Knee pain, pain in the knee of the right or left leg

If your knee hurts and aches, this may be a sign of serious illness. Typically, the pain intensifies during movement and physical activity and subsides when the person is at rest.

Severe knee pain can occur in people of different ages, but most often it bothers older citizens due to increased wear and tear on the joints.

Causes of knee pain

The causes of knee pain can be very different. The future mobility of the knee often depends on how timely qualified medical care was provided. There are a number of diseases, the presence of which is indicated by pain symptoms in the knee joint.

At CELT you can get advice from a specialist algologist.

Initial consultation – 4,000
Initial consultation with the head of the Pain Clinic - 4,500

Make an appointment

Pain due to chronic disease

The following clinical manifestations are typical for arthrosis of the knee joint:

stiffness in the joint after waking up;
crunching sound when moving;
limitation of joint mobility;
pain when walking, getting out of a chair, going up and down stairs.

Pain in this disease does not bother you only when the knee joints are at complete rest.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint in most cases occurs in patients over 45 years of age and is characterized by the following symptoms:

swelling of the diseased joint;
pain when moving;
joint discomfort; mild pain that increases as the disease progresses.

The following clinical manifestations are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis:

severe pain in the knee even with a light touch;
swelling of the joint, its redness, local increase in temperature;
change in the shape of the affected joint.

More about rheumatoid arthritis

Gout, which occurs due to the buildup of uric acid in the body, can also cause severe pain and redness in one or both knee joints. If left untreated, your knees may hurt for several weeks or months.

Pain due to exercise

Causes of knee pain due to excessive exercise include the following:

chronic microdamage to cartilage - pain in the normal state is practically not manifested, but increases significantly when jogging or fitness;
dislocation of the patella - is a professional injury of dancers and athletes, manifested by severe pain, inability to move the leg, deformation of the joint and its increase in size;
damage to the meniscus, as well as sprain, rupture of the ligaments around the knee joint - occurs due to an unsuccessful sharp turn or squat and is manifested by sharp pain inside the joint; inability to move the leg, the knee hurts when bending and, especially, when extending; swelling appears;

Pain due to disorders in the vascular system

Insufficient blood circulation in the knee joint and the tissues that surround it is the cause of aching pain in the knee, which intensifies when the weather changes.

What symptoms can there be for different diseases?

Various diseases, differing in their main symptoms, can also cause knee pain. In most cases, treatment of the disease will require timely medical intervention.

Bursitis

The inflammatory process, as a result of which the synovial bursa is affected and serous and purulent substance accumulates, is characterized by:

pain in the affected area. Typically, the degree of pain depends on the mobility of the injured joint;
swelling and redness resulting from the inflammatory process;
impaired motor function of the limb;
muscle weakness.

Since bursitis is an inflammation, most people experience an increase in body temperature, and the affected area may also be warmer than healthy areas of the skin.

Gonarthrosis

A chronic pathology that affects the articulation of the knee joint. Usually the disease develops slowly and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

crunching or other sounds made by the joint while walking;
painful sensations on the front or back of the knee that get worse with movement. In some cases, pain may persist even at rest;
muscle weakness;
impaired sensitivity of the limb;
an increase in articulation, which can be detected by visual inspection.

In some cases, joint jamming and instability of the leg may occur, which increases the likelihood of dislocations.

Meniscopathy or meniscus cyst

It is formed as a result of the release of a specific substance by meniscus cells, which penetrates into the cartilage tissue and is deposited there. In the early stages, the cyst may develop asymptomatically and not cause any discomfort to the person.

Gradually, the volume of fluid increases, causing a slight bulge to appear in the knee area. There may be slight pain when walking or touching the affected area.

In the later stages, the cyst penetrates the nearby tissues of the joint and affects them, resulting in acute pain when walking and limited mobility of the joint.

Chondropathy

The disease can occur due to insufficient blood supply and nutrition to the tissues of the knee joint. It is characterized by:

pain that occurs when walking, physical activity and touch;
swelling in the knee area;
limited joint mobility, accompanied by a specific crunch;
accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity.

In some cases, patients may experience an increase in temperature - both throughout the body and only in the inflamed area.

Arthritis

Pathological inflammation of the knee joint can occur in people of any age. Among the main signs of arthritis it is worth highlighting:

pain syndrome. The level and nature of pain depends on the degree of development of the disease;
stiffness of the joint in the morning, which gradually disappears;
the presence of swelling and discoloration of the tissue in the affected area;
joint deformation and leg curvature.

