Night joint pain and its treatment. Aching knees: what to do

It's a dull pain in the knee is pathological phenomenon causing discomfort and restriction of movement. This type pain, although periodic, indicates the occurrence in the body hidden diseases, which, if not treated in a timely manner, can lead to complete immobility of the knee and the need for surgical intervention.

When pain occurs in the knee Special attention need to pay attention to the external signs accompanying this unpleasant phenomenon. For staging correct diagnosis it is extremely important to focus attention on such details as: the location of pain in the knee, the nature of the pain (acute, periodic), the time of occurrence (daytime, nighttime), accompanying actions that affect the appearance and intensity of pain (walking, rest, attempt to bend or straighten a limb ). Depending on the intensity, knee pain can be severe aching And weak. Such pain can be localized in various places

Pain above the knee

Pain above the knee may indicate a violation of the integrity of the ligaments, tendons or cartilage knee joint as a result of injury or inflammation. The doctor will be able to obtain a more accurate clinical picture if additional information and external signs are available.

Pain below the knee

Aching pain below the knee varies in intensity. The most common cause of this type of pain is bursitis. This pathology joint is characterized by such additional signs as: swelling of the joint, formation of a tumor under the joint that is dense to the touch, limitation of limb movement. Pain localized below the knee can also be a symptom of necrosis of the tibia. This pathology is characterized by the following symptoms: swelling of the front and back sides of the knee joint, discomfort when moving, pain localized in areas of swelling.

Pain on the inner knee

Pain localized in this area may indicate the development of diseases such as: arthritis, meniscus tear, rheumatism, rickets, periarthritis, Baker's cyst.

All of these diseases have pronounced symptoms in the form of increased pain with increased physical activity. Activities that provoke pain can be: climbing stairs, running, long or fast walking, and certain types of exercises. With Baker's cyst, another feature of the disease can be intense aching pain under the knee, which intensifies when trying to bend the limb. In the absence of adequate treatment, these diseases can lead to chronic disorder mobility of the knee joint and serve as an indication for surgical intervention.

Particular attention should be paid to describing the external signs of a sore knee: the presence or absence of swelling, crunching when bending the limb, redness of the skin. These clarifications will help to most clearly display the clinical picture, which will help to quickly identify the cause of the aching pain and prescribe adequate therapy.

Why do my knees ache at rest?

Sometimes it happens that aching pain in the knee does not subside even at rest, and not only during any physical movements. This is explained by the fact that when blood circulation is impaired, stagnation occurs in the diseased limb. venous blood, which causes swelling and compression of the nerve endings in the knee area. All this leads to pain, which, together with disruption of work vascular system may not subside even with complete immobility of the limb. In this case, knee pain may bother you even at night. Pain due to problems with blood vessels can be localized in both legs at once. If the aching pain in your knee gets worse in daytime such symptoms as severe swelling and redness of the skin in the knee area, it is necessary to check the knee joint for damage caused by the inflammatory process. If these symptoms also appear at night, then most likely we are talking about injury. The cause of aching knee pain that occurs at night can be a deficiency in the body of microelements such as calcium and magnesium. In women, nighttime aching pain in the knees can be caused by hormonal imbalance caused by menopause, pregnancy, and lactation. Also, aching pain in the knee that manifests itself at night can be caused by wearing uncomfortable shoes, such as high heels. high heels. If aching pain occurs, you should not let this phenomenon take its course. Even if the pain is not significant, you should consult a doctor and undergo necessary examination.

Diagnosis for aching pain in the knee

In order to identify the real reason the appearance of aching pain in the knee, you need to seek help from a traumatologist or rheumatologist, who, after a detailed diagnosis, will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. During the diagnostic process, the doctor adheres to a sequential algorithm of actions. First of all, to obtain preliminary clinical picture anamnesis and information about the localization of pain, time of its onset, intensity, accompanying external phenomena(swelling, redness of the skin, crunching).

Visual review and palpation of the sore knee.

Helps install external manifestations pathology, as a result of which aching pain appeared. During a visual examination, the doctor identifies the presence or absence of edema, the nature of the swelling (soft consistency, compaction, painful swelling), the presence or absence of redness of the skin, which indicates inflammatory process.

Using these methods and studies, there is a high probability of making a correct diagnosis of the cause or pathology that causes aching pain in the knee.

What to do if you have acute knee pain

The knee joint experiences enormous stress every day, so acute pain can take you by surprise at the most inopportune moment. Acute knee pain can be caused by several reasons.

Often, damage to a joint or its components occurs as a result of injury or diseases that have become chronic.

Another common cause is an inflammatory process in the knee joint, of an infectious and non-infectious nature.

Also, the cause of pain in the knee joint may be a metabolic disorder in the joint. As a result of this pathology, there is a lack of nutrition of cartilage tissue. Nutritional deficiencies cause premature wear and tear of the joint.

If acute pain occurs at rest, to eliminate the pain syndrome it is necessary:

Apply an ice compress to your leg; applying cold will help normalize blood circulation, which will reduce pain and cool the inflamed skin.
Take a comfortable position. It is advisable that the sore leg is elevated; for this you can use a pillow or bolster on which you can place the limb. This position will ensure the outflow of blood, which will prevent its stagnation and the formation of edema.
Take painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as: Analgin, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen.

These measures to respond to the appearance of acute pain in the knee are temporary and will not help eliminate the very cause of the pain. In order to identify why it appeared sharp pain in the knee and appoint timely treatment, you need to seek help from a doctor.

