Burning Knee Pain

[shurely]

I have been having alot of knee pain that burns and feels hot to the touch. It is about the same in both knees. They are not swollen or red it just feels like they hurt and burn on the inside. Any ideas what may be causing this? Thanks in advance for any information.

[shurely]

Thank you so much for your reply and your blessing also. I am 5'4 and 149lbs. so I'm not terribly overweight although I have gained about 20 lbs. in the past six months or so. This is due to having a couple of surgeries and alot less exercise. That probably contributes to the knee pain since I'm not used to being this heavy. I do have alot more pain for about four days before I start every month. Can hormones make something like this worse? I don't get nearly enough calcium I know. I guess at my age I'm gonna have to realize that I've got to take a little better care of myself.......now or never. Thank you again and God bless you!
P.S. Do you mean that if you have arthritis you can still have normal looking x-rays? What kind of test would be a definitive test, if any?

[PaulMD]

Hi.  An Xray will definitely help your doctor in treating you.  If it is indeed arthritis, we can see some changes in the bone or soft tissues though we cannot discount the fact that it can be normal looking.  Losing some weight (if you are overweight) would really help as this will relieve the pressure that your knees are handling.  At your age you may go into menopause a few years from now and that may make matters worse.  I suggest you discuss with your physician by then regarding hormone replacement and other means to maintain bone health.  God bless!

[shurely]

Hello!

Thanks for your reply. My pain isn't only after exercising it's more constant. I did mention it to my PCP and he assumed its arthritis and prescribed Ultram ER. I tried it and it didn't help so I stopped taking it. Wouldn't I need an xray to be sure of arthritis? Oh yeah, I'm a 41 yr old female. Down hill from here????

Thanks...

[PaulMD]

Hi there!

Knee pain after exercising can be a sign of weakening cartilage, or a problem with other supporting structures of the knee: tendons and ligaments.  Since there are a lot of possibilities, it is best to consult your primary care physician about this so that you can be evaluated properly.  In the end he may also be able to prescribe medications or the proper orthoses to support your knees.

Regards...

[Cindee56]

Not necessarily.  I don't think it's weather.  But I definitely notice it with walking or exercising.  You might want to just check with a doctor to be sure.

[shurely]

Thanks for the reply. Do you notice the pain and burning more before it rains? Do you think that weather changes affect your pain? I know that sounds crazy but I swear I can tell the difference!

[Cindee56]

It sounds like my knees, which have arthritis.  It is wearing away of the cartilage in the knees.  The burning and feeling hot, I get that esp. after exercising.