What causes knee pain?

Sports injuries are one of the top causes of knee pain, but anyone can end up with knee pain as everyday wear-and-tear leads to overuse injuries and degenerative disease.

A few of the most common problems responsible for knee pain include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Ligament injuries
• Meniscus tears
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Fractures
• Dislocations
• Runner’s knee

Problems in your feet, hips, and back can also result in painful knees.

What symptoms accompany knee pain?

The injuries and conditions that cause knee pain almost always show up with other symptoms. You may have:

• Joint swelling
• Knee stiffness
• Limited movement
• Locked knee joint
• Popping or clicking noises
• Inability to bear weight on the knee

If you have stretched or torn ligaments, your knee may feel like it’s going to give out.

What types of injections relieve knee pain?

Dr. Abbasi precisely injects your knee joint using real-time imaging such as fluoroscopy or ultrasound. He offers two types of knee injections that effectively relieve the pain:

Steroid injections

Steroids reduce inflammation inside the joint, which in turn diminishes swelling and eases your knee pain. As inflammation goes down, you also get better mobility and function.

Viscosupplementation

Viscosupplementation, a treatment for people with knee osteoarthritis, refers to injections containing hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a thick substance that’s naturally produced in your joints, where it lubricates the bones and allows smooth movement.

Injecting hyaluronic acid reduces inflammation, alleviates joint pain, and improves movement. Though this treatment can take a few weeks to make a difference in the joint, the results usually last 2-6 months.

How does interventional medicine improve knee pain?

Interventional medicine targets the genicular nerves that transmit pain signals from your knee to your brain. When these nerve signals are blocked, your brain doesn’t get the pain message, and your pain improves.

This treatment is a two-step process. First, Dr. Abbasi injects an anesthetic at the genicular nerves. If your pain improves, then he can move forward with the second step, a nerve ablation procedure.

During your ablation, Dr. Abbasi uses a needle that sends out radiofrequency energy. He uses the energy to precisely wound the nerves.

The wound blocks the pain messages until the nerve heals, which means you can get pain relief that lasts six months to a year. When the effect wears off, you can repeat the procedure to maintain the same level of pain relief.

You don’t need to put up with knee pain. Call New Jersey Pain, Spine & Sports Associates or book an appointment online today.