Should I go to the emergency room for knee pain?

If the knee pain is mild to moderate, it is enough if you try a few home remedies, rest, therapy, compression and elevation of the foot. If the pain persists after one or two weeks, go for medications, and if it is not cured, you have to go for further tests and treatment.

If the knee pain is from moderate to severe, it is better to get a medical examination done immediately. If the knee pain is due to an injury, you should directly go to the emergency room in case the damage may have resulted in a fracture, bone dislocation or ligament tear that may cause the pain. For some instances, immediate surgery will be suggested by the doctor.

If you are not able to put weight on your knee or if you feel sudden sickness, fatigue or nausea, immediately rush to the emergency room because the knee pain, in this case, may be due to fracture dislocation or infection.

If there is hemorrhage or blood loss due to sudden injury to the knee which significantly damages the knee joint, an immediate visit to the emergency room is advisable. Septic arthritis, which gives acute knee pain, also needs a quick rush to the emergency room.

You should go to an emergency room in the following cases:

• If you cannot place weight on your knee at all
• If you have pain even when you're not putting weight on your knee
• If your knee locks or painfully clacks
• If you have a deformity in your knees
• If you have a fever, swelling, redness or a sense of hotness surrounding the knee
• If you have:
• Pain
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Tingling of the calf below the affected knee