Why do my knees burn? Burning in the knee

Burning knees: what is the reason?

The knees do not burn and hurt on their own; there is always a reason that causes the discomfort. But they do not appear immediately: after a bruise, for example, it may take several, or even weeks, until heat appears in the knees, and you do not understand that this is a consequence of the injury. There may be several reasons why knees burn, in addition to injuries:

infectious diseases;
inflammatory processes;
increased physical activity;
diseases of the joints or spine;
skin diseases;
frostbite;
oncology.

It is important to determine from the very beginning what is causing the discomfort. If these are external factors such as bruises, frostbite, problems with the epidermis, the treatment will not last long. It is much worse when the knee burns inside, because this may indicate serious problems with the musculoskeletal system. In such cases, treatment can be lengthy, and the methods may not be the most gentle, including surgical intervention.

You shouldn’t look for the reasons why your knees become hot on your own. The best option is to seek help from a specialized specialist as soon as possible. The sooner the type of pathology is determined, the easier and more effective the treatment will be. And the greater the chance of complete restoration of joint mobility.

Burning above the knee: nature of the problem and causes

If you experience a burning sensation in your leg above the knee, you should definitely tell your doctor about it. The fact is that the localization of discomfort plays an important role. Feeling hot above the knee may indicate the following:

Manifestation of an allergic reaction. Sometimes discomfort is localized on the surface of the skin, although patients feel as if it is “burning” inside. This often happens when using various cosmetics on the skin.

Skin diseases of various etiologies. We can talk about fungal or infectious lesions.

A burning sensation above the knee may be associated with injury to the skin in the thigh area.

Overexertion due to forceful physical activity.

Primary diagnosis and assistance before visiting a doctor

Injuries, skin diseases, inflammatory processes, and frostbite are quite easy to diagnose on your own, since the signs of pathology will be obvious. In each specific case, first aid will be different. In case of bruises, it is necessary to ensure immobility of the joint by using a tight bandage and apply ice to avoid swelling. If the causes of burning and a local increase in temperature are associated with mild frostbite, you need to get into a warm room as soon as possible, and then apply a thermal insulating bandage to the problem area.

If it is unknown why the knees are burning, but the patient suffers from any dermatological diseases or allergies, first aid will consist of taking antihistamines or treating the skin in the joint area with creams against psoriasis and dermatitis. In case of inflammatory processes, when the knees are burning, and it is known for sure that this is a consequence of an infectious disease, it is necessary to urgently take antibiotics.

What to do if your knee hurts and burns due to increased physical activity? First of all, immobilize the joint and minimize activity. However, immobility is only a temporary measure, not a panacea. Moreover, complete lack of physical activity for a long period can worsen the situation.

If it is not clear why your knees turn red, but there is pain and discomfort in the knee joints, you can resort to universal remedies - ointments and tablets that will help relieve discomfort. But we must remember that this is not a treatment, but only an auxiliary measure. Only a specialized specialist can determine why your knees are burning and prescribe a course of treatment.

Inflammation

The knee contains a large number of blood vessels. If damage occurs, the immune system responds. It sends a large number of leukocytes to the lesion, stimulating an inflammatory reaction, accompanied by burning and pain.

When white blood cells begin to accumulate in the lesion, interstitial fluid effusion occurs. This leads to swelling. If a secondary infection additionally develops, pus accumulates. The following parts of the knee joint are susceptible to such damage:

tendons, ligaments, muscles;
bones, cartilage.

Infectious arthritis can develop in the knee joint. It comes with the following characteristics:

develops under the influence of fungi, viruses, bacteria;
leads to the spread of the pathogenic microorganism to the entire cavity of the knee joint;
characterized by increasing damage due to intoxication by waste products of pathogenic microorganisms;
pain, burning, swelling develops in the affected area;
systemic reactions appear in the form of malaise, weakness, dizziness.

If the damage process is triggered by an autoimmune reaction, a burning sensation is initially formed as the immune system is activated, provoking an inflammatory response. The body's own tissues are damaged, so the joint swells, turns red, and becomes inflamed.

Metabolic disorders such as gout may develop. It is characterized by the following deviations:

metabolic disease;
deposition of uric acid, which, when accumulated, forms large salts that damage adjacent healthy tissues;
the appearance of a burning sensation, acute pain.

If damage is observed in the patella or popliteal fossa, bursitis is formed. Main reasons:

injuries;
heavy load on the knee;
autoimmune lesions.

With bursitis, the pain spreads gradually. The more tissue is damaged, the more swelling develops. It intensifies with active walking. If the inflammatory process intensifies, a burning sensation, throbbing pain, and redness appear. The systemic condition is characterized by intoxication.

Baker's cyst is the formation of a protrusion in the popliteal fossa, developing due to an inflammatory process. The following changes occur:

pinching of blood vessels;
compression and damage to nerve fibers.

Due to the formation of a cyst, it is difficult for a person to bend and straighten a limb and move. Every movement provokes a strong burning sensation.

Synovitis is inflammatory damage to the synovial membrane. With it, severe swelling forms, so the joint takes on the shape of a ball. The skin gathers in folds and shines. The lesion develops during movement or even at rest.