If you experience acute pain in the knee, which manifests itself when walking, It is necessary to visit a doctor in a timely manner, who will conduct the necessary examination and prescribe treatment, based on the causes and characteristics of the appearance of severe pain. If visiting a doctor in as soon as possible impossible, you need to accept it yourself the following measures essentials:

After finding out the causes of acute pain in the knee when walking, the doctor will prescribe complex treatment of this pathology.

Which doctor should I contact and what should I do?

If you experience aching pain in your knee, you should not put off visiting a doctor. After all, the sooner you see a doctor, the faster he will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

If you experience pain in your knee, you should contact to the following specialists: traumatologist, rheumatologist, orthopedist, surgeon.

Any of these doctors will be able to conduct an initial examination of the diseased limb, and, if necessary, refer to another specialist. However, in order for the treatment prescribed by the doctor to lead to speedy recovery, you must adhere to a list of some rules.

Rest of the sore limb

Avoid placing excessive stress on the injured leg. You should temporarily stop playing sports, replacing grueling workouts with gentle physical therapy, avoid walking long distances, and avoid training on an exercise bike, cycling, and running.

Proper nutrition

It is necessary to exclude fried, sweet, salty, spicy, smoked dishes and marinades from the menu. Excessive salt intake contributes to fluid retention in the body, which leads to swelling and pain in the joints.

Local painkillers

Reduce pain syndrome and normalize motor activity, before the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment, you can use external medical supplies, such as ointments, gels, creams, balms, compresses. Currently, you can choose a remedy to eliminate unpleasant symptoms based on individual characteristics course of the disease. External preparations, depending on active ingredients, included in their composition will help relieve pain, inflammation, swelling of tissues. The main thing when choosing such a drug is to consult a doctor.

Lightweight morning exercises

Even if you have not played sports before, if you have aching pain in your knees, you need to perform simple gymnastic exercises that do not cause pain or discomfort. Such training will keep the sore limb in good shape, will not allow the muscles to become flabby, and will help develop the joints. The most important thing is that the loads are reasonable and performed exclusively in a lying or sitting position.

Treatment of aching knee pain

Treatment of knee pain requires a comprehensive approach. It is necessary to treat not only the symptoms of the disease, but also the very reasons for which it occurred. Currently to traditional methods Elimination of aching knee pain includes:

The doctor selects the medications necessary for treatment, taking into account the identified pathology, as a result of which the knees ache. For treatment, drugs that have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-edematous effects are usually prescribed. Depending on the symptoms, medications may be prescribed to improve blood circulation, strengthen blood vessels, hormonal drugs. Medicines used to treat joints can be intended for external use (creams, gels, ointments), internal use(tablets, capsules), and can also be produced in the form of solutions for intramuscular and intra-articular injections.

Physiotherapy is a good way to treat aching pain in the legs. These procedures help speed up the healing of joint tissue, restore damaged cartilage, and relieve swelling and pain. The main types of physiotherapy include procedures such as:

Magnetic therapy.
Laser treatment.
Electrophoresis.
UHF therapy.
Mud baths.

These procedures are carried out in courses from 5 to 15 days, as prescribed by the attending physician.

Massage has an additional healing effect on the sore limb. This type of treatment is carried out with the aim of eliminating muscle spasms, relaxation, improving blood flow and restoring joint tissue. Depending on the individual characteristics of the course of the disease, massage can be performed using intense kneading movements or slow stroking movements, and the patient can also be prescribed acupressure.

IN extreme cases if aching pain in the knees is caused by diseases located on the last stage development, when drug treatment and physiotherapy are no longer effective, the patient may require surgery to replace a joint or part of it with an artificial prosthesis. Currently, these operations are performed in a minimally invasive manner, which contributes to rapid recovery and low tissue trauma during surgery.

Treatment recipes with folk remedies

A good alternative drug treatment will be treatment with traditional medicine. The advantage of therapy with traditional methods is that, unlike chemicals, they rarely cause side effects. Among the most effective methods treating aching knee pain using folk remedies.

Tincture based on lilac, dandelion and horse chestnut.

Crushed plant flowers are taken in equal proportions and poured ethyl alcohol, pour into a dark glass container and leave for 14 days in a cool place. Use as daily compresses on a sore joint. The compress should be made with a thermal effect; for this, after applying gauze soaked in tincture, the knee must be insulated with cellophane film. This tool can relieve pain and restore mobility of the diseased limb.

Clay

It is an excellent source of minerals necessary in the treatment of joints. Yellow clay is best suited for this purpose. For cooking medicinal compress, no need a large number of dilute the clay slightly warm boiled water, fix the resulting mixture on the knee with a gauze bandage. Wrap the top with cellophane film. It is better to do the procedure at night. The course of treatment is 14 days.

Pork lard

Fix a small piece of lard on the knee with a bandage or elastic bandage and wrap it with film on top. Exposure time is 2-3 hours. The procedure gives a warming effect, which has a positive effect on the sore joint. The course of treatment is a week.

Cabbage

This vegetable can be used as a compress with cabbage leaves, or as a lotion using cabbage juice. To do this, you need to squeeze the juice out of the cabbage using a juicer, moisten a napkin or gauze in it and apply it to sore spot, secured with a bandage. Either take cabbage leaf, previously cut with a knife, apply to the sore spot and also secure with a bandage. The procedure provides a lasting anti-inflammatory effect and relieves skin redness.

Gelatin

Thanks to the collagen it contains, obtained from the bone and muscle tissue of animals, gelatin has an excellent therapeutic effect on sore joints. It can be used internally, in cooking and as an external remedy. To do this, take 2 tablespoons of gelatin, pour them warm water and leave to swell for a couple of hours. After this, place the resulting mixture on a gauze bandage and fix it on the sore joint. The exposure time is 15-20 minutes.

