Knee pain is something you’ll likely experience at some point, but it often goes away on its own. However, if your knee pain lingers past a few weeks, it could be a sign of something more chronic like arthritis.
If you’ve tried other treatments without success or relief of your symptoms, a knee replacement or other surgical procedure might be necessary.
Dr. Nabil Ebraheim and the experts at University of Toledo Physicians offer a quick diagnosis of your knee condition to expedite your treatment. If you’re at the point of needing surgery, Dr. Ebraheim gives you plenty of options for the best possible outcome.
Many issues can lead to pain in your knee. Sometimes, the cause is minor, and the pain goes away on its own. In other instances, the cause is more severe and requires more invasive forms of treatment, including surgery.
One of the most common causes of chronic knee pain is osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that protects your joint gets damaged from wear over time. When the cartilage is lost, it leads to inflammation and pain in your joint.
There are many other causes of chronic knee pain as well. Some of the other reasons you may be having pain in your knee include:
No matter what’s causing your knee pain, it’s important that you seek help as soon as you can. Knee pain that sticks around without getting better often requires professional treatment from Dr. Ebraheim and his team.
Minor knee pain that doesn’t affect your normal activities is often able to be controlled at home with conservative measures. This includes anti-inflammatory medications, rest, and activity modification.
If your pain doesn’t seem to get better within a week or so, it’s vital that you make an appointment to see Dr. Ebraheim. The longer you let the pain go, the worse it may get.
When you come in for chronic knee pain, Dr. Ebraheim evaluates your symptoms to narrow down the cause of your discomfort. He also orders imaging studies to determine what’s causing the chronic pain.
Conservative treatments are the first line of defense against most causes of knee pain. However, when these don’t work effectively to decrease your pain, you may need to have surgery.
This is often the case when Dr. Ebraheim determines that your pain is due to damage in your joint from arthritis. When the damage is severe enough to affect your mobility and keep you from your normal activities, it’s time to consider a knee replacement.
When you’re at the point of needing knee surgery, your pain is bad enough that it’s affecting your life. This is especially true when the pain is due to osteoarthritis. The damage from this disease is irreversible, meaning surgery is the only way to fix the problem.
Knee replacement surgery involves Dr. Ebraheim removing the damaged parts of your joint. Once he takes out the damaged areas, he measures those areas in your knee to get the proper fit for a prosthetic.
The prosthetic parts take the place of the damaged parts of your knee joint. They work just like your natural bone and tissues to provide movement and functionality in your knee. These prosthetics are made of tough materials, meaning they last for a long time.
After your procedure, you’ll need to recover and go through physical therapy. This helps you regain strength and mobility in your new knee. It usually takes a few months for your knee to heal, and up to a year to be able to participate in your normal activities.
Knee replacement surgery is often very effective in relieving the pain associated with osteoarthritis or other damage to your knee. Up to 90% of people who have a knee replacement report long-term relief from chronic knee pain after their procedure.
To find out if a knee replacement is in your future, call our office at 419-383-3761, or request an appointment online today. You can also learn more about chronic knee pain on our YouTube channel.
