The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment. In case of pain or other aggravation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment, you should contact your doctor.
When we experience knee discomfort, we rarely think about joint damage. After your forties, it seems like there is nothing to worry about: at this age, your joints will inevitably hurt. In fact, it is very important to find out in timewhy there is pain in the knee joint: This can be a signal of injury, illness or even problems with the nervous system.
What can be damaged in the knee?
The knee is one of the largest joints in the human body. It consists of:
- common,
- end of femur and tibia,
- muscle,
- ship,
- nerves
- ligaments,
- knee cap,
- meniscus,
- joint capsule.
All these parts can be damaged, although not all can be damaged: there are no nerve endings in bones.
Knee pain can be caused by damage to the femur and tibia, as well as nearby muscles.
Parts of the injury, such as a dislocated joint, a torn or torn meniscus, will reduce mobility. Damage to even small vessels will cause hematoma and inflammation, which will cause discomfort when you try to move your leg. The joint capsule is an excellent environment for infection: after viral and bacterial infections, patients often complain of complications and joint pain. And if there is a nerve disease, the patient will feel a sharp shooting pain in the knee even with a completely healthy joint.
Knee pain due to injury
Injuries are one of the most common causes of pain. Knees can be damaged by an unfortunate fall, playing sports or sudden movements; even uncomfortable shoes can cause complications.
- Bruise on the knee- fairly weak and very frequent damage. With it, the knee swells, becomes red, and the temperature of the joint may rise slightly. If a bruise appears, a knee massage may be required;
- Ligament ruptureoccurs when the leg or thigh is twisted too far in an unnatural direction. A complete rupture of the ligaments causes severe pain and excessive joint mobility;
- Meniscus tearit can be caused by high load, unnatural position, a blow to the foot or twisting of the foot. This is a common and difficult-to-diagnose injury that interferes with normal leg movement;
- Fractures of the knee, leg or hipcombined with soft tissue damage, causing excruciating pain, excessive mobility and deformity of the knee.
Such injuries can be diagnosed by a surgeon or traumatologist. A visual examination is often sufficient, but you may be sent for an X-ray (if a fracture or dislocation is suspected) or a CT scan if the doctor suspects ligament or meniscus damage.
What joint diseases can cause pain?
Any damage to the joint, whether it is cartilage destruction, infection in the joint capsule or inflammation of the bones, will cause aching pain and reduced mobility. The disease is not always localized specifically in the knee: general joint diseases will affect the whole body. The knees will deteriorate faster due to the high load.
- Arthritis— inflammation of the joint, which can develop after injury, infection or problems with metabolism;
- bursitis- inflammation of the joint capsule, which leads to severe discomfort when trying to move the joint;
- INperiarthritisthe tendons, muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee joint become inflamed. Pain is felt with increased load on the bent leg, for example, when going down the stairs;
- Chondropathy— the gradual destruction of the cartilage that surrounds the joint and softens friction and impact;
- Neoplasmsthey compress the vessels and can deform the joint capsule, which will cause pain and limit mobility;
- INosteoporosisCalcium is gradually washed out of the bones and joints, the tissues become weak and fragile. The disease is accompanied by excruciating pain and increased risk of injury;
- Osteomyelitis- inflammation of bone tissue. Swelling is visible in the affected area, the temperature rises and the patient experiences severe acute pain;
- Diseasesof various natures - for example, flu and tuberculosis - can cause complications due to infection that has entered the joint capsule. In these cases there is an increase in temperature, weakness and pain in several joints at once.
For the diagnosis of these diseases, an X-ray, magnetic resonance or computer tomography scan is performed, which shows all parts of the affected joint. If inflammation is suspected, the doctor will advise you to do a general and biochemical blood analysis and to do a synovial fluid puncture. To rule out infectious diseases, you can refer for additional tests and fluorography.
Knee pain due to nerve damage
Much less often, pain in the knees occurs due to a disorder of the nerve tissue. It is accompanied by sharp pains, and numbness and tingling may begin in the legs.
- Neuritis- inflammation of the nerve in one or more areas. With it, the patient feels throbbing pain and loses sensitivity, mobility may decrease, the leg begins to contract involuntarily at the knee;
- Crushed nerve- common consequence of inflammation, neoplasms and injuries. Due to the physical pressure on the nerve roots in the knee, burning pain, numbness, loss of mobility and even paralysis occur.
To diagnose nerve diseases, MRI or CT is used, depending on the patient's contraindications. If the pain is caused by a pinched nerve, blood and synovial fluid tests may be needed to determine the cause of the joint deformity.
Is it possible to determine from the symptoms why there is pain in the knee joint?
The exact cause of the pain can only be understood by a specialist and after proper analysis. However, it is quite possible to determine approximately at least the affected area:
- If you feel numbness or tingling in addition to the pain,nerve damage;
- Increased knee temperature and swelling -signs of inflammation;
- General weakness, fever and poor health -joint diseases after illness;
- Pain is felt not only in the knees, but also in other joints, for example, in the shoulder or fingers: it can be likeosteoporosis, and the consequencesinfectious disease;
- Sharp pains in the joint when trying to bend or straighten the leg and very weak when at rest.advanced bursitis or chondropathy;
- Impaired mobility in a joint without loss of sensation isjoint destruction, neoplasm or arthritis;
- Fractures, dislocations and bruises will be preceded by a bump or fall, which you are unlikely to ignore. Wherejoint dislocation, ligament and meniscus damageaccompanied by excessive mobility in the knee.
After you have roughly determined the cause of the pain, you can prepare for a visit to the doctor and take the necessary tests and photographs. This will reduce the time of diagnosis and speed up the recovery. Do not try to treat knee pain yourself, as you may mistake the cause of the disease and worsen the condition. Severe pain can be relieved with analgesics and it is better to consult a doctor about anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors, bandages and physiotherapy.