Thinking About Seeing a Knee Injury Doctor in San Francisco?
Chronic knee pain is long-term pain, swelling, or sensitivity in one or both knees. Many conditions can cause it. The cause will determine the symptoms that manifest. Many treatment options exist. A knee injury doctor in San Francisco can assist with interpreting your symptoms to pinpoint the cause, then advise you on the best treatment.
What Causes Chronic Knee Pain?
Physical conditions or diseases can cause knee pain. These include:
- Osteoarthritis: pain, inflammation, and joint destruction caused by degeneration and deterioration of the joint
- Tendinitis: pain in the front of the knee that is made worse when climbing, taking stairs, or walking up an incline
- Bursitis: inflammation caused by repeated overuse or injury of the knee
- Chondromalacia Patella: damaged cartilage under the kneecap
- Gout: arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid
- Baker’s Cyst: a buildup of synovial fluid (fluid that lubricates the joint) behind the knee
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful swelling and can eventually cause joint deformity and bone erosion
- Dislocation: dislocation of the kneecap most often the result of trauma
- Meniscus Tear: a rupture in one or more of the cartilage in the knee
- Torn Ligament: tear in one of the four ligaments in the knee — the most commonly injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
- Bone Tumors: osteosarcoma (second most prevalent bone cancer), most commonly occurs in the knee
What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Knee Pain?
Chronic knee pain may present symptoms such as:
- Constant ache
- Sharp, shooting pain when in use
- Dull burning discomfort
- Chronic swelling and pain when the knee is touched
Treating Chronic Knee Pain
Before getting treatment, you must get a diagnosis. The symptoms you report to your knee surgeon in San Francisco will determine the different types of diagnostic tests you will undergo to see what’s causing your chronic knee pain. These include blood work, physical examination, X-rays, CT scan or MRI, and other imaging tests.
Each underlying cause of chronic knee pain has a specific type of treatment. These treatments may include:
- Medication
- Injections
- Physical Therapy
- Surgery
If the structure of your knee is damaged, your knee pain will not be something temporary. Without surgery performed by an ACL surgeon in San Francisco, you’ll continue to experience pain, inflammation, and swelling in your knee that will disrupt your daily activities.
Contact Dr. Jeffrey Halbrecht for a consultation about your symptoms of chronic knee pain.
