Knee osteoarthritis is a form of wear-and-tear arthritis that specifically impacts the knee. It can be quite painful and debilitating. Thankfully, there are pain management options for all patients with this condition. In this pain management education article, we are focusing on the causes of and treatment options for knee osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition in which the cartilage between the joints breaks down. Cartilage acts as a sort of cushion between joints and bones. When that wears away, bones can begin to rub against one another, and joint fluidity can decrease.
Knee osteoarthritis is typically caused by natural wear and tear on the body that comes with age. However, injury to the knee and other conditions can increase the onset of osteoarthritis.
Treating Knee OA
Before you being treating knee OA, you must first get an accurate diagnosis of the condition. This can be accomplished with a routine physical examination, coupled with patient history, and diagnostic imaging tests (X-ray, MRI, etc.). When you have a diagnosis, it’s time to think about treatment options. Patients with knee osteoarthritis typically begin with conservative treatments like pain medications, physical therapy, and pain management injections. Surgery may be considered if these conservative methods fail to adequately reduce pain.
St. Paul Pain Medicine
If you are living through life in pain, be proactive about your treatment and contact a St. Paul pain management doctor today. Dr. Alfonso Morales is a certified pain management doctor with years of experience treating patients throughout the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. At Revive MD, we treat patients with acute and chronic pain conditions and provide a wide variety of treatment methods. Each and every patient deserves individualized and compassionate care. That’s exactly what we provide at Revive MD. Give us a call today to set up your appointment with Dr. Morales!