The knee joint is among the largest and most essential joints in the body. Injury to and stress on the knees can cause a great deal of inconvenience. Our pain management clinic offers knee pain treatment in Charlotte, NC. The knee joint is made up of a complex mixture of bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Consequently, treatment requires a knowledgeable team and a steady hand. Knee pain is a common issue when the joint has been damaged by wear and tear or sudden impact.
Regenerative Medicine for Knees
Regenerative medicine is a blanket term used to describe interventions that are designed to either regrow, replace, or repair tissues in the body. This includes PRP therapy and stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy is a regenerative procedure that can be used to minimize pain caused by a knee injury or knee joint pain. PRP therapy may be used for less severe joint and tendon injuries; whereas stem cell therapy is used for more advanced procedures.
PRP therapy , which stands for Platelet Rich Plasma, and is used to treat sports injuries and musculoskeletal injuries. PRP is used primarily to treat injuries because it involves injecting platelet-rich blood into the affected area. Injecting these platelets is said to spur healing and improve healing process efficacy.
Stem cell therapy can be used for more advanced knee procedures and may be an option to avoid surgery. Knee replacement surgery is often considered a surgery of last resort. This particular surgery can negatively affect the knee in a number of ways and may cause additional health care issues. Therefore, it is reserved in cases that do not improve with conservative care. One cutting edge treatment option for knee pain relief is stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy improves knee pain by reducing inflammation and swelling, promotes healing, and helps repair damaged cartilage and tendons.
Both knee replacement surgery and stem cell therapy may be used to help with knee pain due to previous injury or “wear and tear,” but major differences do exist. One main difference between the two options is the invasive nature of the procedure. Knee replacement surgery is highly invasive, while stem cell therapy is minimally invasive. Therefore, recovery from knee replacement surgery can take months as opposed to days. Also, knee replacement surgery is higher risk due to infection and surgical complications.
Do you suffer from constant knee pain, even when your knee is resting? Are you an athlete experiencing clicking, popping, or a change in mobility? Have you been considering surgery or a knee replacement?
At Advanced Sports & Spine in Charlotte, we utilize an integrative approach to pain management that includes non-surgical, non-opioid treatment options. We provide personalized knee pain treatment for patients with the following conditions, injuries, or symptoms:
Knee joint injections are typically provided in the absence of visual guidance. This does not mean that injections are placed inaccurately; instead, it means that knee joint injections are usually delivered in a predetermined way. To improve accuracy and success, knee joint injections can be performed with ultrasound guidance.
Viscosupplement injections are designed to treat pain from arthritis. Hyaluronic acid is applied directly into the joint. Hyaluronic acid settles in the joint and provides a cushion to prevent further pain and inflammation. It also eases some of the discomfort of bearing weight on a damaged knee.
Bursa injections are used to treat the pain of joint conditions and can help relieve pain arising from the knee or its surrounding structures. Bursitis occurs when the small, fluid-filled sacs in the joints become inflamed. Bursa injections target these inflamed bursae in order to relieve pain and improve joint mobility.
Genicular nerve blocks also target the nerves surrounding the knee. Rather than an ablation procedure, nerve blocks successfully “block” the nerves using an anesthetic. This procedure performs in the same basic way as genicular neurotomy but is not as long-lasting.
Traditional genicular neurotomy is a nerve ablation procedure that allows patients to experience relief from joint pain. Whether the pain is caused by a meniscus tear or another issue, genicular neurotomy can impair the ability of nerves surrounding the knee to reach the brain and transmit pain signals. Patients often see relief for 6 months.
Genicular neurotomy with COOLIEF technology offers the same basic procedure with one small difference. COOLIEF utilizes water and burns at a lower temperature to help spread the pain-relieving effect, while traditional genicular nerve ablation treats a smaller area. COOLIEF technology is able to reach the sensory nerves surrounding and running through the knee joint. This minimally invasive procedure effectively strips the treatment area of its pain signals and provides pain relief for 2 years.
Knee pain can be caused by one of several factors: sudden injury, an underlying condition, or “wear and tear.”
The following exercises can be started to help reduce knee pain and even lose weight. Avoid movements that aggravate or increase your pain. Once your pain is under control, additional exercises may be recommended.
At our pain management clinic in Charlotte, NC, we offer several different options for treating knee pain. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, stem cell therapy, and ablation are some of the treatments we offer to reduce or eliminate knee pain.
Finding the appropriate exercises for knee pain requires you to identify the root of the knee pain and the range of motion allowed by the knee. In some cases, treatment for knee pain is essential prior to doing these exercises. In others, exercises can help strengthen the knee and improve pain symptoms. Our team can assess your unique joint concerns and deliver the best recommendation for your needs.
Knee pain should be evaluated by a health professional any time it presents a serious issue. If your quality of life has suffered; your knee is swollen, hot, or inflamed; or your knee pain keeps you from activities you previously enjoyed, it is likely time to see a pain management specialist.
Knee pain can signal a small issue, such as soreness or mild inflammation. In these cases, knee pain may resolve on its own. In many cases, however, knee pain signals a deeper issue and will not go away without intervention. Even if your knee pain is mild, a pain management team can evaluate your knee and determine whether or not treatment is needed.
Any type of sustained pain or inflammation may be cause for concern. If knee pain is persistent, has changed the way you live your life, or has failed to respond to standard management measures such as rest, ice, and heat, it may signal a more serious issue. Without a professional evaluation, you will likely not know how serious knee pain is. A standard check-up or pain management evaluation appointment can more clearly determine how serious your knee pain is.
Joints are among the strongest and most vulnerable areas of the body. Keeping them healthy and strong should be a priority to prevent premature aging and wear on the joints. One of the most significant preventive measures you can use to protect your knees is maintaining a healthy weight. Eating a healthy, whole diet can also help protect joints from premature aging. Engaging in exercise that does not stress the joints can also be helpful, as can maintaining proper posture.
The duration of knee pain depends on the root of the pain and the procedures used to reduce or eliminate pain. Knee pain caused by arthritis, for instance, is chronic and may only find ease after an intervention like nerve ablation. Knee pain caused by an injury will usually ebb following treatment and rehabilitation. Knee pain caused by a simple injury or soreness should abate in a matter of days or weeks.
Tearing a ligament in your knee is an extremely painful condition. Typically, people who tear a ligament hear a loud “pop” at the moment of injury and experience a sharp or shooting pain. Pain may grow worse when weight is put on the knee and swelling is highly likely.
Finding the right knee joint pain treatment means finding the source of the pain. A torn ligament, for instance, requires different treatment than arthritis in the knee. Bursitis treatment will differ substantially from treatment for a damaged kneecap. Finding a way to stop knee pain means evaluating the cause of the pain and developing a treatment plan to target that specific area of the knee.
Knee pain that flares up at certain times of day is usually related to an inflammatory condition like arthritis. For mild arthritis, at-home remedies like hot and cold therapy may help. For more advanced arthritis, regenerative therapies can help heal the issue at hand and relieve much of the pain associated with arthritic knees.
