Torn Meniscus? The Most Effective Treatment Options to Consider

Whether you’re an athlete who planted and pivoted, a multitasking parent who lifted and twisted, or just an unlucky soul who moved your knee the wrong way — you’ve torn your meniscus. Now what?

First things first: Stop the pain.

Your next step is critical. At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, we specialize in pain. In fact, all of our physicians are certified in pain management and are uniquely qualified to help you overcome the agony, rehabilitate your body, and get you back to your life.

When all you can think about is your aching knee and how it is stopping you from doing the things you love, we get it. Our doctors know the most effective treatments to get you back in the game.

Ice it

Believe it or not, it may be this simple. With many meniscus tears, all you need to do is reduce the swelling and relieve the discomfort while your body heals itself.

Start with a bag of frozen vegetables or a bunch of ice cubes wrapped in a towel. Lay it across your elevated knee for about 15 minutes at a time every four or five hours. In a couple of days, this ought to get rid of the swelling, and you should notice a decrease in the pain.

Meanwhile, stay off of that knee as much as possible. You may take over-the-counter pain relievers if necessary.

Move it

We know that moving a painful knee isn’t comfortable, but exercise and physical therapy may be the best next step you can take. The meniscus is part of your knee joint, and joints have many moving parts that need support. The right movement under the right supervision strengthens the muscles around your knee and helps your injury heal.

When you work with the pain management specialists at the CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, your knee is in the right hands. Our expert physicians take you carefully and compassionately through the process with exercises and stretches — customized to your knee and pain level.

They also help you make decisions about lifestyle changes (both temporary and permanent) that will keep you active and pain-free for years to come.

Inject it

The CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center team takes a conservative approach to managing your pain. However, we know that sometimes a case calls for more than ice and exercise. When your diagnosis warrants extra measures, you and your doctor may opt for interventional pain management, such as injection therapy.

Injection therapy gets pain-relieving medication straight into your knee joint and quickly reduces swelling. Don’t like the thought of a shot? Don’t worry, this treatment won’t cause you more pain — we use a local anesthetic to carefully numb the area first.

The goal of injection therapy is to help you get past the pain so you can begin your rehabilitation. That’s the most important part. It’ll take some effort, but you can get your knee back. Depending on the severity and location of your meniscus tear, you may be able to help it heal and get back to normal life without resorting to surgery.

Before you resort to that extreme, talk to the specialists at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center about how to manage and beat your pain without surgery. Request an appointment online, or call the Maryland location convenient to you today to stop your pain and regain your mobility.