The knee hurts and aches: causes and treatment

Articular pain is a common symptom that occurs in various diseases. In most cases, arthralgia occur during movements and heavy physical exertion. Less often the pain disturbs the person in a state of rest, and also at night. In the opinion of the majority, arthralgia develops in old age practically at all. In fact, this is not so. Often young people complain that the knee is aching. The causes of this symptom may not be related to age-related changes in bone and joint tissue. It happens the other way round: in some cases, joints do not bother a person until old age.

The knee is a large joint consisting of several anatomical structures. These include the head of the large and small tibia, as well as the femur. They are joined together by cartilages and menisci. Also in the knee joint there are several ligaments. They are needed for its strength and the provision of motor function. They include anterior and posterior cruciate, as well as lateral ligaments. The articulation covers the joint bag. So why there is aching pain in the knee? The causes may be associated with the lesion of any of the anatomical formations that make up the joint.

Pain in the knee area is an unpleasant symptom that prevents you from exercising, exercising the usual movements and even sleeping. To get rid of it, you need to seek help, as soon as there are unpleasant sensations. Even minor pain can indicate a serious pathology of the joints. With complaints of discomfort in the knee area, you should consult a physician-therapist. He will appoint a survey, after which he will determine the cause of the pain and send it to a specialist. Pathology of the joints involved rheumatologists, surgeons and orthopedists.

Aching in the knee: causes

The causes of such pain can be various ailments. Discomfort during exercise often indicates the presence of any kind of injury. Painful sensations develop with inflammation and destruction of the articulation. Also, for reasons it is necessary to include pathologies that are not related to lesion of the osteoarticular system. Therefore, the doctor must conduct a qualitative differential diagnosis if the patient has knee pain and aches. The causes of this symptom may be the following:

1. Inflammatory pathologies. They include hunts and bursitis. Inflammatory lesions can be caused by various bacteria and viruses penetrating the knee joint by hematogenous way. Also, pathogens fall into the joint cavity when it is damaged, integrity is violated. Inflammation of the knee joint itself is called gonitis, and the protective bag is bursitis. More often these pathologies lead to that the knee in a state of rest nozet. The causes of inflammatory diseases lie in the infection with various microbes and the spread of them through the body.
2. Systemic pathology of connective tissue. The most common of these ailments is rheumatoid arthritis. It affects almost all joints. This pathology leads to irreversible destruction and distortion of the knee joints. Also to such inflammatory processes include systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism. With these diseases, patients do not always complain that the knee is aching. The causes of aching pain lie in the temporary inflammation of the joints. Unpleasant sensations are often observed in one joint, then in another. These pathologies rarely lead to deformation of the joint.
3. Bechterew's disease. This is a serious progressive pathology of the osteoarticular system, which can lead to complete immobility of the person. The disease affects the spine to a greater degree, but in the initial stages there is aching pain in the legs below the knee. The reasons for its appearance are not fully understood. It is believed that the disease is transmitted by inheritance or occurs due to genetic changes.
4. Gout is an exchange disorder in which crystals of uric acid accumulate in the articular cavity. Most often it affects the metatarsophalangeal joints of the big toes, but over time other joints are involved. Not an exception and knee joints.
5. Traumatic lesions. These include: knee joint injury, ligament rupture, meniscus damage, fractures of bones that make up the articulation. Sometimes, with injuries, hemarthrosis can be formed - blood accumulation. It accumulates in the joint cavity, leading to its compression, disruption of function and pain sensations. An inflammatory exudate can also be formed.
6. Neoplasms of connective tissue are often the reason for knee pain. The reasons can be covered both in the appearance of benign tumors, and in the onset of oncological pathologies. Most often, neoplasms of joints and bones are diagnosed in young and young children.

Unpleasant feelings that occur above or below the knee, associated with diseases of the muscles and nerves. Also, pain can occur due to excessive physical exertion. Including with excess weight. In some cases, discomfort occurs due to impaired blood flow.

