- Knee pain: Lyme disease
- Knee pain: bacterial infections
- Knee pain: degenerative changes
- Knee pain: rheumatic diseases
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Knee pain usually results from an injury. However, knee pain can also be a signal of a serious illness, so it should not be underestimated. What diseases can cause knee pain?
Knee painmost often occurs after an injury. However, sometimes knee pain is a symptom of a serious joint disease or bacterial infection. Check what diseases can be manifested by knee pain.
Knee pain: Lyme disease
Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that can cause serious complications - neurological, joint and heart. Pain, knee swelling, fever may indicate that the spirochetesBorrelia , which entered the body with the saliva of an infected tick, traveled to the knee along with the blood, causing inflammation. The appearance of these ailments is preceded by changes in the skin (the so-called erythema migrans). If left untreated, the disease usually becomes chronic. Chronic Lyme disease (chronic, late phase) develops over the years and leads to permanent deformation of the joints.
In case of disturbing symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible. Treatment of Lyme disease consists of a longer course of antibiotics. Discontinuation of treatment may cause further damage to the joint.
Knee pain: bacterial infections
Severe pain, swelling and redness of the skin, sometimes an elevated temperature may herald a bacterial infection of the knee. The infection occurs as a result of injuries with cuts. This may also result in the administration of drugs to the knee, whose task is to regenerate the articular cartilage or steroid drugs in unsuitable conditions. The procedure should be performed in an approved treatment room, not in an ordinary medical room, by a trained specialist.
Instead of relieving the pain on your own by taking another pill or applying ointment to your leg, ask your doctor what to do. Probably there will be an antibiotic. Testing the synovial fluid for culture and taking an antibiogram will help in choosing the right drug. If the infection is extensive, arthroscopy should be performed, during which the knee is lavaged.
Knee pain: degenerative changes
They are the result of the aging of cartilage and joint overload - lifting, being overweight, running in shoes that do not cushionshocks, etc. A common symptom is stiffness and pain in the knee when going downstairs. After that, the knee hurts with every movement. It is accompanied by "crackling" in the joint and limitation of mobility. There may be redness and swelling. This usually indicates that there is an exudate. Knee pain can herald degeneration of the hip joint or degeneration of the spine.
When the pain is a result of over-exertion (e.g. a bicycle trip), it is enough to save the joint. Occasionally you can use a painkiller. If the discomfort lasts more than a week, the pain is severe or there is morning stiffness, see your doctor. Ultrasound or X-ray of the joint will help in making a diagnosis.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Sometimes painkilling and anti-inflammatory ointments and gels or physical therapy are enough. Other times, you need to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or painkillers. It may be necessary to block the joint into which a steroid or cartilage regenerating drug is injected. In order to keep the joint functioning properly, you need to exercise.
Knee pain: rheumatic diseases
Pain and recurrent effusion in the knee may be the first symptom of … ankylosing spondylitis (AS)! Also, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can attack the knees first, not as in the classic course of the disease - wrists or small joints of the hands. Then the knee hurts with each step, it is swollen, the skin is red or slightly blue, often warmer. The morning stiffness of the joint appears and lasts for about an hour. In chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, pain is usually accompanied by a low-grade fever, general breakdown and a lack of appetite, such as with the flu or a cold.
Recurring or persistent pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joint should prompt you to see a doctor, preferably a rheumatologist. Do not apply warm compresses or use warming ointments, because you can harm yourself. Be especially vigilant if someone in your family has a history of rheumatism. If the disease is not treated in time, it progresses quickly and leads to permanent changes in the joints. The doctor will make a diagnosis on the basis of laboratory tests, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography, and individually select the therapy. The mainstay of treatment is drugs that inhibit or reduce inflammation and painkillers. Sometimes surgery is necessary, sometimes reconstruction of the damaged joint (endoprosthesis). However, treatment will not be effective without rehabilitation, and above all daily exercise, which improves joint mobility, strengthens muscles and relieves pain. The exercises should be selected by the physiotherapist - used onon their own, they can do more harm than good. Adapt the workplace, kitchen countertops, ironing board or car in such a way as not to burden the sick joints. It is also worth learning the methods of relaxation, because stress promotes the development of rheumatic disease.
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