Knee Pain

Knee pain can make it hard to run, kneel, or even walk if it’s severe. If your knee pain has become a chronic problem, contact the Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio’s offices in San Antonio or Live Oak, Texas. Its pain management specialists offer advanced treatment that targets the cause of knee pain, including joint injections and radiofrequency ablation. Call your nearest office today to arrange a knee pain evaluation, or use the online booking form to schedule a consultation.

What causes knee pain?

Knee pain might happen suddenly if you injure the joint in a fall, when playing sports, or during an auto accident. That can fracture or dislocate the bones, strain ligaments, and sprain muscles and tendons.

Overuse injuries develop more slowly from making the same movements repeatedly for long periods or continually putting too much stress on the knees. Chronic knee pain might also be due to age-related degenerative changes or joint diseases.

Conditions that commonly cause long-term knee pain include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Meniscus cartilage tears
• Bursitis (bursae inflammation)
• Tendonitis (tendon inflammation)
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and other ligament tears

Injuries, misalignments, and diseases of the back, hip, and foot can also lead to knee pain.

You may experience other problems besides pain, such as swelling, stiffness, and reduced movement, popping or clicking noises when flexing the knee, and a locked knee joint. You might be unable to straighten your leg or put weight on the knee.

How is knee pain diagnosed?

To diagnose knee pain, your provider evaluates your symptoms, reviews your medical history, and performs a physical exam.

If the cause isn’t clear or they need to assess the internal damage, you might need X-rays, a musculoskeletal ultrasound, an MRI, or a CT scan. In some cases, a nerve block (targeted local anesthetic injection) might be necessary to determine the pain’s origin.

How is knee pain treated?

Knee pain treatment at the Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio typically begins with conservative measures, which could include:

• Activity modification
• Temporary immobilization with a brace or cast
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Physical therapy

Patients with arthritis may benefit from hyaluronic acid injections that lubricate the inflamed joint or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to encourage tissue healing. Steroid injections might be necessary if other treatments aren’t working.

Your provider might suggest genicular radiofrequency ablation if you still fail to improve. The genicular nerve is a large nerve that runs through the knee. Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that transmits radio wave energy into the genicular nerve, destroying it so it can’t send pain signals to the brain.

Your provider uses fluoroscopy (moving X-ray) or ultrasound guidance to perform knee injections and radiofrequency ablation. That technique ensures optimal precision and avoids unnecessary nerve or tissue damage.

Call the Spine & Pain Center of San Antonio for expert relief of chronic knee pain, or book an appointment today using the online scheduling tool.