Pain in knee

AnnR

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been diagnosed with right hip arthritis, but my main concern is severe pain in my right knee. Nothing I’m trying has helped, heat pad, medication and all sorts of pillows at night. I’m exercising daily and go to the swimming pool twice a week to do execises. Nothing helps, nothing I’ve read it just so extreme. Please help!!

Ann R

helpline_team

Hi @AnnR

Thank you for posting on the helpline forum. I’m sorry you are experiencing extreme pain in your right hip and knee. Despite everything you are doing to manage the pain, things sound very tough for you at the moment. I hope the information I have shared below helps. 

The knee pain could be referred pain from the arthritis in the hip, or it may be that you also have changes taking place in the knee joint. I hope the information on the links below help you to have a discussion with your GP about your knee pain. 

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

If your GP suspects the knee pain could be due to osteoarthritis (OA) you could ask them to prescribe capsaicin cream – a drug-free and very well-tolerated painkiller which is very effective for OA. It works mainly by reducing a pain transmitter in the nerves.  It doesn’t provide instant relief though – it builds up in the system and people usually notice a difference within a week or so of starting it.

You can read more about it and the randomised controlled trials in which it was given a score of 5/5 for effectiveness for treating pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee and hand here (it can also be used in other joints, like the hips): 

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/capsaicin/

You are very welcome to call us on our freephone helpline: 0800 5200 520 so you can talk things through with one of our helpline team. 

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Mags

Helpline Team