Cucumber

Grind the cucumber on a grater. Place the resulting pulp on gauze or a bandage and secure it on the sore spot. It is recommended to do the procedure at night. The course of treatment is 14 days.

Knee health is an important aspect in a person’s life. Suglob is responsible for the motor functions of the legs. If pain occurs in the knee joint during sleep, the malaise develops into a problem - it does not allow you to rest and restore strength.

The doctor will find out the causes of night pain in the knees based on a visual examination and test results. To understand which doctor to contact initially, consider the factors that provoked the pain.

Causes of knee pain at night, at rest:

venous congestion;
blood clots in blood vessels;
arthritis;
osteoporosis;
knee injuries;
problem of excess weight.

Bursitis

The disease is common; inflammation of the knee bursa with fluid occurs due to minor injuries and bruises, in the presence of excess weight.

Symptoms of bursitis include:

knees hurt when palpated;
limited movement;
redness or swelling over the knee joint area;
weakness and fatigue in the legs;
temperature increase skin at the site of inflammation;
increase in temperature with an infectious type of bursitis of the knee joint.

Venous congestion

Often the disease manifests itself in the form of the formation of varicose veins and nodes, and the affected leg swells. There is a feeling of weight on the legs, the skin becomes bluish in color. Peeling of the skin of the inflamed limb often occurs. Sensitivity decreases.

With venous congestion, the likelihood of hemorrhage increases. If there is an injury in the subungual area of the legs, bruising will appear.

Blood clots in blood vessels

Blood clots in blood vessels are discovered in a severe stage or accidentally during a comprehensive examination. The appearance of blood clots, except for periodic night pain, does not produce symptoms. When blood clots form, heaviness in the legs occurs, the legs hurt and swell. In case of violation metabolic processes, ulcers appear.

Arthritis

Pathological processes that cause arthritis of the knee joint appear more often in young people. Causes:

infectious diseases;
weakened immune system;
metabolic dysfunctions in the body;
allergic reactions.

The basis for the development of the disease is a genetic predisposition to arthritis. Having injuries, being overweight, severe stress and not proper nutrition, contribute to the progression of the disease.

Symptoms of arthritis, in addition to night pain in the knee joint:

feeling of weakness in the body;
swelling of the inflamed leg;
swelling of the area of the affected joint, as a result of fluid effusion from the synovial bursa into the area of the knee joint;
fever;
rashes or redness.

The appearance of arthritis is accompanied by pathological processes in the human body, they are facilitated by sexually transmitted infections and radiculitis.

Osteoporosis

The problem people have with overweight, also involved in sports, with the risk of knee joint injuries.

Osteoporosis has distinct symptoms. When the weather changes, aching pain occurs in the knee. Frequent swelling and crunching indicate the disease. At rest, cramps occur and the legs and knees hurt greatly.

At advanced stage osteoporosis, the knee joint atrophies, the legs become deformed, and the person cannot move independently.

Injuries

Because the knee is complex mechanism carrying a large number of loads, injuries - common problem night pain. In addition to pain due to injuries, swelling, a change in color to bluish-red, limited movement, and deformation of the knee joint may occur.

Types of knee injuries:

Injuries are potentially dangerous and create fertile ground for the development of diseases of an inflammatory, infectious, or purulent nature.

Overweight problem

The knee joint is designed to withstand certain loads. Every 2 kilograms of excess weight increases the stress on the knee by 12 kilograms. Excess weight puts pressure on the components of the knee, causing injury. And if available infectious microorganisms, promotes the development of inflammatory processes and autoimmune diseases.

Treatment

Therapeutic measures are taken after determining the cause of knee pain at night. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the original source of discomfort and eliminating pain. Elimination pain symptoms is temporary and hides the manifestation and development of serious diseases. Therefore, when choosing treatment methods, consultation with a doctor is required.

Treatment is carried out using conservative methods or through surgery.

Conservative treatment

Includes procedures aimed at relieving inflammation, eliminating pain, eliminating infectious manifestations by taking antibiotics. Sometimes hormone-containing drugs and steroids are used. In case of dislocations, a traumatologist manually resets the correct position joint.

The drug is selected based on test results obtained by the attending physician and based on the characteristics of the patient’s body. The use of massage or physical therapy, in the presence of thrombosis in the patient’s vessels, leads to serious consequences. Massage or heavy stress is the cause of blood clot detachment and, as a result, sudden death patient.

Effective methods of relieving pain symptoms are traditional medicine. For night pain in the knee joints, a compress of vegetable oil and mustard, taken 1 tbsp each, helps. and heated in a water bath. Another remedy is an alcohol tincture with the addition of potato sprouts. Keep the mixture for 3 weeks in a cool and dark place. Rub into knees as needed.

The use of compresses, rubs, ointments or gels is contraindicated in case of violations of the integrity of the skin, as it contributes to infection of exposed tissues and blood.

Surgery

A radical way to solve the problem night pain in the knee. It is carried out in cases where other methods of influence do not help.

With severe degrees of destruction of bone and cartilage tissue, complete or partial prosthetics are performed. Depending on the material used, after several years the prosthetic element must be replaced.

When muscles or ligaments are torn, surgery involves stitching the tissue together. For varicose veins - removal of the damaged vessel or its adhesive. If there is inflammation in the joint capsule, the fluid is removed through a puncture in the knee and the area of inflammation is washed with special antiseptic agents.

