The Best Knee Pain Treatment Without Surgery | The VIP Medical Group

What’s The Best Knee Pain Treatment Without Surgery? | A Pain Doctor Weighs In

Knee pain is a common issue for many people, regardless of age and lifestyle choices. It can range from traumatic injury (such as a torn meniscus) to deep chronic pain as a result of a medical condition (like arthritis). If left untreated, knee pain can lead to further knee joint pain and can affect knee joint function.

Nowadays, many orthopedic surgeons are quick to suggest knee replacement surgery as the only treatment option. Unnecessary and invasive surgeries can be risky and involve long recovery and rehabilitation periods. Some risks include: complications with anesthesia, blood clots and wound infections.

Fortunately, there are many conservative treatment options which avoid surgery and maximize health through minimally invasive techniques. These treatments work by directly targeting the area of pain in a non-invasive way. This direct approach reduces pain and inflammation and promotes holistic healing, all whilst avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures. Each treatment can be carried out by a Board Certified pain doctor who is a leader in the field of pain medicine and has access to the best treatments to suit you. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular conservative treatments for knee pain:

Steroid Injections/ Corticosteroids

Steroid Injections or Corticosteroids are the initial treatment choice of pain doctors when seeing new patients. These injections are an excellent way to directly reduce pain and inflammation and are far more effective than traditional anti-inflammatory medications.

During this procedure, your pain doctor will sterilize the area of your skin with a liquid solution prior to injecting a combination of corticosteroid and a local anesthetic. The area of your skin may also be topically anesthetized to maximise comfort – this can be done via a spray such as ethyl chloride. Your pain doctor will inject the tissue with the corticosteroid and local anesthetic combination. The needle is then withdrawn and your pain doctor will cover the injected area with a sterile bandage.

Steroid Injections and Corticosteroids are an excellent treatment choice. In addition to having powerful anti-inflammatory effects, the pain medicine works immediately – these positive outcomes can be felt for weeks and even months after the procedure.

Hyaluronic Acid Injection/ Viscosupplementation

An injection of Hyaluronic Acid is usually the second treatment of choice and is aimed at those requiring longer term knee pain treatments. Hyaluronic Acid is produced naturally in the body and is necessary to ensure joint surfaces remain lubricated and supple. This helps joints to smoothly glide one over the over and ensures healthy joint function. If there is a lack of Hyaluronic Acid, friction between joints may occur. This creates pain, tenderness and swelling in the knee joint.

Hyaluronic Acid Injections (also known as Viscosupplementation) is a great way to increase lubrication in the knee joint and reduce pain caused by joint friction. The procedure only takes a few minutes and enables immediate relief in knee joint pain. During this procedure, you can either lie on your back with your knees straight, or your sit upright with your knees bent. Your pain doctor will disinfect the knee using a disinfectant such as alcohol or betadine. Your pain doctor may also provide you with a local anesthetic to numb the area and increase comfort. The pain doctor then injects a small amount of Hyaluronic Acid (often only 2 mL) directly into the knee joint capsule.

Some pain doctors prefer to use an X-Ray guidance system to ensure maximum accuracy during this procedure. Once the knee has been injected with Hyaluronic Acid, your knee will be wrapped in a sterile bandage.

Hyaluronic Acid Injections/ Viscosupplementation may be required 3-5 times a week depending on the needs of each patient. This procedure boasts high success rates with minimal risk and can immediately improve joint function.

Genicular Nerve Block

A Genicular Nerve Block is one of the latest procedures to target the genicular nerves around your knee that may be causing you knee pain.

During this procedure, your pain doctor will ask you to lie on a table. Your pain doctor will sterilize the area and inject a local anesthetic to numb the area so you don’t feel any discomfort. Your pain doctor may then use an X-Ray guidance system to maximize accuracy and ensure the needle is in the correct position in relation to the genicular nerve. Once your doctor is confident they have the needle in the correct place, they will inject a local anesthetic to numb the genicular nerve. This will then be repeated at several sites around the knee to numb the other genicular nerves.

A Genicular Nerve Block can also be used for diagnostic purposes – it helps pain doctors to understand the reason behind the knee pain. This procedure helps many patients avoid unnecessary surgeries and provides immediate pain relief.

What Happens When I See A Pain Doctor?

Now that we’ve looked at some of the best knee pain treatments without surgery, let’s take a look at what happens when you visit a pain doctor.

Pain doctors are experts in diagnosing and treating pain in different parts of the body, ranging from the neck to the spine, hip, lower back and knees. Pain doctors have access to the latest advancements in pain medicine to treat a variety of health conditions through minimally invasive techniques.

When you visit a pain doctor, you will be asked questions about your medical history and current lifestyle. Your pain doctor may then order and interpret scans (for example, an MRI or ultrasound scan) to get a picture of the area of pain.

Once your pain doctor has interpreted the scan and looked at the issue that’s causing you pain, they will then prescribe RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) in conjunction with the best physical therapist and medical procedure to suit your needs. This medical procedure will always be a conservative, minimally invasive treatment choice. Pain doctors can also recommend lifestyle modifications that may assist in your recovery, such as safe weight loss techniques and movement modifications to help your knee.

To ensure you’re receiving the best treatment, it is necessary to understand why you have knee pain and what options you have to treat it. That’s why it is important to consider visiting a Board Certified pain doctor. At the VIP Medical Group, our highly experienced Ivy League pain doctors are on hand to provide medical advice and answer any concerns you may have. They advocate maximizing health through minimally invasive procedures and value the importance of establishing healthy patient-doctor relationships.