Joint pain can be mild, causing soreness after specific activities, or it can be more severe, making it difficult to bear weight on the joint or limiting its movement. Your primary care physician should evaluate your symptoms at NYC primary care to develop an accurate diagnosis and provide an effective treatment plan.
Joint pain can cause discomfort, pain, or inflammation in any part of the joint, including the ligaments, cartilage, tendons, bone, or muscles.
What Causes Joint Pain?
Many different types of disease can cause joint pain, or it could be due to an injury affecting the joints, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones. Autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint pain. When the joint is inflamed, it can cause arthritis, and joint pain may be due to infection, for example, Lyme disease. Rarely, joint pain may result from a tumor.
When to See a Physician in NYC for Joint Pain?
Your physician should evaluate joint pain. Joint pain isn’t usually an emergency, but it is vital to make an appointment to see primary care doctors NYC specialists. In-person consultation with one of our specialists is particularly important if your joint pain is accompanied by swelling, tenderness, and warmth around the joint, and redness, as this may need a more urgent evaluation. Please see your doctor.
Our primary care doctors and physicians will discuss your symptoms and will want to know your actions before the joint pain begins. Discussing conditions that may aggravate or relieve the degree of your pain is also essential. After examining the joint, we may recommend other tests, including blood tests, x-rays, or an MRI.
You should see a primary care doctor immediately if the pain is intense, or you notice a sudden swelling, you cannot use the joint, or the joint looks deformed.
Joint Pain Treatment
![Joint Pain](https://www.manhattanprimarycaredoctorsnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/joint-pain.jpg)
The treatment recommended aims to address the underlying cause of the problem. If your joint pain is due to injury, initial treatment may involve rest, cold packs to reduce swelling, and anti-inflammatory medications.
If needed, we can provide painkillers, but they may not be necessary. Afterward, physical therapy can gradually rehabilitate the joint. If the joint pain is arthritis-related, we may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and other medications that can help to treat arthritis.
You can also manage mild joint pain at home. Try using over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Avoid moving your joint in any way that could worsen the pain. Apply an ice pack to the joint for 15 to 20 minutes a few times each day, and you can even use a package of frozen peas. Heat can also be helpful, so use a heating pad or take a warm shower or soak in the bathtub to relax muscles and increase circulation. However, it is important not to self-diagnose, and any treatment, even over the counter, should be discussed with your doctor.
”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★Dr. Norov is one of the best physicians I’ve ever encountered! She was very thorough and attentive. Highly recommended.
Knee Joint Pain
Joint pain can frequently affect the knees and result from an injury, torn cartilage, or a ruptured ligament. Infections, arthritis, and gout can also cause knee joint pain. Often it’s possible to treat mild knee joint pain with self-care, and knee braces and physical therapy can also be helpful. Other times, you might require surgery.
Diagnosing Knee Joint Problems
If you do have knee joint pain, our physician can evaluate the joint during a physical exam. They will inspect the joint for signs of bruising, warmth and tenderness, and swelling. The doctor will also want to see how well you can move your leg and evaluate your knee structures. They may suggest diagnostic tests, including a CT scan, x-ray, ultrasound, or MRI.
These tests can provide valuable information about the soft tissues and bones and allow the primary care doctor to test for specific problems. Sometimes, a blood test may be necessary to remove a small amount of fluid from the knee joint. Removing the fluid can be helpful if the joint is infected or inflamed.
Knee Joint Pain Treatment in Midtown NYC and New York’s Upper East Side
The treatment prescribed by your local physicians or the best internal medicine doctors in NYC will depend on the cause of your knee pain. Treatment options for joint pain may include:
- Medications: Sometimes, medications can help to relieve pain and will treat the underlying cause, for example, gout or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Physical Therapy: Sometimes, knee joint pain treatment may involve physical therapy, as strengthening the muscles around your knee will help to stabilize it. If you play many sports or are physically active, you may benefit from specific exercises to correct movements that aggravate your knees. It can also be helpful to do exercises to improve balance and flexibility.
- Injections: Injecting medication directly into the joint can be helpful in knee joint pain treatment. Corticosteroid injections can help to relieve symptoms of arthritis, and the pain relief may last several months. However, injections aren’t always effective. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that lubricates the joints and which can improve mobility and ease joint pain.
Platelet-rich plasma contains growth factors that can reduce inflammation, so the joint can heal more easily. This type of injection can be helpful for knee joint pain treatment where a torn tendon or sprain causes the pain.
Self-care remedies for knee joint pain are the same as for any joint pain, although it may also be helpful to elevate the knee to reduce swelling. Please discuss all treatment options with your physician.
Joint Pain Treatment Plan for Patients in NYC
When deciding how to treat joint pain, including knee, hip, or shoulder, we may prescribe medications, physical therapy, or injections. All decisions by your doctor are on a case-by-case basis.
Please make an appointment at our convenient locations in Midtown Manhattan or Upper East Side with our joint pain treatment specialists. Your primary care physician should evaluate your symptoms to develop an accurate diagnosis and provide an effective treatment plan. Our doctors look forward to meeting you!
Manhattan Primary Care Locations: Manhattan Primary Care (Upper East Side) 983 Park Ave, Ste 1D22, New York 10028(212) 389-9929 Manhattan Primary Care (Midtown) 56 W 45th St, Ste 808, New York, NY 10036
(212) 389-1887 Manhattan Primary Care (Union Square) 55 W 17th St, Ste 105, New York 10011
(212) 378-9987