Knee Pain

Knees work extremely hard to support your weight, so they’re prone to painful injuries and diseases. If knee pain disrupts your life, visit Ravi Panjabi, MD, at Advanced Pain Management in Castro Valley, California. Dr. Panjabi and his team identify and relieve knee pain symptoms using innovative treatments that tackle the pain’s source. Call Advanced Pain Management to request a knee pain assessment or book an appointment online today.

What are knee pain’s most likely causes?  

Knees are large hinge joints held together by tough, stretchy connective tissues. Tendons attach muscles and bones, while ligaments connect the bones to one another. Articular cartilage covers the bone ends in your knee, keeping the joints moving freely. Pain could come from damage or dysfunction affecting any of these structures.

Acute knee pain might develop after a sudden injury like a fall or auto accident. Chronic knee pain is slower to develop and persists for months or years — sometimes the rest of your life. The leading causes of knee pain are:

• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Tendinitis
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Joint dislocations
• Meniscus cartilage tears
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Patellar tendinitis
• Patellar (kneecap) instability
• Iliotibial (IT) band injury
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
• Medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear

The ACL and MCL are two of four large ligaments in your knee, the others being the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). These and other acute injuries can all result in chronic pain problems if they don’t heal properly after the initial injury.

Chronic knee pain’s most frequent causes are osteoarthritis (eroded joint cartilage from years of wear-and-tear) and soft tissue inflammation caused by overuse conditions like bursitis and tendinitis.

How is knee pain diagnosed?

To determine your condition’s source, the Advanced Pain Management team completes a thorough physical exam, views your medical history, and discusses your symptoms. They may also order diagnostic images like a CT scan or MRI where needed.

These procedures produce detailed pictures of the knee’s interior, enabling your provider to see the extent and severity of damage or disease.

What treatments can ease knee pain?

After diagnosing your knee pain’s cause and assessing the joint, the Advanced Pain Management team recommends the most effective treatments. Most patients begin with noninvasive approaches, such as medication and physical therapy — chiropractic care can also be invaluable for knee pain.

Advanced treatments for more severe or persistent pain include:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

PRP or other injectable biological treatments use healing cells taken from your body or a healthy donor to boost natural tissue repair.

Steroid injections into the joint

Steroids have a potent anti-inflammatory effect. They ease inflammation and pain, often lasting for several months or more.

Genicular radiofrequency ablation

The genicular nerve is the largest one in your knee. Radiofrequency ablation heats the nerve and destroys the area sending pain messages to your brain.

Call Advanced Pain Management or schedule a consultation online today to find relief from knee pain.