Do you have trouble sleeping at night because of knee pain? Joint pain at night can be caused by many conditions and injuries and make it difficult to determine the right type of treatment. Here we will talk about the most common causes of knee pain during sleep, some home remedies that you can try, and finally simple tips to improve your sleep. No one should live with knee pain that prevents them from getting a good night’s sleep, so read on to find out how you can solve that pain once and for all.
Even if you do not touch anything in your sleep, knee pain at night can catch on. It is not that knee pain is given only in the evening hours. Indeed, many report being bad at other times of the day. For many, morning joint pain is also pronounced. But patients and doctors say that at night, when a person is trying to get some rest and sleep, knee pain can be especially distressing.
Research shows that between 60% and 80% of patients with spinal cord injury will experience knee pain at night. Knee pain at night is also common with other conditions that can affect the joint such as bursitis, which includes inflammation of the fluid-filled sac near the joints called bursae, and tendonitis, where the tendon is inflamed.
The experience of knee pain is a function of what happens psychologically and how that pain is perceived when a person tries to calm the body and mind by preparing for sleep, orthopedic experts say. “If people try to go to bed and try to get some rest, it is a time when knee pain is very irritating.
In most cases, there is no specific injury. People, usually between the ages of 35 and 65 say that they experience discomfort either on one side of the knee or the other. Pain is often excruciating at night and may be associated with frequent clicks or strokes. Sometimes lying on the side is very disturbing, causing them to put a pillow between their legs at night.
Symptoms of Torn Meniscus at night
If you have maintained a little tear, then chances are that you will not even see your wound for a while. Even with strong tears, some people ignore the idea of visiting a doctor and waiting for the damage to heal normally. Unfortunately, that is not the right thing to do. Identifying the symptoms of a ruptured meniscus is important knowledge, especially for working people who go through a lot of body movements.
Here are some common symptoms of a ruptured meniscus:
- Pain or discomfort when trying to extend your knee to a straight / standing position.
- Swelling or stiffness in the knee.
- Pain or discomfort when you try to rotate your knee.
- Pressing the sensation when you try to move the knee.
- Closure – a mechanical block where the knee cannot be completely extended or straightened.
- Feeling as if your knee will give off sometimes.
- The knee can feel weak, unreliable, and unstable.
If you experience these symptoms, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional as they may also be associated with other health problems.
Common Causes of Torn Meniscus Pain at Night
A ruptured meniscus can cause any activity that causes you to twist or twist your knee violently, such as a violent fight or a sudden stop and turn. Even kneeling, squatting deeply, or lifting a heavy object can sometimes cause a ruptured meniscus.
Chondromalacia; Chondromalacia is also known as a runner’s knee is a condition when the cartilage under the kneecap is damaged and irritated. Knee pain becomes worse after a long stay, when you use a ladder, or stand up from a sitting position. Patients may also feel a tingling sensation as they straighten their knees.
Knee Osteoarthritis; The two most common types of arthritis are arthrosis and sepsis. And osteoarthritis of the knee became the most common form of arthritis. In osteoarthritis of the knee, cartilage in the knee wears daily use and causes the bones to rub together. Symptoms include pain during sleep at night, swelling, and stiffness of the knee. Arthritis pain in the knee can be debilitating if not treated properly.
Gout; Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis in which uric acid is concentrated in the blood. Uric acid forms strong crystals within the joint and causes symptoms of gout. This can happen in any joint, including the knee. The unique characteristic of gout symptoms is that the pain is sudden, often called seizures, and usually includes pain during sleep, redness, and tenderness in the joint.
Knee Bursitis; Knee bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac in the knee joint. You have many bursae on your knee, the ones that usually burn sit on your knee. Bursae reduce friction in the knee and joint joint. Knee bursitis hurts a little and the pain increases when you bend the knee. Patients also experience swelling, stiffness, and pain during walking.
Iliotibial Band Disease; If you are a runner or are participating in an activity that requires regular knee flexion you are at greater risk of developing iliotibial band disease. The IT band runs from the outside of your hips down through the outside of your knee to the top of the shin. When the IT band becomes hard it rubs the knee. This causes the IT band and bursa, the structure of which is rubbed, to swell.
Treatments for torn meniscus pain at night
Treatment of a ruptured meniscus depends on the size and location of the tear. Other factors affecting treatment include age, activity level and related injuries.
1. Surgery
If your knee remains painful despite the corrective treatment or if your knees are closed, your doctor may recommend surgery. It is sometimes possible to repair a ruptured meniscus, especially in children and adults. If tears cannot be repaired, the meniscus can be surgically removed, perhaps by a small incision using an arthroscope. After surgery, you will need to exercise to increase and maintain knee strength and stability.
If you have progressed, arthritis, your disease may suggest a knee replacement. For young people who have signs and symptoms after surgery but do not have advanced disease, meniscus transplantation may be appropriate. Surgery involves transplanting the meniscus from the cadaver.
