Suffering From Knee Pain? Tips Before Seeing The Orthopedic Surgeon

If you have had severe pain in your knee and you aren't getting relief visiting your regular family physician, you want to see an orthopedic surgeon. You want to get to the bottom of the problem before it gets any worse, and an orthopedic specialist is the best expert for joint problems.

There are a lot of different issues that could be causing your knee pain, depending on if you injured it or if the pain came on suddenly. Here are a few things you want to keep in mind while you wait for your appointment.

Avoid Heavy Lifting and Bending

You don't know how unstable your joints, tendons or tissues are until you get to the doctor and get some image tests. Avoid lifting heavy items that can put pressure on your knees or bending down, which could cause your knee to give out and tear. The doctor may want you to wear a brace while the knee heals or is stabilized.

Ice

Ice the area daily to reduce swelling. If you have a small tear or if you have any inflammation, this could be causing swelling, more irritation and more pain. Icing the area after a long day on your feet or whenever it's bothering you can help prevent further irritation and reduce pain. You also want swelling reduce if you're having image tests done.

Elevate

Elevating the knee when you get home from work or whenever you can help improve blood flow to the area. This is going to help the injury heal, and it can help with swelling.

Have Your Physician Order Tests

If you can have an MRI or at least an x-ray for the surgeon to look at during your first appointment, this can save time treating the problem. Ask your doctor if they will write a prescription for either of the two tests so you can be prepared when your appointment day arrives.

Wear Supportive Footwear

Women should avoid wearing heals and men should avoid anything unsupportive. This can cause additional pain and irritation to the knee, and women can make the injury much worse if they aren't able to stabilize their knee in heals.

If you are having severe knee pain that won't go away and your family physician hasn't been able to give you adequate relief, get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon, such as those found at Omaha Orthopedic Clinic & Sports Medicine PC, and get the relief you have been looking for.