The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the body. As weight-bearing joints, the knees receive years of wear and tear, which can take a major toll. Whether it's a sharp consistent pain or an occasional dull ache, knee pain is a common problem, and the risk of knee pain increases as you age.
Here at aCELLerated Interventional Orthopedics, interventional spine and pain management physician Brian K. Rich, MD, is devoted to getting to the bottom of your knee pain and providing effective solutions. Focusing on minimally invasive approaches, Dr. Rich can help ease your pain so you can get back to doing the things you enjoy the most.
If you're one of the millions of Americans dealing with knee pain for longer than a week, it's wise to see an orthopedic specialist for an evaluation. Here’s how we can help you get active again.
Old injuries, overuse, and wear and tear are the most common causes of knee pain. The knee is one of the most stressed joints in the body. It's composed of bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that enable it to bear weight, and move in a flexible manner. When you walk, jog, sit, step, or just stand, you're relying on your knees to bear your weight and keep you moving.
Untreated injuries can cause other parts of your knee to compensate, increasing stress on the joint and leading to chronic problems. Inflammation is often an underlying factor in knee pain, whether from an overuse injury or a chronic problem, such as arthritis.
It's best to visit a doctor if your knee pain fails to respond to self-care treatments such as rest, ice, and heat therapy. The sooner you see a physician about your pain, the better. When you visit us, Dr. Rich carefully reviews your medical history, discusses your symptoms, and gets an idea of your current lifestyle.
Imaging tests such as X-rays, MRI, or CT scans are used to take a look at the hard and soft tissues of your knee. Once he makes a diagnosis, Dr. Rich puts together an individualized treatment plan to reduce your knee pain and improve joint function.
Here are some of the ways we treat knee pain.
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is particularly effective at treating knee pain. PNS delivers electrical pulses that target a specific peripheral nerve to block pain signals before they reach the brain.
The nerve stimulator is a small device implanted under the skin that sends regular electrical impulses to a major peripheral nerve. PNS can provide significant pain relief, reduce dependency on pain medication, and prevent the need for surgery. Almost three-quarters of patients experience a decrease in pain of at least 50%.
When you're dealing with persistent pain, and measures such as physical therapy and cortisone injections have failed, Dr. Rich may recommend radiofrequency ablation. RFA uses heat energy to disrupt the nerves sending pain signals to your brain, and can provide significant pain relief for 6-12 months on average.
You don’t have to live with the stiffness, achiness, and limited mobility of knee pain. Treatment can help you get relief. To get started on the path to less knee pain and improved knee function, reach out to one of our offices in Southlake, Texas, or Lawton, Oklahoma, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rich. Or you can request an appointment online today.
