Why Does My Knee Hurt?

You’re experiencing pain in your knee and you want to know why. More importantly, you probably want to know how to get the pain to stop.

First, as we discussed in our last article, the pain could be due to ligament damage, such as an ACL tear. In that case, the pain could go away autonomously, but you should see a doctor to make sure that reconstruction surgery isn’t necessary.

More commonly, arthritis could cause knee pain, for which you have many treatment options, including (in serious cases) knee replacement surgery. Similarly, tendonitis could cause the pain, but treatment for this tends to be less invasive, even in serious cases.

Other causes include cartilage injuries or disorders, dislocated kneecap, cysts, bursitis, gout and even literal “growing pains” in adolescents.

Now, you might be asking, “At what point should I see a doctor about my knee pain?”

A few factors play into your need to see a doctor. Obviously, if you can’t walk or sleep without feeling pain, especially over a period of several days, then you should see a doctor. Furthermore, if your knee appears to be deformed, swollen, unbendable or the pain occurs in tandem with a fever, these are all signs that you should contact a physician.

In cases outside of minor injury, doctors will recommend varying knee pain treatments to fix the issue. In less severe cases, you can try home remedies such as warm or cold compresses, stretches and, as you might imagine, rest.