Knee Replacement When Injections Stop Working

When injections stop helping, the next question is hard to ask. If you live near Wayne, start with what MedlinePlus and OrthoInfo (AAOS) say about knee replacement.

For a wider view of pain care, start with a general pain management resource.

When a doctor may recommend knee replacement

MedlinePlus puts it briefly. In some cases your doctor may recommend knee replacement.

Read the phrase in some cases. The line does not say knee replacement is the answer for everyone. It says your doctor may recommend it.

When nonsurgical treatment stops helping

OrthoInfo (AAOS) names a condition for considering surgery. If nonsurgical treatments like medications and using walking supports are no longer helpful, you may want to consider total knee replacement surgery.

Turn that into a test. Have the nonsurgical treatments you tried stopped helping? If so, OrthoInfo (AAOS) says you may want to consider surgery. OrthoInfo (AAOS) also has a page on arthritis of the knee for background on the joint. Ask your clinician whether arthritis is behind your knee pain.

Injections, recovery time and cost

Ask your surgeon how injections fit your case and how many treatments to try first. Ask about recovery time, risks, and costs.

Other treatments to ask about

Ask which other treatments your clinician has in mind. Ask about epidural steroid injections only to learn whether they apply to your knee. Do not assume that they do.

Questions to bring

Write down each injection or medication you have tried. Write down how long you used it. Write down what changed, if anything.

Your next step

List every treatment you have tried and what it did. Bring the list to a clinician in the Wayne area. Ask whether you fit the point where OrthoInfo (AAOS) says to consider surgery. Ask whether a nerve block is worth a look first.

This is general information, not medical advice. Your clinician knows your case best.