Night pains in knee joints

If discomfort during the day can be explained by excessive stress, then what about the fact that the legs are bumping lower than the knees at night? The reasons for this phenomenon can also be different. In some cases, they are associated with muscle diseases, sometimes - with a violation of blood supply or innervation. Aching pains are often accompanied by cramps or unpleasant twitching of the legs. Naturally, these symptoms interfere with normal sleep. To cope with this problem, it is worthwhile to see a doctor. In some cases, pain occurs due to a deficiency of microelements in the body. Among them - calcium and magnesium.

Women are more likely to complain that their feet are lower than the knees at night. The causes can serve as hormonal changes. With a lack of estrogens, the level of calcium is markedly reduced, resulting in unpleasant sensations in the muscles of the legs. Reducing the number of female sex hormones occurs during pregnancy, lactation and during menopause.

Because of wearing high-heeled shoes throughout the day, there is also pain below the knee in the evening and at night. In order not to develop serious violations of blood supply, you should change your shoes. The causes of discomfort below the knee include varicose veins and other vascular pathologies. To identify them, you need to make an ultrasound of the arteries and veins of the lower extremities with dopplerography.

Unpleasant sensations on the back of the knee

Despite the fact that the knee joint protrudes forward, painful sensations sometimes occur on the posterior surface. They can be associated with various pathologies of the muscles, and with staying in the wrong position (prolonged sitting with bent legs). In some cases, the causes of aching pain under the knee from behind are covered in excessive motor loads. Most people note the discomfort in this area after intense training, mountain climbing, biking. In such cases, pain under the knee along the back of the foot is not a pathology. It is associated with the stretching of the muscle fibers. Most often, discomfort passes on their own 2-3 days later.

Sometimes patients complain that the knee is constantly aching behind. The causes in this case often lie in the traumatic lesions of the ligament apparatus. Pain under the knee can occur due to damage or rupture of the meniscus. The appearance of swelling in the popliteal fossa may indicate the presence of a benign neoplasm. In this area, Becker's cyst is often found, which consists of connective tissue and is located in the cavity of the joint capsule. It does not transform into cancer, but it can increase in size and squeeze the surrounding tissue. As a result, pain and impaired motor function occur. Due to excessive loads, meniscus cysts can be formed. Often they are found in people involved in sports.

Injuries to the knee joint

Sometimes patients complain that after a trauma the knee periodically swells. The causes of unpleasant sensations are associated with improper healing of the injury or lack of proper treatment. To the onset of aching pain can lead to such injuries:

1. Contusion of knee joint. It develops as a result of a fall or impact. A bruise is considered to be one of the lightest traumatic lesions.
2. Dislocation of the patella. It arises from heavy loads on the joint. Often the dislocation is associated with the untwisting of the joint.
3. Sprain. Occurs as a result of lifting weights, jumps in length, sliding on ice. In addition to ligaments, you can stretch the tendon of the knee joints.
4. Rupture of the meniscus. This injury is quite dangerous. In contrast to the above injuries, a break in the meniscus is accompanied by severe pain and restricted movements. It is often combined with the trauma of the cruciate ligament located inside the articulation.
5. Cracks on the articular surface of bones. Occur due to impacts.
6. Fracture of the bone in the knee area. This injury is accompanied by a sharp pain when trying to bend the leg. Fractures occur in athletes, as well as in the elderly. More often they are diagnosed among the female population. This is associated with osteoporosis - a bone disease that develops due to calcium deficiency.
7. Disturbance of the structure of the cartilaginous tissue.

Any injury to the knee joint is accompanied by pain. In some cases, discomfort gradually builds up, some time after the injury. In this case, aching and pulling pains predominate in walking and exercise. To the violation of the integrity of the anatomical structures that make up the knee joint, not only traumas, but also degenerative pathologies can lead.

Muscular system diseases

Unpleasant sensations arising above or under the knee joint often develop due to damage to the muscle tissue. In addition to the usual fatigue or stretching, there are many abnormalities of the striated musculature. Some diseases belong to the group of genetic lesions and develop gradually, leading to disability at a young age. Others - indicate the presence of systemic pathology. To the "innocuous" diseases of the muscles include myositis - inflammation of the striated musculature. Some patients complain that their legs are kneeling above their knees. The reasons for this symptom are different. These include trauma and inflammatory pathologies of soft tissues, neoplasms, inflammatory diseases of bones, nerves and vessels.

