People with serious knee injuries are in constant need of some ways to achieve relief. There are many solutions for this problem, and they are all dependent on the nature and the severity of the condition itself.
Getting effective relief from knee pain is essential for resuming all the physical activities that you are used to performing. An inflamed knee can cause severe debilitation in this regard, and can bring your life to a complete halt. The severity of the damage will determine how crippled you really are, and it takes a fair amount of time and patience to get rid of the problem that is plaguing you completely.
The key point to remember is to get as much rest as possible, and not carry out strenuous physical activity that could worsen the knee pain and the damage. There are a number reasons which can be causing this problem, and each of them will have their own set of solutions and treatments to be administered, in order to get a complete recovery.
Visiting a doctor in order to get some relief tips is highly advisable, as a qualified expert can determine the extent of the damage. Some people may even require reconstructive knee replacement surgery, and this can solve many problems permanently. It is always better to seek professional help, and follow the advice given.
Relief for Knee Pain
There are various methods to achieve freedom from knee pain, and it all depends on the severity of the pain, and what mode of treatment the patient is comfortable with. Medical circles have given an acronym to the different ways in which one can receive pain relief without surgery, and this is known as 'PRICE'.
- Protection: This is a way of wrapping up the knee and protecting it from any more external damage. By compressing the knee together tightly, the heat generated in the region helps the knee heal faster, and it also causes the individual to take greater care while moving around. A crepe bandage, a cast, crutches or a knee support brace are the different forms of protection that are used, depending upon the extent of the injury.
- Rest: Once the knee has been covered to protect it from further damage, the individual must ensure that he does not undertake any kind of physical activity that may hurt the knee further. This implies that the person should receive complete bed rest for a few days or weeks, to speed up the healing process.
- Ice: Some knee injuries may cause the knee to swell up a lot, and this can be quite disturbing to look at. In order to get the swelling down, one needs to apply an ice pack on the afflicted knee. Doctors recommend that applying an ice pack on the damaged knee for about 20 minutes (3 - 5 times a day) will not only get the swelling down, but will also help the knee heal faster.
- Compression: This is something that goes hand in hand with protecting the knee, and it should not be ignored. The damaged knee should be compressed with a light-weight, breathable and adhesive bandage so as to prevent the accumulation of fluid on the knee. This accumulation is known as edema, and it can limit the stability and the mobility of the knee if it is allowed to take place.
- Elevation: A common form of arthritis pain relief is to keep the knee elevated at a height, at all times. By doing so, the fluids that could accumulate in the area (and thus cause swelling) are not allowed to reach the knee due to gravity. This is a useful task that must be carried out in the case of a serious knee injury.
Apart from these steps, doctors also administer a course of painkillers and other pain relief products, for the pain to go away. Additionally, as a part of the rehabilitation and physiotherapy process, there are plenty of pain relief exercises for the knees and other exercises that must be performed by the individual. All these steps ensure that the pain is minimized as much as possible, which quickens the healing process.
Getting relief from knee pain can solve a lot of mobility problems for patients, and can also help them get rid of a great deal of pain. This is something that is essential to someone who is afflicted by this condition, and all necessary steps must be taken as quickly as possible.