The Root Cause of Chronic Knee Pain in Senior Citizens

Leading an active life is essential for everyone, especially an old person. Moving keeps blood circulation good and ensures overall well-being. However, chronic knee pain can result in the sedentary lifestyle of senior citizens. 

Most old people suffer from knee arthritis, which causes chronic pain and problems in walking. There is more than one type of arthritic condition. To explore please read through the text below.

Types Of Arthritis

The following are the major forms of arthritic conditions.

Osteoarthritis

The bone ends in the knee are covered with a soft tissue called cartilage. This part maintains a healthy gap between bones and allows friction-free motion and movements. 

In osteoarthritis, knee cartilage completely erodes and bone edges damage, leading to an inflamed, stiff and immobile knee joint.  

Post-Traumatic Arthritis

Cartilage helps the knee joint move effortlessly. When this part is damaged, it causes pain and problems in walking. It is a degenerative condition caused by overuse, as mentioned above. 

However, trauma can also injure the cartilage, leading to arthritic conditions, commonly known as post-traumatic arthritis.      

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is an autoimmune condition which causes chronic joint inflammation. The condition doesn’t start with cartilage as in osteoarthritis but with the joint lining, which is also called synovial membrane or the synovium. 

The body’s immune system attacks healthy lining and causes irreversible damage. Prompt treatment is always necessary for the control and treatment of the condition.

Gout

The body has metabolic processes. One of these processes is purine metabolism. The body breaks down purines into urate (uric acid). 

Sometimes, uric acid levels increase in the body and thus lead to the formation of uric crystals in joints. The condition causes intense flare-ups or episodes of severe pain and inflammation. Usually, the big toe is affected by this condition. However, the knee is also painful and inflamed. 

Pseudogout

This condition is caused by the formation of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the synovial fluid. Signs and symptoms almost resemble other forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The condition is also known as Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease or CPPD.

Reactive Arthritis

This is a condition where an infection in another part such as the intestines, genitals or urinary tract causes knee pain, swelling and stiffness. Often, this knee pain is accompanied by eye inflammation. The affected person might experience pain in other joints as well such as ankles, feet, heels, lower back and buttocks. 

Septic Arthritis

It is a joint infection caused by microbes like bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The knee joint can suffer from this form of arthritis if some other body part is already infected. Germs travel to the knee from that part through blood circulation. 

Septic arthritis is a serious condition that can quickly damage knee cartilage. Consult a doctor promptly if your knees are swollen, warm, and tender, along with other symptoms as mentioned.  

Almost any of these arthritic conditions can cause chronic knee inflammation in senior citizens. The most important advice is that the person with the condition must consult a knee specialist or an orthopedist for accurate diagnosis and better treatment.

Do I Need Surgery For Permanent Relief?

Not every patient with chronic knee pain needs surgery. When detected early, causes like gout, septic or reactive arthritis can be treated with medication, physiotherapy or other options. 

Knee replacement surgery is only recommended when a knee joint is badly damaged on the inside. To be more precise, cartilage is completely damaged and bones have deformed on the edges. As a result, a joint replacement becomes the only treatment option to relieve pain and restore mobility. 

If a doctor has diagnosed you with the final stage of arthritis, make sure you don’t delay the treatment. Ensure surgery on time till the situation becomes worse. 

Knee replacement surgery is a safe and successful procedure. Only damaged parts are removed from the joint and then resurfaced with the help of a durable and safe implant. These days, there are technologies like robotic technology or augmented reality to ensure the highest level of precision and perfection.       

Connect with the best robotic knee replacement doctor in India and ensure your knee replacement surgery in the most personalised, precise, and accurate way possible.

Symptoms

In osteoarthritis, the knee feels painful and stiff. It is difficult to move the knee joint as bones rub against each other. It causes inflammation. Stiffness is the main symptom of OA and it flares up after periods of inactivity or in the early mornings after sleeping. 

Furthermore, as far as rheumatoid arthritis is concerned, it causes widespread joint pain throughout the body at the same time, starting from small joints like fingers and hands etc. The affected knee will feel swollen, warm, and tender. 

Other arthritic conditions cause more or less the same signs and symptoms. It is best to consult a knee specialist for an exact diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Doctors mainly order imaging tests to examine knee conditions. These are as follows. 

X-Ray: This test helps see what is wrong with bones in the knee. 

MRI: MRI is also known as magnetic resonance imaging. It is used to diagnose soft-tissue conditions as X-rays cannot produce images of the soft-tissue parts in the knee. An MRI helps in a comprehensive examination of the knee joint, covering all parts whether it is a soft-tissue structure or a bone. 

CT Scanning: Sometimes, patients cannot have an MRI test because they have metal implant components within their bodies from previous surgeries. In that case, instead of an MRI, CT scans are preferred. 

Furthermore, blood tests and analysis of joint fluid can also be prescribed to check infections or inflammatory conditions.

Conclusion

The root cause of chronic knee pain in most old people is arthritis. At the final stage of arthritis, knee replacement surgery remains the last treatment option for relief and improved mobility. 

It is a safe procedure with advanced technologies like robotics or augmented related. Surgeons use these advancements to introduce high levels of personalisation and precision to the surgery.  

If you want to know about the package, many factors influence total knee replacement surgery cost. Connect with a surgeon for the accuracy of information. 

Sometimes, overuse syndrome also causes knee discomfort. However, under no circumstances, it causes such intense pain in the knee that the affected person cannot even walk a few steps comfortably on a daily basis.