As the disease develops, a person may quickly become tired and experience general weakness. Damage to other organs, such as the heart muscle, eyes or lungs, is also observed.

Chondromatosis

Chronic pathology causes the formation of cartilaginous tissue in the synovium. This is the most common reason for the development of benign formations.

In most cases, the disease is asymptomatic. Sometimes observed:

joint pain;
change in joint size;
complete or partial limitation of limb movement.

As the disease progresses, deformation of the knee may occur, resulting in swelling and increased pain.

Synovitis

The disease causes inflammatory processes in the synovium, resulting in fluid accumulation.

Symptoms of the disease may vary depending on the stage of development. Most often, patients experience:

sharp pain when moving a limb;
the appearance of severe swelling;
increase in joint size;
redness in the affected area.

The person may also experience general weakness and nausea. Due to inflammation, body temperature rises and chills appear.

Periarthritis

When the disease occurs, inflammation of the tissues located near the knee section occurs. Usually these are ligaments, tendons or muscles.

Periarthritis does not have individual, pronounced symptoms, so it can be confused with other joint diseases. The patient may experience:

sharp or aching pain with any movement of the limb;
swelling in the area of the affected tissue.

If the disease cannot be detected in the early stages, then the person may show all the signs of fever.

Tumors

The tumor is characterized by the appearance of cancerous tumors in the knee joint. Symptoms of the disease may differ depending on the stage of cancer development. Most often observed:

increase in knee size;
the appearance of pain that can spread throughout the entire limb, and not just at the site of the lesion;
limb deformity;
increased susceptibility to fractures.

In the later stages of tumor development, sudden increases in blood pressure, loss of appetite and weight loss, headaches and fainting may occur.

Diagnosis of knee pain

Specialists at the CELT multidisciplinary clinic recommend immediately seeking medical help if you experience the following symptoms:

visible deformation of the knee joint;
constant knee pain;
inability to step on your foot;
local redness of the skin;
swelling or swelling of the joint;
increase in general body temperature.

In order to correctly prescribe treatment for knee pain, our specialists will conduct a diagnostic study, which, in addition to collecting an anamnesis and visual examination, may include:

Ultrasound of the joint;
radiography;
arthroscopy;
blood analysis;
urine test (if gout is suspected);
magnetic resonance imaging;
atrography of the knee joint.

Main risk factors and symptoms that cause concern

Knee pain is most often associated with the following risk factors:

activities that place increased stress on the knee joint;
lack of physical activity;
injuries;
excess weight problems;
metabolic disorders;
hereditary factors;
hormonal abnormalities;
infectious diseases;
age.

If your knees hurt at night, you should be alert to the following symptoms:

swelling;
redness;
increase in temperature;
numbness;
crunch;
knee deformity;
limited mobility.

Why does pain occur or worsen at night?

Many people are interested in the question of whether the knee can hurt at night, because the joint is at rest. This pain occurs for many reasons:

Excessive activity during the day.
Injury.
Joint stiffness from a sedentary lifestyle.
Magnesium and calcium deficiency.
Increased inclusion of salt, sugar, and fats in the diet.
Taking medications.
Dilation of blood vessels during sleep, increasing pressure on nerve endings.
Weather factors.

How to diagnose and treat knee pathologies

It is possible to begin full-fledged treatment only after a targeted diagnosis. At the initial stage, before seeking medical help, you need to limit the load on the sore leg and use an elastic, supportive bandage. For temporary pain relief, you can use local ointments. After this, you can consult a specialist doctor: an orthopedist, surgeon or rheumatologist.

To differentiate the suspected disease and accurately determine its root cause, not only traditional diagnostic methods are used (X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory tests), but also the most informative MRI technology. It allows you to study not only the condition of bone structures, but also the complete anatomy of the joint, including soft tissue formations, nerve and blood channels, cartilage fibers, muscles and ligaments.

You can sign up for a scan at any diagnostic clinic in Moscow through the city’s unified appointment service. To do this, call the advisory service at the number located at the top of the page. Operators will provide addresses, prices, and offer free time for examination. All site users are provided with special discounts from the service. Sign up for a tomography and receive up to 1000 rubles as a gift for the selected type of examination.

Why do my knees hurt more at night?

There are several theories as to why knee pain may get worse at night. They are not a universal answer to why your knee pain gets worse at night, but most likely the cause of your knee pain at night will fall under one of them:

1. Psychological factor

Trying to relax and fall asleep makes your brain more aware of health problems. Being alone and more isolated at night also increases pain levels, including knee pain.

