If you’re suffering with knee pain, we want you to know that we understand your struggle and we want to help. Acupuncture for knee pain is highly effective and can relieve many types of knee pain stemming from various causes. Before discussing how acupuncture works for knee pain, let’s review the common causes of knee pain and the traditional ways of treating it.
Knee pain is a common ailment that can affect individuals of all ages and can come about in various ways, which include immediately after an injury or can be an extension of a chronic medical condition.
Common types of knee injuries and their symptoms:
Meniscal injuries – These are traumatic injuries to the meniscus that are usually caused by overworking the meniscus. When this kind of injury occurs, the meniscus tears off and floats in the knee joint causing severe pain. The meniscal injury usually causes the knee to either lock at a particular position or produce a grinding or a clicking when the knee is in motion. Sometimes the knee might swell due to the disturbance of the inner tissues surrounding the knee.
Tendon ruptures – The knee has two types of tendons; the patellar tendons and the quadriceps tendons which sometimes may rupture either partially or entirely. Quadriceps tendons ruptures are usually common in athletes over 40 years old while patella raptures normally occur in the young generation under 40 years. A common sign of ruptured tendons is a severe pain if you try stretching your leg. With patella tendon rupture, the patella usually moves either upwards or downward from its normal position, a sign that can be easily noted by comparing both knees.
Dislocated kneecap – This is a common injury especially in sportsmen which results in the forceful straightening of the leg and trauma. Kneecap dislocation has also been found to be common in women, individuals with knock-knee as well as the individuals with obesity. If your kneecap dislocates, you normally feel severe of pain and also have difficulties stretching your leg.
Knee dislocation – This is a rare injury which can be limb threatening when it occurs. Knee dislocation causes a complete separation of the upper limb from the lower limb making it impossible for you to use the leg. This is usually a serious medical condition since it does not only result in the tearing of ligaments but also affects the nerves and arteries causing the injured person suffer from chronic pain. The major signs of a dislocated knee are a complete knee deformity and severe pain.
Knee Ligament Injuries
Although knee ligaments are strong there are cases when they can get ruptured or sprained. The rupture of knee ligament can be either partial or complete. The common knee injuries are sprains which usually settle quickly, however if you get a ligament rupture you need to seek advanced medical care.
Types of knee ligament injuries include –
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury – is a sprain or tear to the medial collateral ligament. The MCL is a band of tissue on the inside of your knee that connects your thighbone to the bone of your lower leg. It keeps the knee from bending inward.
- Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury – This is a less common injury than MCL injury that can occur on the inner side of the knee. The LCL connects the femur or thigh bone to the top of the fibula bone in the lower leg. The ligament itself is a narrow strong cord of collagen fibers and its function is to provide stability to the outside of the knee.
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury – the ACL and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) connect the femur or thigh bone with the tibia, one of the bones of the lower leg. ACL injury can occur if you land on your leg and then twist the knee abruptly in the reverse direction.
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury – PCL injuries are not as common as ACL injuries but can occur especially if you were involved in a car accident where your bent knee hits the front seat or the dashboard.
Symptoms of knee ligament injuries include:
- Swelling of the knee
- Severe pain
- Popping sound from the knee
- Limited motion
Western Medical Treatments for knee pain
If you visit a medical center with a knee problem, the doctor starts by performing a physical examination to diagnose and check the condition of your injury. Then you might get the following types of treatment depending on the kind of knee injury that you have.
Tendon Rupture – In the case of tendon rupture, you may have to undergo surgery to repair ruptured tendons or be treated by splitting in case you have a partial rupture.
Meniscal Injuries –This type of injury requires that you undergo arthroscopic surgical repair.
Kneecap Dislocation– This is not usually classified as a serious problem; thus, the doctor can easily pop it back to its normal position. However, the knee still needs to be X-rayed for fracture; the doctor will treat the knee by splinting it for about three weeks to allow the soft tissues surrounding the kneecap to recover.
Knee Dislocation– This is a serious medical problem that requires the patient to remain at the hospital for tests and evaluation. The doctor will have to reduce the dislocation; then the patient is put under critical observation since if this kind of injury is not treated appropriately, it can result in permanent disability.
Treatment of knee ligament injuries
Since ligament injury can be a serious problem if not treated appropriately, the doctor can recommend that you undergo a surgical operation to repair the ligament and then take pain medication post operatively for an extended period of time.
Acupuncture for Knee Pain
Acupuncture is a technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine that can be dated back almost 3000 years. It reduces inflammation and spasm, improves circulation, and greatly reduces pain. Acupuncture has been confirmed through clinical studies to have numerous health benefits including relieving various types of pain such as low back pain, neck pain and, of course, knee pain.
According to a research report published in Archives of Internal Medicine, acupuncture was proven to be an effective method of relieving pain. In fact, Dr. Chen a certified anesthesiologist and also an acupuncture practitioner at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, claims that acupuncture is more effective and much safer in pain treatment than medication. Therefore, by seeking pain treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner, you are guaranteed of a safe and effective solution to your knee pain problem.
At Boca Raton Acupuncture we perform a thorough initial evaluation to determine the proper diagnosis and treatment for your knee pain. Together we will put together a plan to get you out of pain as quickly as possible. Take advantage of our free consultations and give us a call today!
