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Chronic Knee Pain: Is Life Over?
Does knee pain help you predict change in the weather before the weather man can? Do you avoid the stairs because of your knees? There are many conditions that can cause knee pain. Some of these conditions are caused by acute injuries, but some are a result of medical conditions. Knee pain caused by medical conditions is generally on going or chronic.
Multiple medical conditions cause knee pain. Some of these include osteoarthritis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is also sometimes called degenerative arthritis and is the most common type of arthritis. These different types of arthritis have different symptoms. The exact cause for osteoarthritis is unknown. However, we do know that when a joint is affected by osteoarthritis, the cartilage which covers bones making up the joint starts to break down. This degeneration happens because the cartilage- making cells stop functioning normally. It causes varying degrees of pain and swelling. Gout is caused by a build up of uric acid in the joints. Eventually, enough uric acid builds up so that crystals form in the joints. These crystals cause pain and swelling in the knee joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is cause by an overactive immune system. The immune system usually uses antibodies to fight disease and infection. However, in people with rheumatoid arthritis, the antibodies attack the joint tissues instead. This causes pain and swelling.
You may have noticed that all of the above medical conditions can cause pain and swelling in the knee joint. Telling the different types of arthritis apart can be difficult. Both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis can cause morning stiffness, but the stiffness usually resolves more quickly with osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can both affect multiple joints, but rheumatoid arthritis often affects joints on both sides of the body (symmetrically) while osteoarthritis tends to be more asymmetric. Gouty arthritis has a sudden onset and sufferers are likely to experience extreme pain, swelling and redness. Gout usually lasts 5-10 days and then resolves.
If you have chronic knee pain associated with the above conditions, you may wonder what you can do to manage your pain and swelling. All three are treated with different treatment regimens, however some of the treatments used are similar. Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis sufferers are encouraged to exercise to maintain strength and range of motion in their knees. A university study done in 2004 reported that cetylated fatty acids, which are found in Myo-Med cream, greatly improved mobility and function in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Use of the cetylated fatty acids found in the cream has also been effective in reducing pain for people with osteoarthritis in these studies. The cream may help those with arthritis maintain activity. Another option for treatment is medication. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat pain and swelling in gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. These medications are thought to be helpful with rheumatoid arthritis and gout because inflammation is a cause of pain in both conditions. Myo-Med cream was designed to help the body decrease inflammation like the anti-inflammatory medications do. Myo-Med has a more localized effect than anti-inflammatory medications, thus avoiding some of the side effects that those medications have.
One of the main goals of treatment of gout, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is to help maintain a good quality of life. Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas on how to maintain your quality of life despite knee pain from these conditions.
Copyright © 2008 Lisa Hill, M.D., A Myo-Med Info Article. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reprint this article on your website without alteration if you include this copyright statement and leave the hyperlinks live and in place.
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