If pain occurs, consult a doctor to avoid the occurrence of inflammatory processes. And in Everyday life take advantage of preventative measures. Strengthen your joints and muscles through proper nutrition and gradual exercise.

Why do my knees hurt? The appearance of such a symptom indicates that there are problems with the joints. The cause can be determined by taking into account accompanying symptoms and based on the results of analyzes and examinations.

Unpleasant sensations and discomfort are associated primarily with physical stress on the knee joint. If the pain is episodic, it is enough to simply give your legs a rest and adjust your daily routine.

But what to do and how to treat pain that occurs regularly, even during rest? This problem can be dealt with using medications, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy and massage.

Causes

Aching pain in the knee accompanies many diseases, but most patients do not attach importance to this symptom. At first, the pain is mild and passes quickly. Then everything repeats, but with greater intensity, and the moment comes when you can no longer endure it.

If precious time is lost and pathological process gone too far conservative methods Treatments may be powerless, and the only way out is surgery.

The most common causes of aching knee pain are:

traumatic - damage to the meniscus, fracture of the knee joint, hemarthrosis (bleeding into the joint cavity);
inflammatory – arthritis, periarthritis, synovitis;
degenerative – osteoarthritis, aseptic osteonecrosis;
reflected - any diseases of blood vessels, muscles and bones can negatively affect the peripheral nervous system and cause knee pain.

At night, when a person is resting, pain may appear due to venous stagnation and blood clots in the blood vessels. Excessive weight, which increases the daily load on the legs, has an extremely negative effect on the health of the knee joints.

Weightlifting athletes are at increased risk for knee joint diseases

Risk factors

The following may contribute to knee pain:

high physical activity;
overweight, obesity;
lack of fluid in the diet;
hypothermia of the body;
sedentary lifestyle, weak muscles legs;
elderly age;
genetic predisposition;
congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system;
Availability chronic infection in organism;
endocrine pathologies, metabolic disorders;
previous operations on the knee joint.

According to statistics, women complain of knee pain more often than men. Professional athletes are also at risk. You should pay attention to the following signs:

constant pain that does not go away after taking medications and resting;
crunching noise that occurs when moving;
it is not possible to fully bend or straighten the leg;
aching pain bothers you at rest, for two months or more;
there was swelling, redness, and the skin above the knee was hot;
pain in the knee of a pulsating and bursting nature;
change in the shape of the joint, its deformation;
going up or down the stairs causes significant difficulties;
pain occurs when bending or straightening the leg;
suddenly and without visible reasons severe pain appears, which also suddenly goes away;
if, in addition to knee pain, it worsens general state– the temperature rises, the skin becomes covered with a rash, etc.;
when trying to stand on your feet, you feel unsteady and unstable in the knee joint.

The presence of one of the above symptoms may indicate that there is something wrong with your knee and you should visit a doctor.

Knee pain is not a reason to panic, but you need to find out the cause as soon as possible

Symptoms and features

Pain in the knee area is not always based on any pathology, and can quickly regress under the influence of local ointments or on its own. However, in case severe symptoms, which are repeated or become permanent, it is imperative to take action.

If your knees ache and ache, the cause may be the following diseases:

Arthrosis is a destructive-dystrophic pathology that causes damage to the cartilage tissue of the articular surfaces. It is manifested not only by pain, but also by stiffness in the morning, limited mobility of the joint. Over time, the disease progresses, and all anatomical formations of the joint are involved in the destructive process - capsule, ligaments, synovial membrane, bone structures under the cartilage, nearby muscles and soft tissues.

A Baker's cyst is a lump in the cavity behind the knee with synovial fluid inside. If the formation does not grow, there is no danger, but if it grows, the cyst must be surgically excised, since it begins to interfere with movements and hurts.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic disease in which cartilage tissue becomes inflamed. Subsequently, the structure of the cartilage is disrupted, it becomes thinner and ceases to perform its functions. As a result, if there is no treatment, partial or total joint replacement may be needed.

Chondropathy, or chondromalacia kneecap- This is the destruction of the cartilage on the back of the patella. The main symptom is pain, which can be observed both during physical activity and at rest. Chondropathy can be caused by obesity or sports activities with constant high load on knees.

Osteochondrosis of the knee joint refers to degenerative diseases, affecting the heads of bones and cartilage tissue. Without adequate treatment, necrosis of the articular surfaces occurs. Osteochondrosis lumbar region The spine can also cause knee pain because the nerve endings are affected due to the displacement of the intervertebral discs. The pain radiates from the lower back to the hip and knee.

Gout most often affects the joint thumb legs, but often occurs in the left or right knee, ankle. The trigger for the development of gout is a violation metabolic processes in the body, resulting in salt uric acid begin to be deposited in the joints and cause inflammation. Attacks of severe and excruciating pain occur most often at night and in the early morning hours. Any movement of the leg causes pain, the general condition worsens, the skin over the joint turns red and swells. Therapeutic measures must be started immediately, otherwise the attacks will become more frequent and the intensity pain– intensify.

Infectious arthritis(pyogenic, septic) - a complex pathology, the causative agents of which are bacteria, viruses or fungi that enter the joint along with the bloodstream. As a rule, the disease begins suddenly - the joint swells, hurts, body temperature often rises, fever and headaches appear. When bending the leg and trying to stand up, the pain intensifies.

Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone marrow caused by pathogenic microorganisms: staphylococcus, coli, enterobacteria. A purulent-necrotic process develops in the bone and bone marrow, as well as in nearby soft tissues. Symptoms of the disease appear 3–5 days after infection - the temperature rises to 40 ° C, and pain occurs at the site of inflammation.

