When To See a Doctor About Knee Pain

The knees are the most active and largest joints in the body. Their position as a hinge point for your legs makes them susceptible to injury from accidents and strenuous, everyday activities. Depending on the cause, knee pain can vary in intensity. It can range from dull discomfort to chronic ache that interferes with your lifestyle.  

Many people suffer from continuous knee aches and develop a home management pattern. Nevertheless, it is vital to know when to see a doctor about knee pain when experiencing joint discomfort for prolonged periods. It is generally advisable to consult a Knee Specialist. In our clinic, this can be a Chiropractor (D.C.), Medical Doctor (M.D.), or Physical Therapist.

A doctor can safely diagnose the problem and provide an effective solution to your pain while preventing joint dysfunction. At The Houston Spine and Rehabilitation Center, our Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, and Pain Management Doctors diagnose and treat the specific causes of your aches.

Read on to learn more about home and professional treatment to ensure you administer the proper care for your knees. 

Self-Care & Knee Treatment at Home

You do not always need a doctor for any discomfort you feel in your knee. Typically, some mild symptoms mean you can undertake knee treatment at home. The self-care enhances convenience since you do not need to disrupt your daily routine at home or work.

Some self-care treatments you can do for knee pain include:

1. Rest - Take a break from regular activities and reduce pressure and strain on the knee
2. Apply Warmth - Apply a hot-water bottle or heat pack to the painful spot
3. Use Ice Therapy - Cover the knee with an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth or towel to protect your skin and nerves
4.  Elevation - Place the affected leg on a cushion or sit in a reclining chair
5.  Compression - Wrap a compression bandage for support and alignment

Scheduled Doctor’s Visit

It is best to see a  Knee Specialist for knee pain when a particularly forceful impact caused the knee injury. You want to consult our knee pain specialists in the Greater Houston and The Woodlands areas when experiencing specific symptoms. Schedule a doctor’s visit for knee pain when you notice the following:

• Fever
• Considerable swelling
• Warmth and tenderness around the joint
• Redness
• Significant or lasting pain

A good recommendation is to seek professional help when having a minor knee ache for some time that worsens or does not subside. If the increased pain interferes with your sleep or usual activities, see an expert.

Urgent Medical Care

You want immediate medical attention when some serious symptoms accompany your knee injury. Sometimes the ache you experience may be so great that you need urgent care for knee pain. This situation is typically so dire that you rarely ponder how long to wait to see a doctor for your discomfort.

Severe symptoms include sudden swelling or intense pain, a popping noise, a deformed joint, and the inability to bear weight. Significant swelling can result in cartilage degradation, joint tissue damage, and bone softening. A popping sound followed by severe swelling and pain can indicate a tear in your knee's medial collateral ligament (MCL).

Why It’s Best To See A Knee Specialist

It is beneficial to see a Knee Specialist when you have been continually experiencing knee pain. Having a wide scope of Knee Specialists such as Pain Management Physicians, Physical Therapists, and Chiropractors offers you some advantages that can help you address your knee problem effectively. For instance, chiropractic treatment can treat and relieve conditions contributing to knee pain or discomfort. A Physical Therapist will help to strengthen all surrounding the joint helping to alleviate pain. Hence, it provides a more effective solution for pain management than medications.

Our Knee Specialist also seeks to establish the primary cause of your pain. Unlike pain medications that resolve only the symptoms, our care targets the origin of your condition first. 

Prevention of joint dysfunction is another reason why seeing a Knee Specialist is best. Our specialists administer pain relief while helping minimize dysfunction in the joints.

Non-Surgical Choice for Treating Knee Pain

Our Knee Specialists’ expertise and detailed treatment plan make Knee Specialist care a better choice when consulting about knee aches. Understanding your symptoms lets you know when to see a doctor about knee pain and when to use at-home measures. Our Knee Specialists at Houston Spine & Rehabilitation Center can offer quality knee pain diagnostics and treatment. We serve clients safely and professionally with convenient facilities in Houston, The Woodlands, and Cypress.