Knee Pain

Whether you just injured your knee or have ongoing pain — and even if you were told you need a knee replacement for advanced arthritis — you can get relief from your symptoms and restore a healthy joint with the advanced nonsurgical therapies developed by Austin Yeargan III, MD, at Carolina Joint and Arthritis in Wilmington, North Carolina. Dr. Yeargan has pioneered healing treatments proven to ease knee pain, repair damaged tissues, and promote cartilage, including in patients with severe osteoarthritis. To learn more about effective treatment options for knee pain, call the office or request an appointment online today.

What causes knee pain?

Your knees sustain an incredible amount of stress. They bear your body weight, constantly repeat the same movements, and absorb shock when you walk, run, and jump.

The stress leads to a wide range of acute injuries and chronic conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Ligament injuries
• Meniscus tears
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Tendonitis
• Synovitis
• Loose bodies (loose pieces of cartilage or bone in the joint)

Knee conditions like torn ligaments, meniscus injuries, and loose bodies lead to internal derangement, a disorder that disrupts normal joint movement and function.

What symptoms accompany knee pain?

The conditions responsible for your knee pain also cause other symptoms. You may experience:

• Swelling
• Inflammation
• Stiffness
• Bruising
• Limited movement
• Knee deformity
• Inability to put weight on the knee

If you have swelling and bruising, or your pain is severe or doesn’t improve in a few days, you should seek expert care from Dr. Yeargan. Without treatment, knee conditions cause progressive tissue damage and joint instability.

How is knee pain treated?

At Carolina Joint and Arthritis, Dr. Yeargan specializes in nonsurgical therapies that heal damaged tissues, safely and effectively easing pain and restoring joint function.

He may use the innovative mi-eye 2® to look inside your joint and accurately diagnose the cause of your pain. This hand-held scope has a sterile needle that easily enters the knee joint; then, it uses a tiny camera to send high-definition images from inside the joint to a tablet.

Dr. Yeargan creates a personalized treatment plan that may include medication, physical therapy, and one or more of the following regenerative treatments:

Orthobiologics

Orthobiologics include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and cell therapies, but at Carolina Joint and Arthritis, your treatments far exceed the standard regenerative treatments.

Dr. Yeargan developed and tested advanced techniques that dramatically improve your results, such as PRP plus TSG-6 (an anti-inflammatory protein) and the Nanoplasty® and Mechanical Axis Deviation Procedure (NAMAD).

NAMAD combines cells that trigger healing and tissue regeneration with a gel made of platelets. The gel holds the cells where Dr. Yeargan places them, improving their ability to heal your knee joint.

Dr. Yeargan may also recommend another orthobiologic treatment: amniotic fluid injections. Amniotic fluid contains concentrated growth factors and signaling cells that support tissue regeneration and repair.

Tenex Health TX procedure (Tenex)

The Tenex Health TX procedure uses ultrasound to heal tendons. The minimally invasive procedure breaks up and eliminates the damaged tissues.

Nanoscope® by Arthrex®

This minimally invasive procedure uses a specialized scope to remove loose fragments and repair tissues in the knee joint.

To learn more about the advanced therapies at Carolina Joint and Arthritis, call the office or request an appointment online today.