Degenerative knee pain is a condition that affects millions of Americans every year and can result in progressive, severe deformity of the joint. While there are several different ways to manage this condition, they will not necessarily result in a cure.

Degenerative knee problems are not necessarily curable, but the bright side is that they are not life threatening either. There are plenty of people who have this condition and who go about their lives normally just using a knee brace to support the knee and taking an occasional pain killer to manage the pain.

What Are Some Of The Ways To Treat The Pain?

Some of the most effective treatments for degenerative knee pain include:

1.) Ice pack

2.) Over the counter pain pills

3.) Exercises

4.) Anti-inflammatory medication

5.) Cortisone shots

6.) Knee replacement surgery

7.) Knee brace

All of these treatment methods except cortisone shots and knee replacement surgery can be self administered by the sufferer. So what should you opt for? Should you bite the bullet and go in for knee replacement surgery right away or should you first try out the other options?

In order to determine which is the right treatment for you, it is important to first assess the frequency of the joint flare ups and the severity of the knee pain. You will also need to take into consideration your age as well as how the condition impacts your daily life.

Conservative Treatment Options for Degenerative Knee Pain

Conservative treatment options, which offer you a safe way to manage the pain and swelling, should be your first line of defense if you have degenerative knee pain. This means you should consider ice packs to control the flare ups and over the counter pain pills to manage the pain (Speak with your physician about taking any drugs). Wearing a knee brace which can provide you with meaningful support that can reduce your pain and will help to allow you to walk around and get on with your daily activities.

Your instinctive reaction may be to try and move your knees as little as possible in order to avoid aggravating the condition. As a result, you may have a more stiff knee than before. Many doctors will advise some sort of exercise for the knee to prevent it from getting stiff.

Cortisone shots are said to be effective but you should also consider other methods of treatment as well. These types of injections should be provided by your physician only.

Knee Replacement Surgery for Degenerative Knee Pain

Though frequently recommended, knee replacement surgery does not offer any guarantee that the knee will be as good as new. Considering the pain, the post-op inconvenience and the mounting expenses of the surgery and rehabilitation, it is a high risk to take. Moreover, the duration of rehabilitation is indefinite, and the temporary lay off from work could just add another blow to your finances.

A very small percentage of people would actually consider full knee replacement surgery as their first choice. Most people who suffer from this condition will treat their degenerative knee pain with medication and a knee brace, which will enable them to remain active and relatively pain free without having to undergo the trauma of surgery.

If you believe that you can benefit from pain reduction and increased knee stability, then you should seriously consider a knee brace today. These supports can be obtained very quickly and are also very affordable, especially when you compare it to the costs that of surgery.