In some cases, discomfort on the front surface of the leg above the knee occurs due to necrosis of the head of the femur. It develops because of the destruction of the joint. The causes of necrosis include coxarthrosis, poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis , etc. Unpleasant sensations above the knee on the back of the thigh often arise from spine pathologies and impaired innervation. The cause may be a hernia of the lumbar spine. To inflammatory diseases include sciatica - lesion of the sciatic nerve. It develops as a result of hypothermia.

Infringement of blood supply below the knee

Sometimes pain in the knee region is not associated with a violation of the integrity of the joint itself. Unpleasant sensations can be located below the joint and testify about pathologies of the arteries or veins. The most common of these is varicose veins. It consists in the pathological tortuosity and widening of the veins of the lower extremities. In this case, there are constant aching pains below the knee, especially in the region of the shin. Unpleasant sensations in the initial stages of development of pathology arise after a long walk. Then they appear at rest. Complications of varicose veins include a disease such as thrombophlebitis.

Arteries are affected by atherosclerosis of the lower limbs, diabetes mellitus and Lerish syndrome. These diseases are accompanied by a gradual narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels and a violation of the blood supply to the leg. In addition to painful sensations, patients note cold extremities and decreased sensitivity. Gradually, the pulsation of the arteries disappears and trophic ulcers develop. If the pathology is diagnosed in a timely manner, serious complications can be avoided.

Causes of aching pain in the muscles

Patients often say that they have knees at night. The causes of these unpleasant sensations can be associated with muscle pathologies. The most common of these is inflammatory disease of the muscles - myositis. This ailment develops due to hypothermia or the spread of the infection by hematogenous path from other lesions. Pain often occurs in the calf muscles. Due to the fact that the knee joint is located near the tibia, the inflammation can pass to the musculature and ligament apparatus of the articulation. Pain is more pronounced at night, as in the daytime a person spends time on his feet and does not notice any discomfort. Some bacterial and viral infections are accompanied by myositis. They include influenza, tuberculosis, HIV and other diseases.

Muscular discomfort can be accompanied by rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. With these ailments, a systemic inflammation of all connective tissues, including striated muscle, develops. Permanent pain in the muscles is noted with dermatomyositis. Such ailments are treated by a rheumatologist. It helps stop or slow the progression of pathology.

Sore and aching feet below the knees: reasons, than to treat

To ease the pain in the knee area, various methods of treatment are used. Among them - medical and physiotherapy, surgical intervention. The choice of treatment tactics depends on the nature of the pathology. First of all, the doctor finds out why the feet are lower than the knees (reasons). Than to treat a pathology, the expert should solve! If aching pain occurs as a result of myositis, anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are prescribed. In sciatica, the use of warming ointments, physiotherapy treatment is recommended.

If the cause of knee pain is trauma, surgical treatment may be required. It is carried out with ruptures of ligaments and menisci, fractures. Replacement of the joint is indicated in cases where pronounced destruction of tissues is noted. The operation may be required for vascular disease. With systemic pathologies of joints, hormonal drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

Drugs for aching pain

What should I do if there is aching pain in my knee? The causes and treatment of joint pathologies are interrelated. Before carrying out therapeutic measures, it is necessary to find out why the pain has appeared. The drugs used to treat joints include medicines "Artoxan", "Melbek", "Diclofenac". If the cause of the disease is systemic inflammation, prescribe glucocorticoids. These include preparations "Hydrocortisone" and "Prednisolone". Also, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the drug "Methotrexate" is used. With unpleasant sensations caused by sciatica nerve inflammation, prescribe painkillers and B vitamins.

Physiotherapy exercises with articular pathologies

What else can you do if your knees are sore? And the reasons, and treatment of joint diseases by non-pharmacological methods should ask the doctor. To reduce the intensity of unpleasant sensations and prevent complications, various exercises are prescribed. These include flexion and extension of the knees, rotation of the joints, squats. It is worth remembering that a large load is contraindicated. Exercises can not be done with bone fractures and in the postoperative period. If the pain is caused by chronic destructive pathologies, exercise therapy in the early stages is very important. It allows you to slow the pathological process for a long time.