Swelling & Stiffness

A swollen knee or knee stiffness hampers your ability to stay active. Knee pain requires attention from the best knee pain specialists in NYC. To avoid surgery and regain your full mobility, call the expert knee pain doctors in Brooklyn or the Bronx at the Astra Knee Pain Center. They offer a range of minimally invasive procedures to reduce or eliminate your knee pain. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you’ll be back to your old self.

What Causes a Swollen Knee?

When excess fluid collects in or around your knee joint, it causes a swollen knee. This condition can result from an injury, aging or other causes that lead to joint damage. A swollen knee is one of the signs that you need treatment for knee pain.

Various types of arthritis — like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic knee arthritis — commonly cause swollen knees. These conditions irritate your knee’s lining, causing inflammation and excess fluid.

Signs to watch for include:

• Swelling that develops rapidly after a fall or twist
• Difficulty bending or straightening your knee fully
• Warmth and redness around the joint
• Ongoing swelling that doesn’t improve with home care

Your knee pain doctor at the Astra Knee Pain Center treats your knee with effective non-surgical options, including genicular artery embolization (GAE). GAE blocks abnormal blood flow to the inflamed areas in your knee, reducing inflammation, restoring movement and letting you stay active without major surgery.

How Does Knee Stiffness Affect My Movement?

Knee stiffness reduces its flexibility, limiting your ability to move or straighten your leg. A stiff knee also affects your balance and coordination. The stiffness eventually stops you from participating in your daily activities. Knee stiffness may be caused by conditions like bursitis, a meniscus tear or patellofemoral syndrome.

These conditions limit your range of motion and make it harder for you to move without pain. A knee pain specialist in Brooklyn or the Bronx like Dr. George Bolotin at the Astra Knee Pain Center often recommend treatments like GAE to manage your pain and reduce the inflammation.

Benefits of GAE for your knee issues include:

• Reducing the swelling to make movement easier
• Easing or eliminating your knee pain during daily activities
• Providing long-lasting relief
• Helping you regain a better range of motion in your knee

What Are the Best Treatments for Knee Pain in Brooklyn?

There are several non-surgical procedures that reduce your knee stiffness and swelling, enabling you to move with fewer restrictions and less pain. Genicular artery embolization is the latest non-surgical treatment to show proven results. A highly effective, minimally invasive procedure, GAE treats specific knee issues to improve the functionality of your knee.

GAE complements lifestyle changes, too. Resting more frequently and adjusting your activities while you heal eases the strain on your knee. Try gentle, low-impact exercises to build back strength in your legs.

Other complementary treatment options include:

• Compression to support your knee
• Elevation of your knee when resting
• Physical therapy to build strength and learn proper movement techniques
• Cold and heat therapy to reduce inflammation further
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Joint injections, such as corticosteroids, to lubricate the joint

Each treatment reduces inflammation, improves your joint flexibility or strengthens your stability so you can more easily perform your daily activities. The knee pain specialists in Brooklyn and in the Bronx create a custom treatment plan to help you regain movement and avoid surgery. The Astra Knee Pain Center offers researched-based, non-surgical knee care in at two New York City locations.

How Does GAE Relieve Knee Swelling and Stiffness Compared to Other Treatments?

GAE reduces your swelling and stiffness by stopping the abnormal blood flow to irritated tissues. The procedure stop the inflammation at its source.

Treatment comparisons for reducing your swollen knee and stiffness symptoms include:

• GAE vs. knee replacement. Knee replacement takes longer to heal, while GAE preserves your knee structure and speeds recovery.
• GAE vs. physical therapy. PT builds strength around your knee, but GAE reduces swelling first for better results.
• GAE vs. PRP and stem cell injections. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections take time to work, while GAE controls your inflammation quickly.
• GAE vs. steroid injections. Steroids work briefly, but the results from GAE last longer without requiring repeat doses.
• GAE vs. surgery. Surgery carries more risks and recovery downtime, while GAE only needs a small injection site and delivers a faster recovery.
• GAE vs. TENS devices. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices only block your pain, but GAE treats your swollen knee at the source for longer-lasting pain relief.

Living with knee pain can make even simple tasks challenging. The knee pain doctors in Brooklyn at the Astra Knee Pain Center provide advanced, non-surgical options to help you maintain an active lifestyle. This team of knee pain specialists in the Bronx can improve your pain-free mobility while supporting your long-term joint health. Contact the Astra Knee Pain Center today to schedule your consultation.

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