If your knees have become noisy with popping, cracking, or similar sounds, you are suffering from crepitus. Simply experiencing this condition is not a cause for alarm. However, if it is accompanied with pain and swelling, or if it started suddenly during intense activity, you need to seek knee pain treatment from a professional.
Why is Crepitus Itself Not a Cause for Alarm?
Often gas will naturally accrue as small bubbles within the synovial fluid of your knee. Those bubbles can pop when you bend the joint. You may also experience popping or snapping of your ligaments. You should expect to hear these noises – called crepitus whether it indicates a health issue or not – over time.
In contrast to normal crepitus, arthritis can cause this condition as well. In that case, you should experience pain and swelling because bone and cartilage are becoming damaged, signaled by crunching noises. It is also possible for crepitus to arise following an injury such as a meniscus tear. In either case, it is critical to proceed rapidly with the best non-surgical knee pain treatment in Orlando.
Problems Behind Knee Noises: Arthritis and Injury
While crepitus is not always a serious issue, when it is accompanied with inflammation and pain, you should visit a doctor because you could be experiencing arthritis or injury:
- Cartilage deterioration or injury – If you injure your knee’s cartilage, a piece may break off and get trapped in your joint. Cracking or swelling of the knee usually results. Your cartilage may also become depleted or degrade over time, a condition called osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis. This condition typically impacts people who are in middle age or later in life.
- Meniscus tear – A C-shaped, rubbery disc in the knee, called the meniscus, absorbs shock and allows even weight distribution so that your bones do not make contact. This part of the body can become torn during athletics or whenever you twist your body. As with OA, we become more vulnerable to injury of this knee component as we age.
Factors Influencing Whether Knee Noises are Serious
To determine whether you need to head to the doctor for knee pain treatment, here are three factors you should consider:
- Swelling – It is particularly critical to seek immediate attention if your knees are different sizes, which may mean there is internal bleeding.
- Pain – You should be especially concerned if the pain arrived suddenly and is not improving.
- Cause – The cause of the crepitus is important. Get to the doctor right away if your knee popped or locked while running, for instance.
Non-Surgical Knee Pain Treatment in Orlando
Are you hearing your knee pop, crack, or snap, accompanied with pain and swelling, and/or that arose during intense activity? If so, it is critical to seek expert care. KneeVisc 5® takes the latest FDA Approved, injection-based knee pain treatment and incorporates it into a fully comprehensive treatment plan to maximize results.
