Do you struggle with chronic pain? Studies show nearly 25.3 million adults suffer from pain every day and that it is the reason so many turn to alternatives such as yoga, massage, and meditation. However, far too often, medication, knee injections, and knee replacement surgery are the go-to treatment for chronic knee pain. But did you know there are other ways of treating your knee pain that will not only help you recover but will also give you a better quality of life?

Take a look at these common causes of knee pain and how you can take back control of your life.

Determining the Cause of Pain

There are a few factors that can play into a patient’s cause of pain:

• Activity level
• Sport or accident history
• Family history

An understanding of your activity level is going to help your doctor determine what activities could be triggering the pain and how best to treat the problem without limiting your lifestyle. Sometimes an accident or sports injury in your past can flare up, causing you pain later in life. Or maybe your family has a history of osteoarthritis. With this information, your chiropractor will be able to map out a plan of treatment for you.

Common Causes of Knee Pain

There are two main causes of knee pain: Acute (injury) knee pain, and chronic knee pain.

Types of Acute injuries:

A meniscus injury can occur in the menisci (which is made of cartilage) when you twist your knee. Treatment of this injury can begin with R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compress, elevate). If the pain has not gone away within a few weeks, it’s always best to consult a health professional.

A ligament injury is one of the most common causes of knee pain in acute injuries and often occurs during a sports-related accident. Ligament injuries most often happen in the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and the ligament becomes injured, in most cases, due to an abrupt stop and turning motion. It’s best to apply the R.I.C.E. method and see your chiropractor to determine the severity of the damage.

Types of Chronic Knee Pain

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain in patients over 65. However, osteoarthritis does not discriminate by anyone’s age. It can develop based on occupation, genetics, or activity. Symptoms of OA include stiffness of the joints, swelling in the joint can sometimes occur in patients, and pain or loss of mobility. Exercise such as yoga or cycling can help reduce the pain and keep the muscles strong.

Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons around the knee. It often happens when patients repeat the same motions over and over. Use the R.I.C.E. method and stretches and change up your routine to help treat this condition.

Bursitis in the knee can be caused by injuries or arthritis. Most common, though, it can become swollen from overuse and will be sore for a few days. Rest and ice are the best things to help get it back to normal but if it persists, don’t hesitate to visit the doctor.

Non-surgical, Drug-free Treatments

While medical doctors are in a rush to prescribe painkillers or surgery, we believe not every injury needs to be fixed with a scalpel or drug. Our Busch Stem Cell Stimulation Protocol(TM) has helped thousands of patients suffering from chronic knee pain conditions including:

• Arthritis
• Cartilage Damage
• Wear & Tear
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Meniscus Tear
• Knee Joint Pain
• and more

At Busch Chiropractic in Fort Wayne, IN, we’re dedicated to helping you live a better, pain-free life with non-surgical and drug-free treatments. Contact us so we can help you today!