Knee pain can often be treated at home. You should start to feel better in a few days.
How to ease knee pain and swelling
Try these things at first:
- put as little weight as possible on your knee – for example, avoid standing for a long time
- use an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) on your knee for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
- take paracetamol
Non-urgent advice:
- knee pain does not improve within a few weeks
- your knee locks, painfully clicks or gives way – painless clicking is normal
Urgent advice:
- your knee is very painful
- you cannot move your knee or put any weight on it
- your knee is badly swollen or has changed shape
- you have a very high temperature, feel hot and shivery, and have redness or heat around your knee – this can be a sign of infection
Treatment from a Doctor
A doctor can suggest treatment based on what's causing your knee pain.
They might:
- prescribe medicine or physiotherapy
- refer you to hospital for a scan or specialist treatment (for example, surgery)
Common causes of knee pain
Knee pain can be a symptom of many different conditions.
This information might give you an idea of what the cause might be. But do not self-diagnose