Knee pain?

Knee pain?

Knee pain is a common problem for many and can come from sports, illness and injuries to or in the knee. If you have knee pain, the pain can be reduced with medication, support products, exercises and gels.

Causes of knee pain

There are many possible causes of knee pain. In most cases, the pain in the knee can be caused by damage from trauma, overload or inflammatory conditions. The pain can also occur in different places in the knee and can appear both during stress and at rest. Usually, the causes can be linked to where and when you have knee pain.

Below you will find a general overview of the most common causes of knee pain.

Acute knee pain

Ligament injuries are the most frequent acute knee injury. It is common in sports or serious falls where the knee may have been subjected to a sudden twist, uncontrolled strain or trauma to the knee. The knee normally becomes swollen and painful after such an injury. You can also get a weak feeling in the knee and have difficulty moving the knee joint.

In the case of acute severe pain and swelling in joints, a doctor should be consulted.

Non-acute knee pain

Meniscus injury: The meniscus is the shock absorber between the femur and the calf. Damage to the meniscus can occur both acutely and over a longer period of time due to wear and tear. Tears or breaks in the meniscus can lead to pain, swelling and locking of the knee. As the cartilage in the meniscus can wear out over the course of life, older people can get tears in the meniscus from minor stresses.
In case of acute pain in the knee, a doctor should be consulted.
Runner's knee: Also known as "runner's knee" and "long-distance runner's knee", pain in the knee occurs frequently among runners and other athletes. The pain is on the outside of the knee and gets worse under stress.
Schlatter's disease: Schlatter's is an inflammation between the kneecap and the tibia. It affects both cartilage, bone and the tendon between the kneecap and tibia. This can lead to a lump under the kneecap and pain when straining the knee.
Knee bursitis: Knee bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa in the knee joint. It is most often caused by injuries or prolonged strain on the knee. Common symptoms are swelling and reduced mobility.
Knee osteoarthritis: Previously called osteoarthritis, damage to the articular cartilage in the knee joint causes the cartilage to be uneven. This leads to pain when straining the knee and, for some, also at rest. Cartilage can also loosen and become trapped between the knee joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the knee joint is an autoimmune disease where the body's own immune system attacks the knee joint membrane. This leads to chronic pain and stiffness in the joints.

There are more diagnoses than mentioned above. If you have pain in your knee over a long period of time that does not go away on its own, you should contact a doctor.

Treatment of knee pain

Painkillers containing paracetamol are in most cases the first choice. Especially in cases where there are no signs of inflammation, swelling and only temporary pain.
If there are signs of inflammation and swelling, anti-inflammatory drugs will be able to reduce the swelling of the knee joint and at the same time have an analgesic effect. This group of drugs is called NSAIDs and includes, among other things, Ibux (ibuprofren) and Naproxen (naproxen).
Gels with an anti-inflammatory effect can have a local pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effect in the knee and do not affect the rest of the body. Gels will be the first choice for a slight swelling in the joint.
Tablets with an anti-inflammatory effect will also act as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever for signs of swelling or inflammation in the knee or other joints. Anti-inflammatory tablets can be combined with gels, but should not be combined with other anti-inflammatory tablets.

Source: Norwegian Electronic Medical Handbook, Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association, Joint Catalogue, Norwegian Medical Handbook