Injuries sustained many years ago and osteoarthritis affect not only the articular cartilage, but also muscle tissue, supporting the joint in a stable position. Therefore, the pain may spread to areas located above or below the knee.

Flat feet is one of the possible reasons pain in the knee joint

Knee pain can occur due to birth defects that make the joint unstable and vulnerable. The problem can be caused by flat feet, a valgus or varus knee, or a bilobed kneecap - a kneecap divided in two.

Knees can hurt not only due to diseases, injuries or developmental defects, but also due to unfavorable external conditions:

hypothermia, as the knees are very sensitive to cold;
inactivity, which weakens the muscles - sitting in one position for many hours every day can cause pain;
excessive exercise stress, especially without preparation, or training without warming up often leads to problems with the knee joints.

Diagnosis and treatment

To conduct an examination, you can contact a general practitioner, surgeon or orthopedist. The doctor will conduct an initial examination and interview, then issue directions for tests and studies. The patient must describe the symptoms in as much detail as possible and show exactly where the pain is - above the knee, in front, or the pain syndrome covers the entire leg from the knee and above. Blood and urine tests are taken at mandatory, an x-ray or ultrasound of the knee is taken. Depending on the indications, the patient undergoes an MRI or CT scan.

First of all, pain, swelling and inflammation are eliminated; in parallel, medications are prescribed for the primary pathology - chondroprotectors, corticosteroids, etc. To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the form of injections, tablets, gels or ointments.

The injured leg needs rest; for this, it is fixed with a bandage or an orthopedic device is worn; patients are advised to move less and work in a lighter mode.

IN complex therapy, especially upon completion acute period, topical application is used. The doctor will tell you what to smear your knees with, and he will decide what measures will be useful during the rehabilitation period. To restore joint mobility, physical therapy, physiotherapy and massage are practiced.

Voltaren based on Diclofenac treats joints and has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects

Physiotherapy methods

Physiotherapy is a recognized method for the treatment of joint diseases. For knee problems, the following procedures are effective:

SUV - medium-wave ultraviolet irradiation can alleviate the patient's condition with gout, osteoarthritis and arthritis of any etiology. The standard course of treatment is 5–6 procedures, during which the biochemical processes, blood circulation and nutrition in the joint improves. Thanks to this procedure, the pain subsides;
electrophoresis is prescribed for arthrosis of the deforming type, arthritis and periarthritis. The number of procedures is selected individually and can be up to 20 sessions. Beneficial action electrophoresis is to improve blood supply to the joint, dilate blood vessels and quickly remove toxins from the body;
UHF - ultra-high frequency therapy is recommended for deforming osteoporosis, arthritis and some forms of synovitis. The procedure helps accelerate the regeneration of joint tissue, eliminate swelling and improve blood supply to the damaged area. The use of this method leads to stable remission that lasts several years;
centimeter wave treatment is especially effective for injuries, arthritis and osteoarthritis; with the help of procedures, blood flow in the knee increases, inflammation and swelling go away;
therapy infrared rays treats many diseases - synovitis, arthrosis and arthritis, bruises and ruptures of ligaments and tendons. As a result, tissue healing is accelerated, blood supply to all joint tissues is improved, and pain is relieved. For achievement maximum benefit at least 15 procedures are performed;
inductothermy. Magnetic currents are prescribed to patients with various diagnoses - arthritis, arthrosis, meniscopathy, etc. The procedures are stopped pathological changes in cartilage and stimulate restoration processes. Local heating of the damaged area relieves pain and swelling;
Hydrogen sulfide baths perfectly stimulate regenerative processes in joints for any type of arthritis and arthrosis. To prepare baths, natural sulfurous waters or artificial analogues are used - for example, Prilipko's reagent. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the solution can be from 50 to 150 mg/l, the water temperature is 35-36 ° C, the bath time is 10–15 minutes. Procedures are carried out every other day, their number is from 10 to 15. Taking baths with hydrogen sulfide improves blood circulation and nutrition of cartilage tissue, reduces pain;
Radon baths have a relaxing and analgesic effect, increase the flow of lymph and blood in damaged tissues, and accelerate metabolism. Such baths are very useful for degenerative and inflammatory joint diseases. The maximum course is 15 procedures, each session lasts from 10 to 15 minutes;
mud therapy, or peloid therapy. It is carried out using a special technique, using influence on reflex zones - in in this case on the lower back. Thus, metabolism in the knee joints is stimulated, foci of inflammation are extinguished, tissue nutrition is improved, and the normal range of motion of the limb is restored. The course of treatment ranges from 10 to 18 sessions with an interval of 1–2 days.

The method of treatment with radon baths has been used for more than 100 years.

Massage

You can go to a massage therapist only during the period of remission; a course of therapeutic massage usually begins immediately after removal acute symptoms. The number of procedures will depend on the type of disease and the degree of damage to the joint. A knee massage takes longer than a regular massage because it takes time to work the joint.

Using special techniques, you can prevent muscle atrophy, relieve pain, and stimulate the removal of excess biological fluid accumulated in the joint cavity. Massage helps eliminate congestion, combat salt deposits and improves the mobility of the knee joint.

Physiotherapy

Physical therapy classes begin after the acute phase of the disease has been eliminated; exercises are done in order to:

increase elasticity ligamentous apparatus knee;
strengthen the muscular corset of the thigh and lower leg, which are involved in motor activity knee joint;
normalize blood circulation to speed up metabolism;
increase overall tone and improve emotional state.

