Expert Talk: Persistent Knee Pain Which Could Be A Sign Of Osteoarthritis. How To Manage

Knee pain can be debilitating sometimes but it is not necessary that every time you have to go to a doctor or a hospital. However, one should not ignore persistent knee pain as it could be a sign of knee osteoarthritis. It is best to consult a doctor to find out whether you have it or not. According to Dr Parag Sancheti – Orthopedic surgeon,Chairman, and MD of Sancheti Institute for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Pune – you don’t have to have medications for pain relief. There are certain at-home measures to alleviate knee pain.

Wear knee braces

You can wear knee braces or knee caps to provide relief to knee joints. When used along with over-the-counter medication and ointments it can work wonders. Some painkillers like voveran or combiflam, can help in some cases. Home remedy for a certain period is better as long as you are getting better.

You should not go into panic if your knee hurts for a day or two. There is no need to immediately go to a doctor the next day. Home therapy and some rest can be helpful. If the situation does not get better in three weeks then a doctor's diagnosis should be taken.

Also Read: Why Cases of Knee Osteoarthritis In Youngsters Are Increasing?

Get arthritis diagnosis

If the pain does not reduce in due time, then you should visit a doctor, because early diagnosis in the case of arthritis is very important. Once you get any pain in the body and that stays for more than two weeks, get a proper diagnosis done.

If you get diagnosed with arthritis, you will go for different kinds of remedies. But what if you have sporadic bursts of pain that are not consistent over days? For them, prevention is better than cure.

Lifestyle changes to prevent knee osteoarthritis

• Those who are already facing osteoarthritis related issues must go for a walk or do some exercise daily.
• Physiotherapy exercises, swimming or cycling can also help. Any exercise routine that one can do everyday is a must.
• Diet has an extremely important role. There are some foods that do not suit some patients.
• A person suffering from arthritis should observe and note down the food items with which they see aggravated pain.
• There is no particular food that is found to increase the arthritis, but if a patient finds some food that is triggering the pain, then they must avoid it.
• A BMI close to 25 will ensure healthy knee joints. Managing and maintaining healthy body weight will help in reducing the pain and it also has a preventive value.
• Meditation has proven effective in pain management. Developing a calm and stable mind will help in effective pain management.

Conclusion

You should not ignore knee pain if it persists for more than a week or keeps on coming back. Get checked for knee osteoarthritis and consult a doctor about the condition. It can be managed at the initial level by following some simple measures. But if you don’t get relief, take medical help.

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