How to Ease Pain in Knee Joints
Most knee pain occurs as a result of a minor sports injury or overwork of the joint. Most people can treat a minor knee injury at home without seeing a doctor. See a doctor if the pain worsens or fails to go away with home treatment. The doctor can do a physical examination and order an X-ray or CT scan to diagnose a more serious problem such as infection or osteoarthritis.
Things You'll Need
- Knee brace
- Ice
- Plastic bag
- Thin cloth
- Compression bandage
- Ibuprofen
- Acetaminophen
- Capsaicin topical pain cream
Instructions
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Protect the knee joint from further injury. Avoid overusing the knee. Rest the knee for a couple of days by cutting back on usual activities.
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Apply ice to the knee for 20 minutes three times daily. Place ice in a plastic bag, then wrap in a thin cloth before applying to the knee.
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Elevate the knee by resting your leg on a couple of pillows while reclining. Elevating the knee reduces swelling by using gravity to drain fluids around the joint.
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Wrap the knee snugly in an elastic compression bandage. The bandage protects the knee from further injury and relieves fluid buildup in the joint that causes swelling.
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Take the recommended doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in alternate intervals for up to 24 hours. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever (NSAID). Because NSAIDs all work in the same way, taking additional NSAIDs such as naproxen sodium or aspirin will not increase the pain relief. Instead, alternate the ibuprofen NSAID with acetaminophen, which works a different way, for maximum pain management. After the first 24 hours, use ibuprofen alone according to package instructions.
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Apply capsaicin cream to the area in pain three to four times daily according to package directions. Capsaicin cream may have a cumulative effect and may not begin relieving pain the first time it's used. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying capsaicin cream to your knee to avoid transferring some of the cream to your eyes or other delicate parts of the body. Capsaicin cream is made from a chemical found in chili peppers, and you might feel tingling in the skin when using this product.
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Tips & Warnings
For chronic knee pain or pain in other joints caused by osteoarthritis, the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin may relieve symptoms.Take the dietary supplements daily as directed to achieve relief over time.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all medications, including over-the-counter medications, to check for interactions. Never take over-the-counter medications in larger doses or for longer periods of time than directed without consulting a doctor. Do not give aspirin to anyone age 21 or younger. Aspirin use in youth has been linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye's syndrome. Very severe knee pain or knee pain that does not go away could be the sign of a serious medical condition or injury. See a doctor if your pain worsens, does not go away, or cannot be managed with at-home care.
