Meniscus tears affect many Americans daily and are one of the most common knee injuries but are not any less painful. While some people are tempted to bear and grin the injury themselves, you should always seek medical interventions. Ronald Hess, MS, DO, treats meniscus tear in West Chester and can help you with a diagnosis to assess the severity of your condition and determine the best treatment option. Several measures, including conservative treatments and advanced treatment options such as surgery, can be put in place to help you recover from your injury. Here is more information.

Let the Meniscus Tear Heal On Its Own

A meniscus tear can indeed heal on its own, but you should not decide to take this direction on your own. You must first contact your doctor for evaluation and let the doctor direct you accordingly on taking this step. In most cases, your provider may encourage you to wait for improvements when you have only small tears along with the outer third of your meniscus. Your provider will also instruct you on the basic steps you need to improve your meniscus tear and relieve pain.

At-Home Remedies

You can successfully recover from meniscus tears at home through some remedies. The RICE method is commonly encouraged, which includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation. These are the main things you need to recover comfortably and safely at home. It will help you reduce any discomfort, swelling and encourage flexibility and recovery. You can also use some painkillers for your pain if the injury is not severe.

Nonsurgical Treatments

You can consult your doctor about some nonsurgical treatment options for your condition. Your provider may recommend steroid injections to help you relieve pain and swelling. It involves injecting steroids directly into your joints which offers some pain and swelling relief. Research is also ongoing to see if plasma injection can be effective in managing meniscus tears.

You can also benefit from physical therapy, either when you need surgery or not. Your provider can offer compression treatments, manual therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and recommend exercises that can help you recover.

Surgery

In severe cases of meniscus tear, surgery becomes the most appropriate treatment option for you. Your provider will first evaluate your injury by inserting a camera into your knee and then take the necessary steps to fix or remove the tear. Generally, medical practitioners perform a meniscus repair and sew the meniscus back together. However, it is unfortunate that doctors cannot repair most meniscus tears, but your provider can perform a partial meniscectomy to extract the damaged tissue. Note that meniscus surgery is safe, and you may not experience any complications.

Prognosis

Rehabilitation is vital for your recovery, and it can help you get back to your usual activities in no time. You can do everything you used to do before your injury after only a few months of rehab. Your provider will recommend physical therapy and take you through an at-home care routine to help you gradually adjust to your everyday activities. While every patient experience is different, you can get back to your usual routine within four months.

Reach out to Ronald Hess, MS, DO today to evaluate your treatment options for your meniscus tear. Dr. Hess will diagnose your condition to determine if you can gain from conservative treatments or surgery is the best option for you.