What you need to know about diagnostics

A visit to the doctor is the most reasonable solution when your knees are burning and it’s unclear what to do. Characteristic symptoms and visual examination often make it possible to make a preliminary diagnosis and take the necessary measures to alleviate the patient’s situation. But in most cases, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive examination to determine why the discomfort appeared. In addition to tests, additional types of diagnostics may be prescribed - x-rays, ultrasound, computed tomography. In some cases, specialists from related fields are involved in the examination - oncologist, dermatologist, surgeon.

It is important to remember that a simple burning sensation in the knee may hide a serious illness. If you waste time and do not seek medical help when the first unpleasant symptoms appear, the consequences may be irreversible. If it is difficult to determine what it means when your knee pinches, you cannot risk your health; you need to undergo a full medical examination as soon as possible. After all, knee problems are usually just one of the symptoms of various diseases. The sooner they are diagnosed, the higher the likelihood of completely getting rid of the disease.

Why does the burning sensation occur?

The burning sensation can be internal or local (that is, directly on the skin). In this case, the cause is allergies, chemical or thermal burns. Most often, patients encounter an unpleasant symptom inside the joint.

A burning sensation in the knee, the causes of which can be completely different, is triggered by irritation of the nerve fibers. This occurs due to various factors, for example, due to the presence of joint changes of a physical or morphological nature. It is possible to determine the specific cause and prescribe effective treatment only after a comprehensive diagnosis.

Traumatic injuries

Now let's talk about the immediate reasons that could provoke discomfort in the knee. The most common cause is traumatic injury to the leg. Almost any injury is accompanied by a burning pain syndrome.

If the injury is serious, there may be additional limitation of mobility. To prevent possible complications, you need to urgently consult a doctor and undergo the necessary types of diagnostics.

As first aid, you can apply a cool compress to the injured area.

Inflammation

Inflammatory processes in the knee joint or surrounding tissues are usually accompanied by discomfort; patients are often bothered by a burning sensation in the knee.

Pathologies of an inflammatory nature include the following conditions:

Arthritis. This disease is chronic. When a relapse occurs, a person suffers from pain caused by an inflammatory process in the joints. Depending on the severity of the pathological process, symptoms may manifest themselves in different ways. The most common concerns are swelling, redness, pain when moving and pain of a burning or acute nature. Treatment in the early stages consists of conservative therapy. In more complex situations, surgery may be required.

Bursitis. The essence of this disease is inflammation of the synovial bursa. The peculiarity of the disease is that pain occurs not only during physical activity, but also at rest.

Becker's cyst. The tumor is localized on the back of the knee. When it reaches an impressive size, the cyst is noticeable visually. It can occur even in childhood. The main symptom is burning pain at the site.

Dystrophic changes

Deformation and destruction of the knee joint occurs due to lack of physical activity, excessive physical activity, or due to age-related changes. The process takes a long time.

The first symptoms may include periodic aching pain in the knee, an audible crunch when bending the joint. Dystrophic changes are most often characteristic of arthritis or tendinopathy.

If the disease is advanced, the only effective solution to the problem is endoprosthesis replacement, during which part of the joint is replaced with artificial prostheses.

Vascular diseases

Another common cause of a burning sensation in the knee is vascular pathology. Such discomfort is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous.

The fact is that the burning sensation is caused by impaired blood flow, and this is fraught with the death of bone tissue. Most often this problem is encountered during adolescence.

Pathologies not related to joint diseases

In 15% of cases, a burning sensation in the knee is not associated with diseases or destruction of the joint. In this case, you will need the help of other specialists who will prescribe effective treatment. If the joints are in perfect order, discomfort may occur for the following reasons:

Diseases of the veins and blood. If this factor is the cause, discomfort will be felt under the knee where the veins run. This usually happens with varicose veins. Another possible cause is a hereditary bleeding disorder, in medical practice this pathology is called hemophilia. A burning sensation below the knee is one of the first signs of the disease.

Diseases of a neurological nature. This may include serious problems with the spine that provoke damage to the nerve cells of the lower extremities, for example, spondylosis or the presence of a hernia in the lower spine. To eliminate discomfort in the knee, you will need to treat the root cause, that is, contact a specialist and solve the problem with the spine.

What and how to treat knees

Relieving burning and pain is only the first step towards restoring health. More precisely, helping the body get rid of unpleasant sensations. However, often this has nothing to do with the treatment of the disease itself. When the doctor knows that fever in the knees is a consequence of one or another pathology, a full course of treatment is prescribed, which may include:

massage;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
therapeutic exercises;
use of medications.

If we are talking about serious damage to the knee joint caused by injuries or diseases of the musculoskeletal system, surgical intervention is indicated. Most often, this is endoprosthetics - an operation in which a joint is partially or completely replaced with a prosthesis. Modern technologies make it possible, with the help of such an operation, to completely restore the mobility of the lower extremities and return patients to a full life.

Surgical intervention with prosthetics is also indicated in the case of cancer, when bones and joints are damaged as a result of metastases. Just a few decades ago, with such a diagnosis, the only way out of the situation was amputation of limbs.