A set of therapeutic exercises is performed daily for at least two weeks. As a result, the pain goes away much faster and the motor function of the joint improves. Exercise therapy is an important component of the successful treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

The knee joints are exposed to daily loads of several tons, and sometimes they simply cannot stand it, signaling this in the form of aching pain. To avoid problems, you need to rest your legs more often, and if pain occurs, consult a doctor. This will help prevent complications, speed up treatment and avoid surgery.

When a person moves, the knees experience a lot of stress.
Therefore, it is not surprising that over time they begin to hurt, and sometimes even at rest a person feels his knee ache.

At first this happens occasionally, then the periods of time between painful sensations decrease, and the pain becomes stronger.

It is necessary to understand that pain of this kind indicates the presence of some disease in the body. Therefore, you should consult a doctor to identify the causes of pain.

Causes of discomfort and pain in the knees

The knee is a complex joint, which consists of two large bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage and ligaments.

The knee is a complex joint that consists of two large bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage and ligaments

This mechanism allows a person to walk, turn, and squat. But any violation in the knee leads to discomfort, crunching and pain.

Injury

Knee injury is the most common cause of pain in this joint. Since the knee has complex structure, then any of its components can be injured.

The most a simple injury is a bruise. In this case, the knee often ache, even at rest. This joint is injured during prolonged or brisk walking when they play sports. As a result, its integrity is disrupted, inflammation develops, and swelling appears.

Dislocation

A knee dislocation is characterized by displacement of the bone y in relation to each other, in this case injury to ligaments and muscles occurs. In addition, the joint capsule is disrupted.

Joint dislocation occurs when strong influence on the leg, i.e. in case of a car accident, at work or while playing sports. It is almost impossible to get such an injury at home.

A knee dislocation is characterized by a displacement of the bones relative to each other, resulting in injury to the ligaments and muscles

A dislocation is a very serious injury in which nerves and blood vessels are torn, and blood enters the joint. The pain is unbearable and acute, which does not allow a person to move his leg. If a dislocation is not properly treated, aching pain in the joint at rest can remain for life.

Ligament rupture

Ligament rupture is quite common. Ligaments are connective tissue , which holds the bones that make up the joint. They provide
smoothness when moving the knee.

With negative external influence The ligaments on a joint may rupture completely or partially. If the rupture is incomplete, the ligaments can heal on their own.

The most common causes of ligament rupture are the following factors and cases:

tear or rupture of ligaments as a result of an accident;
falling or jumping from a height;
incorrect leg movement during sports;
hit;
injury;
mechanical wear of the knee joint.

After a ligament rupture, the leg may react to changes in the weather, and the knee will ache even at rest.

Pinched nerve

If the knee aches at rest or, conversely, there is sudden severe pain throughout the entire leg, this may indicate a pinched nerve. It occurs due to compression nerve fibers. In this case, the nerve becomes inflamed and provokes complete or partial loss functions of the nerve canal.

If your knee aches at rest or, conversely, there is sudden severe pain throughout your entire leg, this may indicate a pinched nerve.

The consequences of a pinched nerve are as follows:

pain gradually increases;
nerve conduction is disrupted;
sensitivity decreases;
muscle atrophy develops.

Synovitis (inflammation of the knee joint)

If the inflammatory process occurs in the inner surface of the knee joint capsule, then this is synovitis.

This process is provoked by many factors, but there are three main ones:

Getting a knee injury.
Penetration of infection into the joint.
Inflammation of the membrane that is not caused by bacteria.

With synovitis, the knee joint swells, the pain is worse in the morning, and becomes quieter in the evening. But even at night, in calm state, my knee continues to ache.

Meniscus tear

The meniscus is a cartilaginous formation, which acts as a shock absorber.

Direct knee strike hard surface or jumping from a height can lead to compression of the meniscus. This is accompanied by severe pain, during which it is impossible to straighten the leg. If such a knee injury is not treated, then it will ache for a long time, even while at rest.

Bursitis

All human joints are located inside the joint capsule. It protects them from injury and infection. But if for some reason the protection does not cope with its role, then the joint capsule becomes inflamed. This the condition of an inflamed joint capsule is called bursitis.

Bursitis mainly occurs due to injuries or microtraumas of the knee joint

Mostly bursitis occurs due to injury or microtrauma of the knee joint. But it is a sign of diseases such as rheumatoid polyarthritis, gout and arthritis of a specific nature. Untreated bursitis leads to the fact that the knee will ache, being in a calm state for quite a long time.

Arthrosis

Knee arthrosis is accompanied by deformity and subsequent destruction of cartilage tissue. The disease occurs in a chronic form, accompanied by pain of varying strength.

The aching pain does not go away even at rest. This disease mainly affects women, especially if there is excess weight and venous disease.

If left untreated, arthrosis will lead to complete immobilization of the joint.

Infection

If a person has been ill infectious diseases such as: pneumonia, pyelonephritis, tonsillitis, urogenital diseases, then the possibility of developing joint diseases associated with infection increases.

If a person has had infectious diseases, then the possibility of developing joint diseases increases.

This could be reactive polyarthritis, arthritis. Untreated infections lead to the knee responding with aching pain to changes in the weather.

Neoplasms

Osteophytes are neoplasms in the joints from bone tissue. They block normal range of motion, causing severe pain.

These tumors do not appear due to salt deposition in the body. Their appearance is due to poor nutrition of cartilage tissue
knee joint.

Osteophytes appear due to:

Various types of injuries.
In the process of destruction of joint cartilage.
During inflammation.
In the presence of a malignant tumor.
If you have endocrine diseases.
CNS disorders.
Having a lot of physical activity.
Violation of the integrity of the knee joint capsule.

note that in the presence of osteophyte, the knee may ache even at rest.

