Knee Arthritis

Knee arthritis is a potentially painful, limiting condition that restricts your daily active lifestyle. Instead of opting for knee replacement surgery, you can look for other, non-surgical options, such as knee embolization. This minimally invasive procedure is available at Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. George Bolotin, a top-rated vein specialist in Brooklyn, offers this treatment for those with moderate to severe pain from knee arthritis. Call today to see if you qualify.

What Is Knee Arthritis?

Knee arthritis occurs when the protective cartilage in your knee joint wears down, which causes painful stiffness and range-of-motion limitations. The cartilage in the joint is a thin coating at the end of the bones that cushions the area where the bones connect, allowing smooth movement and normal functioning of your knee.

Three bones come together to form your knee joint:

1. The thighbone or femur
2. The shinbone or tibia
3. The kneecap or patella

When you develop arthritis, it’s a sign that the cartilage is breaking down. This condition leads to friction between the bones.

The main types of knee arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis. This is the most common form of arthritis. It’s often referred to as wear-and-tear arthritis, since it’s caused by overuse of the knee joint.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. This form of arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system attacks the lining of your joints, weakening it.
• Post-traumatic knee arthritis. This arthritis is caused by a history of injury or trauma to your knee.

If you’re considering knee replacement because of knee arthritis, learn what doctors wish you knew before knee replacement surgery. Alternatives like knee embolization may help you avoid surgery. Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center in Brooklyn provides a non-surgical solution to knee arthritis that targets pain at the source. With years of specialized experience in minimally invasive treatments, Dr. George Bolotin has helped countless patients find relief from pain.

What Are the Symptoms of Knee Arthritis?

Pain and swelling are common symptoms of knee arthritis. If you’re suffering from this condition, you may recognize that the symptoms have developed gradually, although it’s possible for the pain to appear suddenly and worsen over time if left untreated.

Some other symptoms of knee arthritis include:

• Sounds of creaking, clicking, grinding or snapping
• Difficulty walking or putting weight on your knee
• Weather-related joint pain
• Stiffness in your joint
• Knee buckling if you twist awkwardly
• Skin redness or warm skin around the joint
• A locking or sticking knee joint when you’re trying to move

If your knee arthritis symptoms worsen, your mobility and comfort degrade. Chronic pain and movement limitations can potentially impact your mood and even contribute to ongoing frustration. Before these symptoms reach that point, consult your vein doctor in Brooklyn. In fact, visit Dr. Bolotin when you first notice knee pain and suspect arthritis, since the earlier you treat it, the more effective the treatment.

What Causes Knee Arthritis?

Knee arthritis can be caused by a mix of natural factors, like aging and genetics, but your lifestyle choices may increase your risk of knee arthritis. The cartilage on your knee joints naturally wears out over years of use or abuse. Your body’s ability to repair knee tissues also decreases with age, making your knee joints more prone to damage.

If arthritis runs in your family, you may have an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis. Even with a family history, however, the condition may never get bad enough to notice without something like an injury or illness to set it off.

Other causal factors include:

• Obesity. Extra weight causes pressure on your knee joints, which can accelerate the wear on the joint’s cartilage.
• Previous injuries. Past injuries of your knee increase the chance of you getting arthritis, even when the injuries seemed minor at that time.
• Repetitive strain. Jobs or activities that involve repetitive bending, squatting or heavy lifting can wear out your knee joint over years.
• Autoimmune diseases. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can trigger joint damage.

Your doctor takes a detailed medical history and checks for swelling, tenderness and range of motion limitations. Imaging tests can show cartilage loss, bone spurs and joint space narrowing. If your doctor suspects arthritis, you may need blood tests to check for specific antibodies and inflammation markers. Only after a definitive diagnosis is reached can you receive proper treatment.

How Is Knee Arthritis Treated?

If you have knee arthritis, a variety of treatment options can help you feel better, improve your mobility and slow the rate of joint damage. Medications, physical therapy and weight management can help you manage your knee arthritis. Supportive devices — such as braces, canes and orthotics — may relieve your discomfort and improve the function of your joints. These remedies focus on relieving pain, improving flexibility and strengthening the knee joint.

Embolization, on the other hand, works by decreasing the amount of blood flowing into the particular area of your knee that’s become inflamed. Using imaging guidance, your radiologist at the Brooklyn vein center deposits tiny particles into certain blood vessels surrounding your knee joint to partially block blood flow to these inflamed tissues. This reduces the inflammation and pain.

You’re a good candidate for knee embolization if you’re:

• Older than 40
• Experiencing moderate or severe knee pain
• Feeling regional knee pain
• Not eligible for or don’t want knee arthroplasty
• Showing little to no improvement with traditional treatment options like steroid injections or pain medications

What Are the Benefits of Embolization for Knee Arthritis?

Knee embolization is a promising option for you if you don’t want surgery or if other treatments haven’t relieved the condition. You can achieve effective pain relief with fewer risks than traditional knee surgery.

Other benefits include:

• Pain reduction. Embolization reduces blood flow to inflamed tissues, providing significant pain relief, especially for chronic pain.
• Less invasive. The procedure only requires a small incision, so you experience less scarring and a quick recovery than from open surgery.
• Joint preservation. Knee embolization preserves the natural anatomy of your knee since it doesn’t replace or remove any part of your joint.
• Rapid recovery. Since there’s minimal downtime, you can get back to your normal activities within a few days.
• Outpatient procedure. You can get this procedure done in your Brooklyn vein specialist’s office. And you can go home on the same day.
• Less dependency on pain medication. Managing your knee pain lowers your need for long-term medication, reducing related side effects.

If you’re wondering when you should get a knee replacement because of arthritis, consider non-surgical options first. In Brooklyn, Dr. Bolotin, a leading vein specialist and vascular expert, provides care for those looking to avoid surgery, relieve pain and return to an active lifestyle. Contact Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center today.