Hi there, I'm Kira Shepherd. When my kids were little, I spent a lot of time at the health care clinic. Children need an exam when they hurt themselves or run a high fever. Any other distressing symptoms are also best explored by a qualified physician. Thankfully, my local health care clinic always helped reassure me that the kids were healthy and developing well. I will share information about common diagnostic procedures and treatments performed at health care clinics. I will talk about alternatives, like going to the hospital or treating at home. My site will cover common symptoms and complications caused by a wide range of illness and injuries. Please visit my site often to learn more information. Thank you.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are an excellent tool for diagnosing chronic knee pain. They use radio waves to tug at hydrogen atoms in your body, and then measure how long the atoms take to return to their normal position. Using these measurements, they're able to create a detailed picture of the bones and soft tissues in your knee joint that can be used to find the source of your pain. If you have chronic knee pain and are wondering when it's a good idea to get an MRI scan in order to see what's causing it, read on.
Your X-Ray Results Are Normal
When someone suffers from chronic knee pain, it's common for doctors to order an X-ray as the first step in diagnosing the cause of it. This is particularly true for seniors. One of the most common causes of chronic knee pain is arthritis, which happens when the knee joint becomes inflamed.
Since arthritis causes damage to your bones, it's easily visible on an X-ray. X-rays are faster and typically less expensive than MRI scans, so they're often used as the first option to diagnose the cause of chronic knee pain. Unfortunately, X-rays don't show damage to soft tissue like cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. If you have chronic knee pain and your X-ray comes back normal, then you may want to consider getting an MRI in order to examine the soft tissue in your knee.
Note that arthritis will show up on an MRI scan as well. If you're trying to avoid radiation exposure and you think that you may have arthritis, then you have the option of skipping an X-ray and proceeding directly to an MRI scan of your knee. MRI machines don't use radiation like X-ray machines do, so you'll avoid radiation exposure.
Your Knee Pain Doesn't Subside After a Few Weeks
Another common cause of chronic knee pain is a torn meniscus. The meniscus is a cushion of soft tissue that sits between your shinbone and your thigh bone, preventing them from rubbing together. If your meniscus is torn, it will cause pain whenever you're placing weight on your knee or moving it.
Small tears often heal on their own, but it may take a few weeks before the pain goes away — the meniscus doesn't receive much blood supply, so it heals quite slowly. However, large or irregular tears often can't heal on their own, and they need to be repaired surgically. If your knee pain doesn't go away after a few weeks of rest, you may want to consider getting an MRI scan in order to see if your meniscus has a large tear that requires surgery to repair.
Your Knee Gives Out Frequently While You're Walking
If you tear the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in your knee, your knee will give out whenever you try to turn it from side to side. This can happen when you try to change directions when you're walking. The ACL crosses over the front part of your knee, and it keeps your knee joint stable while it's rotating. With a torn ACL, your knee won't be able to support weight when you're rotating it.
Like with the meniscus in your knee, the ACL won't show up on an X-ray. You'll need an MRI scan to check for a torn ACL. If your knee gives out frequently while you're walking, then it's a good idea to get an MRI and assess the condition of the ligaments in your knee.
Overall, the fact that an MRI scan is able to show the condition of the soft tissue in your knee makes it an excellent diagnostic tool for diagnosing the cause of chronic knee pain. If you suffer from chronic knee pain and it's not healing on its own, schedule an appointment with an imaging clinic that offers MRI scans or ask your doctor for a referral — an MRI will almost always be able to tell you what's causing your pain.
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