Arthritis

Arthritis is an inflammation that occurs in the knee joint. This disease progresses slowly and for a long time, accompanied by periodic exacerbations and constant pain in the knee. All this limits a person’s movement and causes discomfort.

Arthritis is an inflammation that occurs in the knee joint

The onset of this disease is caused by getting inside the joint pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, the skin of the knee joint turns red, mobility is impaired and swelling appears.

Excess weight

The knee joint experiences heavy loads. They increase several times if a person is overweight. If we analyze all diseases of the knee joint, then almost everywhere it will be said that Excess weight provokes disease.

Therefore, people suffering from obesity need to get rid of extra pounds for successful recovery from the disease. Otherwise, aching pain in the knees will always accompany you even at rest.

Who's at risk

Diseases associated with the knee joint Lately have become widespread.

Overweight people are at risk

Factors that increase the risk of acquiring these diseases:

if people are overweight;
knees experience heavy loads;
permanent microtrauma of the knee joint;
poorly developed muscle mass;
the presence of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of various origins;
professional sports;
previous injury or surgery on the knee joint;
female;
old age.

Treatment of knee pain

Traditional methods of pain relief

If the knee aches at rest, or people experience acute pain, then the general condition can be improved by using folk remedies.

Compresses:

Ointments:

For preparation you will need 100 g of honey, as well as 5 g of mumiyo. Mix everything well. The mixture is applied to the sore spot every day for a week and rubbed in for 10 minutes.
Grind 50 g of celandine. Place in a half-liter jar and pour vegetable oil. Leave in a dark place for 14 days. Then filter. Apply to the sore spot 2 times a day and rub in.

Drugs and other medicines

If your knee aches even at rest, then it’s time to undergo drug treatment.

Important to remember that before using medications you need to visit a clinic and consult a doctor.

Pain in the knee joint is treated comprehensively. At the same time, painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs for the restoration of cartilage tissue and a general strengthening drug are prescribed.

Ointments containing diclofenac, ketoprofen or ibuprofen are very popular. These ointments relieve the knee joint from inflammation and pain.

Ibuprofen

But this is not enough for a complete recovery. Therefore, when visiting a doctor, he prescribes a complex of medications that contains ointments, tablets or injections.

Physiotherapy

Note, what, when acute phase the disease is coming to an end, it is necessary to start physical therapy. You can do it yourself at home.

Movements are performed slowly, without jerking. Do not place a large load on the sore joint. Doctors recommend visiting the pool, exercising on an exercise bike, and walking more calmly.

Over time, include strength exercises and stretching.

When the acute phase of the disease comes to an end, it is necessary to begin physical therapy; doctors recommend swimming

When pain becomes a warning sign

The knee joint experiences stress throughout a person's life.
Therefore, people often feel pain in it. But despite the similarity in the manifestation of pain, the reasons can be very different.

Therefore, at the first manifestations of pain, you need to see a doctor. He will order an examination that will reveal the root cause. Only after that
complex treatment of the knee joint is prescribed. If inflammation is detected, medications will be prescribed to eliminate it.

At the first signs of pain, you should see a doctor. He will order an examination that will reveal the root cause

If you have arthritis, as well as arthrosis, you will have to treat your knee for a long time under the direct supervision of a doctor. This will help avoid constant aching pain in the joint.

Pain in the knee joint of any origin is warning sign. It signals the presence of disease or injury to the joint.

We wish you never to face such problems and immediately consult a doctor when the first signs appear, if they appear!

From this video you will learn everything about pain in the knee joint: causes, treatment, nature of knee pain:

Watch this video on how to cure knee pain in 10 minutes without pills or injections:

All about arthritis in this video:

The knee, through many ligaments, connects the shin bones with the one located above the joint femur. This mobile joint is considered the most vulnerable in our body. The daily stress on these joints is enormous, including in people who do not engage in strenuous work. When any discomfort occurs in the knee joints, a person loses the ability to move and move normally. familiar image life.

Aching pain in the knee– is periodically occurring, not different high intensity. This phenomenon is not always associated with illness, however, even short-term aching pain in the knee joint is a sign of a serious illness, which, if left untreated, leads to a complete loss of its mobility and the need to replace the joint with an artificial one.

Symptoms

Complaining about it that aching pain has appeared in the knee and its causes are unknown, patients often lose sight of its specific location. Despite this, traumatologists and orthopedists always focus on this issue, because to make a correct diagnosis it is important to know its nature, time of appearance and location.

Thus, aching pain in the knee at rest indicates an inflammatory process in the joint, but if it occurs at the moment of movement, this means the presence of degenerative processes or injury (even cracks and fractures of bones).

Weak or strong aching pain in the knee at rest or when walking can be frontal, localized on the side, below or above the kneecap. In some cases, patients complain of pain that occurs in other parts of the leg (in the hip or behind the knee) and spreads to this joint. It is very important to voice all these points in order to make a diagnosis as quickly as possible.

To symptomatic The picture must also include the appearance of the joint, because aching pain at rest or when walking can be accompanied by crunching or clicking, redness and swelling. Similar signs are typical for serious pathologies joint, which often require early treatment of the disease.

Knowledge of all aspects of the problem, including those described, significantly simplifies the diagnosis and speeds up recovery while maintaining all motor functions.

When aching pain may occur - risk factors

Even a weak aching pain, the causes of which are unclear, and which goes away on its own, cannot occur in an absolutely healthy person. In any case, even short-term discomfort is often the result of old injuries or systemic diseases knee joints. However, traumatologists have a concept of a risk group. This includes people who most often complain of a symptom such as aching pain in the knee when walking or at rest.

