How to Diagnose and Confirm Knee Joint Pain
Disease description:
Recently, I have been feeling some pain in the area around my knee and suspect it might be knee joint pain. How is knee joint pain diagnosed and confirmed?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Tiesheng
The diagnosis of knee joint pain requires a comprehensive assessment through detailed medical history inquiry, physical examination, and ancillary tests.
The doctor will first obtain detailed information regarding the nature of the pain, its duration, and factors that aggravate or relieve it, in order to make a preliminary judgment about the possible cause of the pain. This is followed by a physical examination, including observation of the knee's appearance, range of motion, presence of swelling, tender points, and joint stability. These findings can help identify obvious abnormalities.
Ancillary tests are key to confirming the diagnosis. X-ray examination can reveal changes in bone structure, such as bone spurs and joint space narrowing, and is suitable for evaluating osteoarthritis. MRI provides high-resolution images of both soft tissues and bone structures, and is particularly sensitive for diagnosing injuries such as meniscal tears, ligament ruptures, or cartilage damage. CT scans can also be helpful in certain situations, especially when a fracture or bone tumor is suspected.
In addition, joint aspiration with synovial fluid analysis can assist in diagnosing infections or crystal-related diseases such as gout. If necessary, doctors may also order blood tests based on the symptoms to rule out the influence of systemic diseases.
Only after integrating all of the above information can the doctor make an accurate diagnosis and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
