knee injuries or conditions. Our orthopedic knee surgeons have the knowledge and skills to perform a thorough evaluation and provide an accurate diagnosis and viable treatment options. Conservative methods will always be recommended first, but there are some cases when knee surgery is required to help eliminate pain and restore proper function.

If a knee injury or condition is keeping you from living the life you love, schedule an appointment with one of our specialty-trained knee surgeons by requesting an appointment online or calling 233-9888.

Schedule An Appointment With Your Doctor

Pain Treatment Specialists has some of the best knee doctors in the country. Our knee pain doctors Dr. George Hanna, Dr. Namrata Khimani, and Dr. Michael Nguyen are board-certified interventional pain specialists who have graduated from Ivy League universities. They diagnose the root cause of your knee pain using X-Rays, CT Scans, and MRIs and then they treat it using the latest minimally invasive knee pain treatments. For more information, please schedule an appointment with your doctor today.

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Knee Pain Symptoms & Treatment

Knee pain is a common condition affecting a wide range of people. Pain in knees can result from an injury, an infection or a medical condition such as arthritis.

Treatment for knee pain depends on its cause and how severe the pain is. Our orthopedic specialists can offer personalized treatment plans including surgical and non-surgical options after a physical examination and assessment.

Can An Orthopedic Doctor Treat Arthritis

Orthopedic doctors treat arthritis all the time. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common reasons people see orthopedic doctors or surgeons. Severe arthritis might require a joint replacement or arthroplasty. Other forms of arthritis may also need to be treated by a Rheumatologist.

If you would like to learn more about knee replacements, this video may help.

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The Pain Lasts For Weeks

Most physicians will recommend that injuries like knee sprains or bruises may be treated at home with the RICE method rest, ice, compression and elevation. Over the counter medications can also be used to help with pain and discomfort. But if you find that this method isnt lessening your pain and symptoms after a few weeks, a doctors visit is probably in order. A sore knee that refuses to get better could indicate a torn muscle, torn cartilage or even a torn meniscus which wont get better without a doctors intervention.

Should I Get My Knee Checked Out

Knee injuries and pain can limit your lifestyle and daily activity. It is important to address knee issues early to avoid more serious issues. Here are some ways to know it is time to see a knee doctor.

• Does knee pain keep you from using stairs?
• Do you avoid walking due to knee pain?
• Is your knee swollen in the front or back?
• Did you feel a pop when the knee started hurting?
• Can you stand on the painful knee?
• Does your knee feel hot?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to get your knee checked out.

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When To See A Doctor For Knee Pain

Unfortunately, knee pain is a common problem for many Americans of all ages. While younger people tend to experience knee pain after an injury, knee pain can also be caused by a number of medical conditions, obesity and arthritis.

If youre experiencing acute or chronic knee pain, you may need to see a knee specialist for treatment.

Pressing On The Knee Doesnt Hurt

If youre unable to increase your pain level by touching or pushing on your knee, the source of the pain may actually be caused by problems elsewhere in the body. For example, sciatica a condition in which a disc in the lower back presses on a nerve can cause pain down the leg and through the knee. Hip injuries may also cause knee pain. So if you push around in your knee and it doesnt hurt, consult a doctor to figure out whats really going on.

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Will Surgery Treat And Cure Knee Pain

Surgery

Knee operations range from arthroscopic knee surgery to total knee replacement. Arthroscopic knee surgery is a very common surgical procedure that allows the physician look inside your knee through a few small holes and a fiberoptic camera. The surgeon can repair many of the injuries and remove small pieces of loose bones or cartilage. This is a common outpatient procedure.

Partial knee replacement: The surgeon replaces the damaged portions of the knee with plastic and metal parts. Because only part of the knee joint is replaced, this procedure has a shorter recovery then a total knee replacement.

Total knee replacement: In this procedure, the knee is replaced with an artificial joint.

Other therapies

Acupuncture has shown some relieve of knee pain, especially in patients with osteoarthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have shown mixed results in research studies.

Who Can Help With My Joint Pain Or Arthritis

Your PCP will guide you in the right direction regarding which specialist you need to see in further treating your health concerns. Many health insurance plans require that a PCP first refer the patient to a consulting specialist before a visit to this specialist is covered by your medical plan.

If you suffer pain and disability due to arthritis, body trauma, injury, or an accident , an orthopedist can help. The staff at Orthopaedic Associates utilizes both cutting-edge therapies and traditional treatments to address a variety of orthopedic conditions.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 892-1440 or fill out our easy-to-use online appointment request form. We look forward to hearing from you.

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