Is a Nerve Block Procedure Right for Knee Pain?

Knee pain is notoriously hard to treat.

Common analgesics barely make a dent, while more powerful opiates tend to work in the short term, but require ever-larger doses as your body pushes back against these habit-forming drugs. Steroids can be a double-edged sword as well, giving patients windows of relief but exacting a long-term toll on the health of the joint.

What about nerve blockers? As this video describes, these injections operate along a different pathway from other painkillers, and may be giving many patients a new way to ease the burning of chronic knee pain:

Nerve blockers aren’t without risks of their own, of course, and every patient requires a differently tailored course of treatment. It is important to remember as well that chronic pain is often the result of an underlying condition which may be treatable: orthopedic knee surgery is the best way to perform a lasting repair.

Still have questions about how to treat knee pain in San Diego? Reach out to the experts today.

Some Smart Ways to Avoid Knee Pain

Knee pain isn’t just for senior citizens or avid athletes. It can strike anyone, at any age. Although knee pain is usually associated with arthritis or injury, any repetitive movement can create lasting pain, impeding your ability to live a comfortable life.

Orthopedic surgeons like me are often called in to fix the problem once it has grown chronic or acute, but you can do a lot more before you ever reach out to the doctor. This page offers some good tips on how to avoid knee pain without too much stress or inconvenience, including simple stretches like this:

Sit on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you, and then bring your left foot toward your butt. Drop your left knee out to the side as you place the sole of your left foot in your right inner thigh. Then, bend at the waist and slowly fold forward, reaching your hands toward your toes. Stay here for 1 to 2 minutes, and then switch sides.

Staying active is helpful too, as is taking the time to rest when pain grows more intense during and after vigorous activity. And if your knee pain becomes a constant thorn in your side, visit the best orthopedic surgeon in San Diego for a comprehensive workup.

Call today to get started.