How to Get Knee Pain Relief

For knee pain relief, it is important to break the cycle of inflammation. Injuries lead to inflammation, which causes damage and leads to more inflammation. To break this cycle and get fast knee pain relief, remember the acronym PRICE: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• knee wrap or brace
• ice pack
• compression bandage
• joint pain medicine

1. 
    

   PROTECTION - A compression wrap is usually sufficient for minor injuries. Serious injuries, like a ligament sprain or a torn ACL, usually require crutches and perhaps a brace to stabilize the joint.

2. 
    

   REST - One of the keys to getting knee pain relief is to give your body time to heal. For minor injuries, a day or two of rest may be sufficient. Major injuries could put you out of commission for weeks or months.

3. 
    

   ICE - A cold treatment, like a bag of ice or even a bag of frozen peas, offers knee pain relief and also reduces inflammation. A common rule of thumb is to apply ice to the injury for 20 minutes three times a day.

4. 
    

   COMPRESSION - Use a compression bandage. It should be lightweight, breathable, and self-adhesive. This will prevent edema (fluid buildup), and help knee alignment and stability. Wrap the bandage tight enough to support the joint, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation.

5. 
    

   ELEVATION - Reduce swelling and improve knee pain relief by elevating the injury above the level of your heart. Lie back with your leg propped up on pillows. Gravity will drain away the fluids that might otherwise accumulate in the injured tissues.

6. 
    

   For more information on getting knee pain relief, check out Resources below or the section on this page titled More Articles Like This.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, treat your injury right away.
• Remember the acronym P.R.I.C.E. and apply the steps.
• NSAIDs like apirin, ibuprofen, and naprosyn offer fast knee pain relief.
• For severe injuries, or if you cannot get knee pain relief through self-treatment, consult a doctor.
• NSAIDs have side effects, especially when taken for a long time or in a larger dose than recommended.
• There is a "ceiling effect" with NSAIDs, which means that there is an upper limit to how much pain they can control.
• Ice can damage your nerves and skin. Wrap the ice pack in a thin cloth and don't apply it to the injury for longer than recommended.

Resources

• Treat Your Own Knees
• Say Goodbye to Knee Pain

[mariamystar33]

on 2/19/2009 Very well put-together article! 5*

[ScarlettOHairy]

on 2/15/2009 Good tips! I also take glucosamine/chondrontin which helps a lot to lubricate joints. 5*

[MyJB]

on 2/11/2009 Informative article. Thanks.