Also one of the natural ways to take to avoid knee surgery is to find a type of body repair that will help restore your movement and further knee strength. Losing just 10-15 pounds can take the pressure off your knee, which will help your rehabilitation process later.
2. Move your knee
We know that moving a painful knee is not a pleasure, but exercise and physical therapy can be the best step you can take. The meniscus is the joint part of your knee, and the joints have many moving parts that need support. Proper movement under proper supervision strengthens the muscles around your knee and helps your wound to heal.
When you work with pain management specialists at the Pain and Rehabilitation Center of your choice, your knee is in the right hands. Our medical doctors take you carefully and compassionately through the process with exercise and stretching – improved for your knee level and pain. They also help you make decisions about lifestyle changes (temporary and permanent) that will keep you healthy and painless for years to come.
3. Conservative therapy
Unless you have a serious injury or you are a professional athlete who must return to the sport as soon as possible, one of our therapists will start you with a RICE method (relaxation, ice, compression, and elevation) to help you heal the meniscus. Beyond the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help reduce swelling and pain. You will want to stay as far away from the foot as possible for several days and keep it high.
Once the initial swelling has subsided, your Wellington Orthopedic & Sports Medicine doctor will recommend soft exercises or physical therapy sessions if needed. The physiotherapist introduces you to an exercise program that strengthens the muscles around your knee, helping to keep your knees together in the future.
Cortisone injections can also help reduce pain if not treated with RICE method and gentle exercise. Structural problems in your legs can put extra pressure on your knees, causing the cartilage to weaken. Common abnormalities in your walking movements caused by leg problems or other issues can also stress your knee barley. Your doctor may recommend orthotic, which is a shoe insert that helps to distribute your weight well while you are on your feet.
4. See your doctor
Your doctor will prescribe treatment based on the type, extent, and location of the tear. Initial treatment may be conservative, which includes rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory drugs. It is important to rest your knee and not immediately return to sports or physical exercise, lest you further damage your knee or cause a permanent injury. Physical therapy is also part of a therapy to restore strength and mobility.
Today, repair of a broken meniscus can be performed through minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery and the use of small surgical tools by your surgeon. Patients who undergo arthroscopic knee surgery usually return to their wound condition soon after receiving physical therapy.
Having a history of breaking your meniscus can actually increase your risk of developing arthritis, which is the most common form of arthritis. This is also called wear-and-tear arthritis or age-related arthritis, but can also occur in young athletes. Talk to your doctor about how to prevent knee injury in the future.
5. Take painkillers if your wound is not severe.
If your ruptured meniscus does not cause your knee to close in place, you can take painkillers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to treat swelling and pain. Check with your doctor if your knee still hurts after 6 weeks; at the moment, surgery is the next best option.
- Acetaminophen: Adults can take 1 strength pill of acetaminophen every 4-6 hours. If 1 pill does not help, try 2 tablets later. For your own safety, take 12 tablets or less daily.
- Ibuprofen: For MOTRIN, take 1-2 tablets once every 4-6 hours. With Advil, take 1 pill every 4 hours or 2 tablets every 6-8 hours. For any medication, take 6 tablets a day.
- Naproxen Sodium: Take one pill every 8-12 hours. As a precautionary measure, take 2 tablets daily.
- Aspirin: Take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours. Give yourself 12 tablets daily so that you do not overdose.
Also, inject the steroid into the knee. A steroid is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce inflammation. It does not repair the meniscus tears, it only absorbs inflammation and basically returns the inflammatory clock to zero. If a person has a problem with physical therapy because of pain, or if exercise and other non-exercise methods do not work by eliminating inflammation, then placing the steroid within the knee will provide a good window of opportunity, during which one can then do more with exercise therapy. body and working with more biomechanics to help loosen the knee so that the pain does not return for a few months or a year.
CONCLUSIONS
If there is a lot of swelling in the knee, we often recommend getting medication to evaluate the meniscus. Once we know the problem is what we can offer treatment. For degenerative tears that are more chronic we can start with a steroid injection. Patients usually get better relief. We can also do medication to these types of meniscus injuries with anti-inflammatories and physical therapy.
With severe tears, we can start with 6 – 8 weeks of physical therapy. If signs do not resolve with physical therapy, we often recommend surgery for younger patients, especially those with athletic tears. The reason for this is that for athletes, the structure of the tears is usually larger, and can further involve the integrity of the structure. Another reason we treat these tears in younger patients is that the quality of the tissue is good, it is easy to fix and the results of the surgery are better than that of an older patient.
We are trying to fix a torn meniscus, if it can be repaired. Years ago, the method used to take the meniscus out which was sometimes called cleaning together. In this way, we now know that it increases the load on the tibia and femur and the expectation is that it will lead to arthritis for some time and knee replacement may be necessary in 15 – 20 years. In fact, recent research has shown that people whose meniscus was removed 15 – 20 years ago today, most of these peoples they have knee pain. If you have pain in your knee or joint, check with your orthopedic surgeon. It is always better to be safe than sorry.