If you are getting older, it is common to start having more health issues. One of these issues can be pain, including pain in your knees. If you are feeling pain on one or both of your knees one common cause of this is osteoarthritis. Below is information about what this is, as well as osteoarthritis treatment that is available.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your knee to break down, which breaks down a little at a time throughout the years. Cartilage is very important as it cushions between the bones in your knee. Without cartilage, the bones in your knees rub together causing friction which results in a lot of pain. You will feel much more pain while bending or any type of movement of your knee. You may also feel pain while sitting still.

A lot of pressure is put on your knees as they are weight bearing joints. If you are overweight this puts even more pressure on your knees, which can make this problem even worse. Because of this, go on a loss weight plan to lose weight until you get to your normal weight.

If you have had previous knee problems, such as breaking your knee, sports injuries, or any other type of injury, this can lead to osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis Diagnosis

You should see an orthopedic doctor to determine if you do have osteoarthritis in your knees. The doctor will first do a physical examination and ask you for your history. The doctor will want to know how active you are now and have been in the past, and if you have had any prior knee injuries.

The doctor will likely take X-rays of your knees to look at your knee joints. The doctor may also order an MRI to get a closer look at the cartilage in your knee.

Osteoarthritis Treatment

The way you will be treated for this problem will depend on how much cartilage you have in your knee. For example, if you still have enough cartilage to still cushion your joints, the doctor will likely put you on pain medication to take as needed or tell you to take over the counter pain medication.

If you continue to feel pain the doctor will likely do a corticosteroid injection in your knee. This will help relieve pain for a few months. How long does depend on your personal situation.

If you have very little or no cartilage in your knee the doctor will likely suggest that you have surgery. This may include a joint replacement, osteotomy, and arthroscopy.

Your orthopedic surgeon can go over all this information with you in more details.