Today, joint replacement is a simple, effective and minimally invasive way to solve problems for people who are faced with cancer.

Treatment methods

There is no treatment for the burning sensation. It is necessary to identify the root cause of the symptom, only then select adequate methods of therapy. They use an integrated approach, that is, they simultaneously prescribe medications, physiotherapy, massage, and surgical techniques as necessary.

Treatment after mechanical damage, trauma, bruises:

immobilize the joint cavity by applying a bandage from available material (an elastic bandage is recommended);
reduction of physical activity;
applying cold compresses to eliminate burning and swelling in the joint cavity.

If a patient develops severe pain, regardless of the underlying cause, the following medications are recommended:

oral anti-inflammatory drugs with NSAIDs - Ketorol, Nise, Nimesil;
gels, ointments, creams based on NSAIDs - Bystrumgel, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Voltaren (maximum period of use 7-14 days);
warming drugs that stimulate blood circulation and metabolism in the affected area - Finalgon, Viprosal.

If a patient has aggravated pathologies of a degenerative-dystrophic nature, in addition to medications, the following methods must be used:

physical activity;
massage;
physiotherapy.

If a person develops arthralgia, consultation with a doctor is recommended. Minor or serious damage may occur in the form of hemarthrosis, fracture, dislocation. If there is an injury, a comprehensive examination, including x-rays, is required. If a patient develops an autoimmune lesion, it is better to analyze the fluid from the intra-articular cavity. Regardless of the cause of the discomfort, it is important to promptly provide quality treatment.

How to protect your knees from problems

No one is immune from pain in the knee joints, but you can always take care to minimize discomfort and prevent the development of serious orthopedic diseases. Medical practice shows that problems with knees most often occur in people who spend a lot of time on their feet or constantly expose their legs to increased physical activity. If these factors are excluded, then the risk of destruction of the knee joints due to constant mechanical impact will be minimal.

Injuries are another source of knee problems. Therefore, when playing sports, you need to try to protect your joints as much as possible using modern protective equipment. For example, knee pads that minimize the consequences of bruises. However, the risk of injury is not a reason to give up riding a bike or playing hockey. It must be remembered that the lack of physical activity for the knee joints is no less harmful than overexertion. Everything should be in moderation.

Often, people who lead an active lifestyle and carefully monitor their own health still experience problems with their knees. A thorough medical examination usually shows that the cause is an unbalanced diet. Fashionable diets and avoidance of animal products, which contain macro- and microelements so necessary for joints, can cause burning in the knees. Complex preparations for strengthening joints will help correct the situation, but after a course of treatment you should completely reconsider your diet. To maintain the musculoskeletal system in good condition, you should include fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish in your food daily. The menu is selected in such a way that the food contains vitamins, amino acids, proteins - “building material” for bones and joints. No less important is calcium, which is washed out of the body with age, which leads to serious problems with the musculoskeletal system and can cause incurable diseases.

Burning below the knee: causative factors

According to statistics, burning in the leg below the knee is more often observed in females. The reasons may include the following factors:

Pregnancy period. The main complication during pregnancy is gestosis. As a rule, it occurs in the third trimester. Sometimes this pathology affects the condition of the legs, including women who are bothered by a burning sensation.

Increased blood sugar. Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that negatively affects almost all organs. Patients are constantly faced with problems with their legs: they either go numb, or “burn”, or get cold, or hurt. This is due to impaired blood circulation in the vessels.

Varicose veins If the cause is varicose veins, it is easy to recognize at home. A burning sensation in the leg is accompanied by periodic unbearable itching.

Another reason (typical only for men) is prostatitis. Patients often complain that during the acute stage, burning pain occurs below the knees. This symptom becomes more active after prolonged walking or other physical activity.

Above are the probable reasons that could provoke this problem. To know the exact diagnosis and begin therapy, you need to see a doctor and undergo a thorough examination.

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Other reasons

Are your knees burning? There are situations when the cause of burning and burning is a rare symptom or a specific disease:

Allergic reactions. Most often this occurs due to the use of certain foods and medications. When you have an allergy, your knees become very red and itchy.
Polyneuropathy. The cause of this disease can be kidney failure, intoxication of the whole body, or diabetes mellitus. As a rule, due to a failure of autonomic, sensory or motor function, sensitivity in the knee disappears and pain may be felt in the entire limb.
Joint diseases are often the reason why the knee burns and hurts. This could be bursitis, osteoarthritis, arthrosis, synovitis.

Injuries

Limb injuries are very common; you can simply trip, hit, or overexert yourself during sports training. Then swelling appears and the inflammatory process begins, often accompanied by a feeling that the knees are burning, possibly the appearance of pain and discomfort.

Damage to the knee area can be in the form of a dislocation, tear of the meniscus or ligament, sprain, and even a crack.

In such cases, it is recommended to immediately apply ice to the injury site, provide rest and give a light massage. Do not forget that before putting ice, you need to wrap your knee with a towel to prevent frostbite. The procedure should not last more than 20 minutes, and it should be repeated no more than 3-4 times a day. Significant injuries are a reason to consult a doctor.