Blood vessels

The body's blood vessels increase in diameter while a person sleeps. This puts pressure on many nerves in the body and shortens the response window of the nervous system to problems in the body.

Hormones

The production of many hormones decreases at night. This makes it easier for the brain to receive pain signals.

Activity

Many people with knee or hip pain tell their doctors that their knee pain gets worse at night after daytime activity. The pain-initiating activity may be variable. Some patients report increased knee pain at night after everyday activities such as walking or standing on the subway, while others report increased knee pain at night after running, jumping, or lifting heavy objects.

Weather

Knee pain at night often affects people with osteoarthritis: low barometric pressure, cold temperatures, dampness and wind can aggravate knee pain at night.

Treating knee pain at night: eliminating the causes

There are two ways to deal with pain. The first of them is taking pharmacological drugs aimed at reducing inflammatory factors in the area of tissue damage. These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that have a destructive effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, damage liver cells and disrupt the process of hematopoiesis. It is clear that you cannot take them for a long time. Also, in the later stages of development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, steroids or corticosteroids can be used, since non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs no longer provide any analgesic effect. This group of drugs has even more side effects. It is clear that this path is a dead end, since such drugs have no real therapeutic effect.

The second way is to treat knee pain at night by eliminating the cause of its occurrence. Unfortunately, at present, official medicine does not have such methods and means. Therefore, the vast majority of patients are prescribed watchful waiting with constant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And when the joints or spinal disc are completely destroyed, surgery is suggested.

But don't despair. If you are experiencing knee pain at night, you can find out the causes and treatment at our chiropractic clinic.

We practice a completely different approach to the treatment of these pathologies. Initially, we also relieve pain in order to provide the patient with the opportunity to freely engage in therapeutic exercises. But subsequently all therapeutic measures are aimed at restoring damaged tissue. The rehabilitation course is based on such manipulations as:

massage to reduce lymph and blood stagnation and improve tissue elasticity;
osteopathy, which restores the normal anatomical structure of a damaged joint or articulation of vertebral bodies;
kinesitherapy and therapeutic exercises, which help accelerate recovery processes by improving blood supply to all tissues;
traction traction;
acupuncture and reflexology.

We use this and much more in the treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system with high efficiency. Positive treatment results are achieved in almost all cases when patients with diseases in advanced stages come to us. So don't waste your precious time. Book a free consultation with us today and work with us to restore the health of your legs and spine.

How to eliminate pain: what to treat?

Often the cause of knee pain is incurable, such as osteoarthritis. But this does not mean that it is impossible to alleviate the condition and improve the function of the joints. The place to start is by making sure you have the correct diagnosis and working with your doctor to determine all your options to optimize knee function and relieve pain. This includes regular exercise in ways that suit you, from walking to swimming. It is important to eat a balanced diet high in vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates, while minimizing processed foods, including refined carbohydrates and sugar. Experts say that for people who are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight can relieve joint stress and pain.

You can also use non-medical measures to relieve knee arthritis pain. This involves applying heat to improve circulation in the joint area when it becomes stiff and stiff. You can also use cold on the joint area to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis or osteoatritis.

How to protect your knees from problems

No one is immune from pain in the knee joints, but you can always take care to minimize discomfort and prevent the development of serious orthopedic diseases. Medical practice shows that problems with knees most often occur in people who spend a lot of time on their feet or constantly expose their legs to increased physical activity. If these factors are excluded, then the risk of destruction of the knee joints due to constant mechanical impact will be minimal.

Injuries are another source of knee problems. Therefore, when playing sports, you need to try to protect your joints as much as possible using modern protective equipment. For example, knee pads that minimize the consequences of bruises. However, the risk of injury is not a reason to give up riding a bike or playing hockey. It must be remembered that the lack of physical activity for the knee joints is no less harmful than overexertion. Everything should be in moderation.

Often, people who lead an active lifestyle and carefully monitor their own health still experience problems with their knees. A thorough medical examination usually shows that the cause is an unbalanced diet. Fashionable diets and avoidance of animal products, which contain macro- and microelements so necessary for joints, can cause burning in the knees. Complex preparations for strengthening joints will help correct the situation, but after a course of treatment you should completely reconsider your diet. To maintain the musculoskeletal system in good condition, you should include fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish in your food daily. The menu is selected in such a way that the food contains vitamins, amino acids, proteins - “building material” for bones and joints. No less important is calcium, which is washed out of the body with age, which leads to serious problems with the musculoskeletal system and can cause incurable diseases.