October 12 is being celebrated as World Arthritis Day (WAD) to raise global awareness about all facets of the disease. Knee arthritis is expected to emerge as the fourth most common cause of physical disability in India. About 15 crore Indians suffer from knee problems, out of which 4 crores need a total knee replacement, imposing a considerable health burden on the society and country ( Times of India).

The knee is the largest joint in our body.It is made up of four main things that are bones, ligaments, cartilage and tendons.When something happens to any one of these parts leads to knee pain. Apart from that our knees suffer from a lot of problems due to the amount of work they do on an average day like heading out on a hike, doing daily house chores, etc. Our knees are always playing the part in our lives and pain relief of knee joints is important to go through daily life activities.

Causes of Knee Pain

Injury in muscle due to sprains and strains caused by exercise; torn ligament or tendon; tendonitis between the kneecap and shin; a dislocated kneecap
Osteoarthritis
Damage to the cartilage.
Bursitis is a condition in which a small fluid sac in the knee is inflamed.

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Prevention is better than cure, reasons are many but the cure of the knee pain is necessary to carry out the day to day life activities with ease. The cure for the knee pain is many but opting for the correct treatment according to symptoms is a main concern for the patient.

A minor pain and injury on the knee can be cured by home remedies. Some of them are as follows:

RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the most used step for all types of joint pain.
Slipping into that perfect pair of heels/shoes can really complete an outfit, prevent knee present and future pain.
Acupuncture is a beneficial and complementary knee pain remedy as it blocks certain pain messages from being passed on to the brain relieving the knee pain.
Exercising and stretching recommended by the physiotherapist also help to prevent knee pain.
Maintaining a healthy body weight also releases stress from the knee and thus prevents early pain.
Reducing the stress level via meditation, yoga, or a good night’s sleep, can help manage your chronic knee pain.
Not all knee pains lead to serious complications apart from severe knee injuries and certain conditions, like osteoarthritis, which leads to increased pain, joint destruction, and disability if left unattended. In such cases a visit to the doctor is necessary. This type of pain cannot be relieved at home and proper treatment prescribed by the doctor must be followed. Some of the treatment are as follows:

Medications of anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful to reduce pain and tenderness and treat the conditions causing knee pain, like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
Physical therapy sessions and different strengthening exercises recommended by the doctor based on the particular condition causing the pain. In specific conditions, different kinds of braces or splints may be advised to support the knee joint.
Injecting injections directly to the joint. The types of injections are as follows:
Corticosteroids : It provides pain relief that lasts for a few months.
Hyaluronic acid: It is injected into the knees to significantly improve mobility and relieve pain.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): This decreases inflammation and promotes healing of the damaged tissues.
Stem cells: It helps to regenerate the knee joint.
Surgical intervention is required in cases where all other conservative treatment methods have stopped working and the knee pain is getting worse day by day. Some of the surgical options are as follows:
Arthroscopic surgery: It is done to withdraw loose bodies from the knee joint, repair the damaged cartilage in the locking phase of the knee, and reconstruct damaged structures.
Partial knee replacement surgery: This surgery replaces only the most damaged compartments of the knee with implants of metal and plastic
Total knee replacement: It is done by the doctor, removes the impaired bone and cartilage from the femur, tibia, and patella and interchanges them with an artificial joint composed of metallic alloys, high-grade plastics, and polymers.
Osteotomy: It involves cutting a segment of bone from the femur or tibia to achieve better knee alignment and relieves pain.
Conclusion

All knee pain is not serious, but some knee injuries need medical attention such as osteoarthritis which can lead to increasing pain, joint damage and disability if left untreated. It is always advisable to visit a doctor to treat your knee pain with proper treatment and self care, as in the modern era everything is possible if the correct action is taken at the right time. I believe that today's generation want to enjoy their life to the fullest extent but are not very health conscious and also due to the increased life expectancy due to the modern medical system leads to increased cases of knee replacement of the aging population. A healthy lifestyle and proper medical guidance would definitely help to reduce knee pain instances.