Painkillers – analgesics, treat several parts of body pain. They offer temporary or permanent relief to manage different types of pain. Painkillers work to reduce a wide range of body pain from headaches to arthritis, muscle cramps, menstrual cramps, and so on. Painkillers reduce the sensation of pain. They either reduce swelling/inflammation or alter how your brain perceives pain signals. You have various painkillers. You have the over-the-counter options like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) namely the ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen. You even have the stronger prescription opioids.
What is the best painkiller for knee pain?
Depending on the severity of the knee pain, your caregiver will prescribe the painkiller you need. For a mild or a moderate knee pain you can take over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen (Aleve) seem effective. Advil is Ibuprofen. Motrin is also ibuprofen.
If you have a severe knee pain, your physician will prescribe a stronger medication, or even opioids.
To cure localized pain relief, you can even opt for topical treatment options like certain creams or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are in gel form.
What causes knee pain?
Knee pain is an indication of wear and tear of your muscles or the surrounding tissues of your knees. Injury is another reason. However, knee pain could be more common in adults with obesity/overweight, or runners and athletes.
Certain medical conditions could cause knee pain. It is a very common medical condition and has nothing to do with your age. The symptoms range from mild to severe. Arthritis could even lead to knee pain. This is more common in elders. In addition, knee pain is an outcome of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
When you strain your knee muscles, stress builds up especially on your joints resulting in knee pain. Overuse of your feet like stressful walking, running, and maybe lifting some weight beyond your capacity will all result in weakening of your knee structure resulting in knee pain.
When your knee pain is temporary and does not bother you, it is a common problem. However, if the pain is severe or accompanied by swelling, then you can immediately consult with your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Best painkillers for knee pain
- NSAIDs – belongs to the wider class of medications that reduce the production of prostaglandins, substances in your body that cause or contribute to fever, pain, and inflammation. Over-the-Counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, etc., treat mild symptoms of knee pain. NSAIDs even treat moderate pain.
- Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) – also known as Tylenol is a good option as a painkiller for knee pain especially for those who cannot tolerate over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Acetaminophen relieves pain but does not reduce swelling on your knees.
- Opioids (narcotics) – pain relievers that belong to another set of drugs. Opioids like tramadol or codeine your physician might prescribe if you have severe knee pain or when your knee pain does not respond to other treatments. You should consume these tablets only after your physician approves it.
Foods recommended to take while you are on painkillers:
Some food items you can consume to balance your health while you are on painkillers. Rice items, bread, crackers, peanut butter, and other neutral foods are some ideal options you can consider. All these would help you digest the food you consume properly. These food products will also offer a good coating on your stomach, to metabolize the painkiller medication you take in an efficient manner.
In addition, you should also be aware of what not to consume while you are on painkillers. You should avoid drinking alcohol. If you want to consume alcohol, you can take it with food. This will help reduce any stomach upset.
In 24 hours’ time, refrain from taking acetaminophen in excess of 3000-mg; it is highly unsafe.
Taking painkillers with food helps you avoid stomach upset and irritation. You should never overdose yourself with painkillers as they might pose serious health complications or the consequences might even turn out to be fatal – leading to death.
Foods to consume that improve knee pain
Anti-inflammatory foods are a best option to fight knee pain. Food ingredients with omega-3 fatty acids possess anti-inflammatory properties. Their primary aim is to reduce swelling and pain on your knees.
Foods types like whole grains that include quinoa, oats, and brown rice provide adequate nutrients and fiber your body requires. Lean protein food products are essential for joint health. Nuts, seeds, and avocado also helps.
Gingerol – is found in ginger – is good for painful knees. You can choose cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli. Bone broth alleviates knee pain and improves joint health.
Processed foods, sugary food products, and red meats are some of the food items you need to avoid consuming. There are high chances that these food items might worsen your knee pain and badly disrupt your knee health, as per few research reports.
If not painkillers – other treatment options for knee pain
If medicines do not work the way you expected, you can go for topical treatment options as well. For a mild knee pain, you can use topical gels, creams, lotions, or any kind of patches that contain NSAIDs. You can opt for menthol or capsaicin/lidocaine as they provide localized pain relief. These hardly have any side effects. This treatment option suits people who dislike taking oral meds or those who have a very mild knee pain.
Persistent knee pain will respond well to corticosteroid injections. Physicians might recommend corticosteroid injections. Corticosteroid injections provide significant pain relief as they reduce inflammation directly in your knee joint. However, you should not inject them frequently as they can weaken your joint structures.
Hyaluronic acid injections are often used for osteoarthritis. These injections lubricate your knee joint and they reduce pain. Hyaluronic acid injections even improve your knee movement. This is an effective treatment option for patients who do not respond well to oral painkillers.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) – Platelet-Rich Plasma contains a concentration of several different growth factors that appear to reduce inflammation and promote healing. Few researches reveal that PRP may benefit certain patients with osteoarthritis. However, more research on this is needed.
Apart from these several treatment options, you have other options as well. They are:
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) – you can try this method, which uses electrical impulses helping you get rid of knee pain.
- Ayurvedic and herbal remedies – are the choices some people think of as they find relief in using them.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.
Education: Master’s in Nursing (MSN) from Johns Hopkins University. Experience: 7 years writing for online health portals and nursing journals, specializing in patient education and chronic illness management.
