A shooting knee pain can be the worst!
The discomfort can be caused by an injury to the cartilage, to the ligament or by an underlying condition such as arthritis. Many people who experience this kind of discmofort also feel their knee give out from under them on occasion. This can be very distressing and can end up causing you to fall down and sustain further injuries. In addition to questioning you about any accident or incident that you may have suffered recently, a doctor will also examine you and do an X-Ray or an MRI. Shooting knee pain can be acute or chronic and the treatment will depend on which of these two factors is causing the discomfort.
Acute Shooting Knee Pain
If you feel acute shooting pain that comes on suddenly, it is most likely the result of an accident or injury. This can be a sprain or even a tear of the cartilage or ligaments holding the joint together. Acute knee pain usually necessitates a trip to the doctor who will diagnose this pain based upon an examination. Some people find that they remember clearly when they got hurt in an accident that resulted in the discomfort, while others are not sure of what could have caused it.
Treatment for acute knee pain is based upon the level of the discomfort. One of the first things the doctor will want to do is to eliminate the pain itself. The doctor will most likely give you some type of pain relief while looking for the reason for the injury. If the acute knee discomfort is because of a sprain or other injury, the doctor will often times advise rest, elevation and wearing a knee brace, all of which will help alleviate the knee pain.
Chronic Shooting Knee Pain
A chronic shooting knee pain is one that recurs persistently. This ongoing problem can occur for a number of reasons and is usually caused by a tear in the ligament, or a form of arthritis. The doctor will want to do an X-Ray to determine the cause and will then recommend the appropriate treatment to keep the pain down.
Wearing a knee brace, taking over the counter pain pills that your doctor recommends, when the pain and using physical therapy exercises can help you manage chronic shooting knee discomfort and give you a modicum of mobility. (Speak with your physician prior to physical therapy exercises.)
Is Surgery Advisable?
Surgery to repair a knee ligament or cartilage should only be considered if all conservative treatment methods have been exhausted. This type of surgery can be somewhat risky and is not always successful. In some cases, the knee may end up becoming worse and you will not get any relief from the shooting knee pain. A doctor will often times look towards other methods such as medication, knee braces, and even therapy to cure the knee pain rather than use surgery that can cause someone to be off their feet for 6 months or more, become reliant on painkillers and go through months of rehab.
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