The risk group includes:

To the factors that can provoke conditions where the pain in the knee is aching and constant or intermittent, including temperature exposure. Being in a damp and/or cold room makes people more likely to become victims of this disease.

Reasons for appearance

According to statistics, the described symptom most often occurs in two cases::

For injuries.
In inflammatory and degenerative processes in joint tissues.

Depending on what triggered the pain, its location also differs. Thus, aching pain in the thigh, radiating to the knee, indicates pinched nerves in the lumbar region, while pain in the lower part of the knee or under it most often means the presence of popliteal bursitis or necrosis of bone tissue.

Often, aching pain in the knee joints is caused by rupture or stretching of the ligamentous apparatus or its deformation, meniscus injury, osteochondritis and other phenomena.

Causes of aching pain above the knee

If aching pain occurs in the legs above the knee, damage to the ligaments, cartilage and tendons of an inflammatory or traumatic nature is first suspected. Depending on the clinical picture, the initial diagnosis is made.

For tendon inflammation(tendenitis) the pain is initially weak, does not last long, and subsides on its own when you stop moving.

As inflammation spreads through the tendon, the pain intensifies, especially when trying to bend the knee. In some cases, the soft tissue above the knee becomes red.

Mild aching pain above the knee may also indicate a meniscal injury (incomplete tear). Most often, the discomfort is similar to pain radiating to the knee, and the exact location of its origin is not clear. This diagnosis is also supported by the presence of difficulties with movement, since friction is observed inside the joint.

Same character Symptoms can also occur as a result of disorders in the articular cartilage. A typical sign of this is crackling when walking. At rest, the pain completely disappears.

Causes of aching pain below the knee

Aching pain in the legs below the knee occurs of varying intensity
not as often as other types. However, discomfort prevents the patient from moving normally.

Most often in patients Those who feel a symptom such as aching pain under the knee are diagnosed with popliteal bursitis. Additional signs This disease is caused by swelling in the lower part of the joint and the formation of a noticeable compaction underneath it.

Similar symptoms necrosis of the tuberous surface of the tibia is also inherent, which is diagnosed mainly in patients adolescence. Discomfort when moving is complemented by clearly visible swelling localized along the front and back surfaces of the knee joint below the place where the pain is felt.

Causes of aching pain on the inner surface of the knee

Usually aching pain in the knee with inside occurs with inflammation of intra-articular structures:

gonarthrosis;
arthritis;
periarthritis of the crow's foot;
meniscus tear;
rheumatism;
rickets;
Breaker's cyst.

Each of the above diseases causes quite intense symptoms this symptom which tend to worsen when going up and down stairs, walking for long periods of time and trying to squat. Only the Breaker cyst manifests itself as a symptom, such as aching pain under the knee at the back, which intensifies many times when the leg is bent.

The danger of all diseases described earlier, is that if left untreated, pain can develop into acute pain, and inflammation can spread to adjacent tissues. This situation in most cases requires immediate surgery to replace the knee joint or its elements.

Causes of aching knee pain at night

Venous stagnation almost always causes swelling of the soft tissues, which compress the nerve endings in the knee area. Similar pathology More often it is expressed by pain in both legs at once, which weakens after thorough massaging of the limb.

Unlike pain during walking and other knee movements, discomfort when not moving, for example at night, indicates problems with the blood vessels.

If aching pain at rest is accompanied by severe swelling and redness, aggravation of symptoms during the daytime, it makes sense to suspect the patient has osteoarthritis or other inflammatory joint lesions.

This symptom at night and at rest can provoke and minor injury knee, for example, bruise. In any case, if discomfort occurs, it is better to see a traumatologist, who will conduct a thorough examination to identify pathologies at an early stage.

Diagnosis for aching pain

Detailed diagnostics – important point in the case when there is aching pain in the knee when bending, at rest or even at night. The complex of studies necessarily includes an external examination of the patient, collection laboratory tests And instrumental diagnostics. A comprehensive examination of aching pain in the legs helps to determine the cause of the discomfort, the exact location of the damage, and much more.

To the complex diagnostic measures included:

full analysis biological fluids(urine and blood) – microbiological, general and serological;
X-ray of the knee(usually in two positions - front and side);
ultrasonography a joint in which aching pain appears;
computer or magnetic resonance tomography (these methods are increasingly replacing classical radiography);
knee arthroscopy.

In some cases, a series of additional research, which include:

fluid puncture from the bursa to identify pathogenic microflora;
bone biopsy, which is the source of pain, if bone tuberculosis or osteomyelitis is suspected;
densitometry, which allows you to assess the density of the bone structures of the joint.

The use of these diagnostic methods makes it possible to establish with very high accuracy why it arose in the early stages, which is very important, since there are risks of completely losing the ability to move independently.

Who to contact and what to do

If you complain about joint pain, you should contact a traumatologist or surgeon. These specialists can reliably find out why aching occurs or in other situations. In this case, the patient must accurately describe the circumstances of the onset of the symptom, its duration and strength. These data will help make a diagnosis already at the stage of preliminary examination.

Before treatment is prescribed, it is important not to cause the condition to worsen. To do this you need to do a few simple recommendations:

The knee joints daily experience a load of several tons, and often cannot withstand it, giving signals of aching pain. To avoid such a problem, you need to regularly give your feet rest, and at the first signs of illness, consult a doctor. This will help avoid long-term therapy, surgical treatment old injuries and illnesses.