Chinese Medicine
Knee pain
A knee that aches on the stairs, stiffens after sitting, or swells after a walk. Dr. Pan checks the cause first, then makes a plan.
Please bring any X-ray or MRI reports, and a list of the medicines, supplements and herbs you take now. It helps to notice what makes the pain worse: stairs, standing up, long walks.
First, check the cause
In adults, most long-term knee pain comes from wear of the joint (osteoarthritis). Some comes from an old injury, a torn cartilage, or gout.
How it is treated
- Exercise to strengthen the thigh muscles, and physical therapy if you need it. This helps the most people.
- Losing some weight, if you carry extra. Every pound lost takes load off the knee.
- Acupuncture: very thin needles, to ease pain and stiffness. It is a long-established treatment for knee pain in Chinese medicine, and many patients find stairs and walking clearly easier.
- Chinese herbs, prescribed for your pattern, to nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen the sinews and bones, and ease joint pain. They are checked against the medicines you already take.
- Pain medicine or a cream; a steroid injection or a referral to an orthopedic doctor, if needed.
How many visits
Usually once a week at first. Six to eight visits make a course; then you and Dr. Pan look at how much better you are: less pain, easier stairs, longer walks.
Common questions
Do I need an X-ray or MRI?
Often not at first. Dr. Pan will order one if your symptoms or the exam call for it.
Should I rest my knee?
Short rest after a flare is fine. Long rest makes the muscles weaker and the knee stiffer. Gentle, regular movement usually helps more.
Will I need surgery?
Most people do not. If the knee is badly worn, Dr. Pan will refer you to talk it over with a surgeon.
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Seen in King of Prussia
Patients travel from King of Prussia, Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Radnor, Conshohocken, Malvern, Phoenixville, Devon and Berwyn.