You can experience knee pain in many ways.

It can come on slowly or as a result of strenuous activity.

Most people can manage most knee pain at home.

Knee pain from an acute injury can usually be safely observed for a day or two to see if self-care measures will be helpful.

Some of us deal with minor aches and pains in our knees often, especially those who live an active lifestyle or work on their feet.

Long-term knee pain from conditions like arthritis can be treated with weight loss and exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.

More often than not, people delay seeing a doctor for knee pain because they think that their condition will improve over time.

Sometimes it will, but occasionally joint pain doesn’t get better and even gets worse, meaning its time for knee pain treatment.

In the article below, we will discuss how to know if you should see a doctor for your knee pain.

Table of Contents

• Difficulty Walking
• Instability or Reduced Range of Motion
• Your Pain Doesn’t Go Away
• Your Knee Pain Affects Your Daily Activities
• Pressing Doesn’t Hurt
• Visit Your Doctor If There’s Any Doubt
• Find Knee Pain Treatment Near You

Difficulty Walking

The first sign it may be time to visit the doctor is if you’re having trouble walking.

If you have trouble walking, you may have a bone injury or another degenerative condition.

If your knee pain gets bad enough that you start walking with a limp or try to avoid walking altogether, you should see a doctor.

Instability or Reduced Range of Motion

A reduced range of motion can be due to swelling in the knee and many other joint injuries.

Inflammation, swelling, redness, and an increased temperature at the knee are all knee pain symptoms that need to be taken seriously.

If you have a limited range of motion that doesn’t get better within a few days, you should call your doctor.

Instability in your knee joint, joint pain, and a sensation that your knee is bending or moving in the wrong direction may be an indicator of a ligament injury to the knee.

Your knee ligaments support and stabilize your knee joint. If they are stretched or torn, instability is one of the most obvious warning signs.

Not being able to support your entire body weight on one leg, compared to your other leg, is another tip-off to an injury that requires attention.

If you fear you have a ligament injury, you need to see a doctor before the damage starts affecting your quality of life.

Your Pain Doesn’t Go Away

Many doctors recommend treating injuries like knee sprains or knee bruises with the RICE method at home.

The RICE method is rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

You can also use over-the-counter medications to help with pain and discomfort, but this should only be a temporary fix.

If none of this works to alleviate any of your knee symptoms, a doctor’s visit may be in order.

Severe pain or pain that won’t go away could indicate a torn muscle, torn cartilage, or even a torn meniscus.

None of these knee injuries will get better without a doctor’s intervention.

Your Knee Pain Affects Your Daily Activities

Most doctors will recommend a visit as soon as your symptoms start impacting your day-to-day life.

Whether from minor injuries like a knee sprain or other conditions, if your knee pain makes getting out of bed harder, keeps you from playing with your kids, or your job more difficult, you should have it checked out by a professional.

Pressing Doesn’t Hurt

Several types of knee pain radiate from other parts of the body.

With sciatica, for example, a spinal disk in your lower back impinges a nerve, causing pain throughout the length of the nerve, including your knee.

Hip injuries may also cause knee pain.

An easy test to determine the source of your pain is to see if the pain increases when you press on your knee.

If it doesn’t, you should see a doctor to figure out the root source.

Visit Your Doctor If There’s Any Doubt

Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

You should make an appointment to see your doctor for medical advice and treatment if an impact caused your knee pain or if it’s accompanied by:

• Significant swelling
• Redness
• Limited range of motion
• Tenderness and warmth around the joint
• Significant pain
• Fever
• Pain interferes with daily activities
• Pain is radiating from somewhere else
• Your pain worsens or doesn’t go away

You need to get someone to take you urgent care or the emergency room right away if your knee pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by:

• A knee joint that appears deformed
• A popping noise at the time your knee was injured
• Inability to bear weight
• Intense pain
• Sudden swelling

Find Knee Pain Treatment Near You

There’s a wide variety of knee injuries and causes of knee pain.

Fortunately, many of them will heal on their own with simple home remedies.

Sometimes, though, your knee pain will warrant a trip to the doctor.

If you need to see a doctor for your knee pain, visit Ethos Health Group for medical treatment.

During an initial appointment with Ethos Health Group, your doctor will ask about your symptoms, conduct a physical exam, and order imaging tests like x-rays or MRIs if necessary.

Once an accurate diagnosis is made, they will discuss the treatment options for your injured knee with you.

Quick treatment can prevent short-term knee issues from becoming long-term, chronic pain.

Ethos Health Group has developed a proprietary HyalRegen-CT method as a comprehensive solution for those suffering from knee arthritis and pain. 

Lubricating injections are performed under precision imaging guidance, so the affected areas are precisely targeted. 

This advanced medical process adds cushioning fluid back into your knee, similar to adding oil to a squeaky hinge. 

If you would like to learn more about what the Ethos Health Group can do for your knee pain, click the button below to schedule a free consultation.