Knee Pain Treatment in India

Krishna Sharma, a 58-year-old retired schoolteacher...

Krishna Sharma, a 58-year-old retired schoolteacher and avid gardener, had been living with a persistent, dull ache in his right knee for over two years. The pain, which he initially dismissed as normal aging, had gradually worsened, becoming sharp and stabbing, especially when he knelt to tend to his beloved rose bushes or climbed the stairs to his apartment. Morning stiffness would last nearly an hour. His primary care doctor, after basic X-rays showed only mild joint space narrowing, referred him to a rheumatologist, suspecting an inflammatory arthritis. The rheumatologist recommended a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure: a corticosteroid injection directly into the knee joint to reduce inflammation and confirm the source of pain. Krishna was anxious, fearing needles and the potential diagnosis of a chronic condition. The procedure itself was quick, with the doctor using a local anesthetic first. The initial pinch was followed by a feeling of pressure. Within a week, the sharp pain had subsided dramatically, and his morning stiffness reduced to just 15 minutes. While not a permanent cure, the relief allowed him to return to gardening with a knee brace for support. Emotionally, he moved from frustration and fear of losing his independence to a sense of hopeful management. The positive response to the injection helped confirm a diagnosis of osteoarthritis with an inflammatory component, giving him a clear path forward for future treatments.