What Kind Of Dr Treats Knee Pain?
Knee pain is common, with a slightly higher incidence affecting women compared to men. If left untreated, it can damage surrounding tissue and lead to future problems. There are many knee pain causes, ranging from a minor knee injury to joint pain due to another health condition. As a result, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to determine the true causes of knee pain.
The best doctor to treat knee pain is a qualified pain management physician. An orthopedic surgeon can be quick to suggest invasive surgery and narcotics to treat knee pain. However, pain management doctors offer minimally-invasive treatment options that maximize health and do not rely on risky surgical procedures or long recovery periods. Long-term narcotic use and surgical interventions such as knee replacement surgery are not always best. It is therefore important to consider visiting a pain doctor.
Pain doctors are specialized in accurately diagnosing and treating knee pain using the latest techniques in regenerative medicine. Conservative treatment options ensure faster recovery periods and highly successful patient outcomes without the risks associated with surgery and narcotics.
The Best Conservative Knee Pain Treatments
Fortunately, there are many knee pain treatment options that avoid the need for surgery! Now that we have covered the risks associated with knee joint surgical interventions, let’s take a look at the latest non-invasive treatments:
- Genicular Nerve Block – the doctor injects the knee with local anesthetic. This blocks nerves from transmitting pain and provides pain relief.
- Genicular Nerve Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) – this is an option for longer-term pain relief. It stops the nerve supply by placing heated needles to prevent the patient from feeling pain. A small amount of local anesthetic can also be used during this procedure.
- Iovera – this is when an iovera machine (which is used for cold therapy) applies low or sub-zero temperatures to freeze the peripheral nerves. This produces instant pain relief without the need for pain medication.
- Steroid injection – the doctor applies anesthetic spray to numb the area before injecting anti-inflammatory pain medicine into the area.
- Viscosupplement knee injection – the doctor anesthetizes the area before injecting viscosupplement medicine. This is when lubricating fluid is injected into the knee joint.
The goal of a pain management doctor is to reduce pain and maximize health. Often, patients visit an orthopedic surgeon or commit to surgery before exploring the benefits provided by conservative treatments. It is important to seek medical advice from a qualified pain doctor who will provide an accurate assessment and diagnosis. Your pain doctor will then tailor a treatment plan to suit your lifestyle and preferences.
What Are The Causes Of Knee Pain?
The number of individuals suffering from knee pain is growing. Knee replacement surgery has significantly increased in the past twenty years. As a result, it is necessary to visit a pain doctor who can accurately diagnose and treat your knee pain to ensure that you are receiving the correct treatment and care. Some examples of knee pain causes include:
- Bursitis – when your joints become painful, tender and swollen
- Dislocated knee cap – the knee cap changes shape after a trauma or sudden movement
- Tendonitis – when the tendon swells up and becomes tender and painful after a tendon injury
- Sprains and strains – when muscles and ligaments are stretched too much
- Osteoarthritis – the most common arthritis and usually occurs with age
As there are many potential causes for knee pain, it is important to seek medical advice from a qualified pain doctor. A pain physician will provide an accurate assessment of the pain and provide conservative treatment options that get you back to full health.
Minimizing risk and maximizing health is at the heart of the VIP Medical Group. With a team of world-class experts in the field of pain medicine and the latest treatments on offer, you can be assured that you are receiving the best treatment in the country.