Knee pain causing lack of sleep: Throbbing... - Sleep Matters

Sleep Matters

3,662 members846 posts

Knee pain causing lack of sleep

colo60 profile image
10 Replies

Throbbing knee ache, right one far worse, comes on only when I sit or in bed, which causes lack of sleep, driving car agony at times, no injury just appeared 3 weeks bk, keeps me awake till subsides, strange thing is it goes when i'm up and about, I can climb steps, use a ladder, no problem, but sit and its there or in bed ( better now somewhat as I use a cushion under knee) I looked up on internet but came across nothing definite, as anyone experienced similar who could clarify matters - Cheers

Written by
colo60 profile image
colo60
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
10 Replies
shoppaholicsue profile image
shoppaholicsue

Mine is almost the opposite. Knee pain as I walk and sleep is a problem. I use a knee pillow now which has helped.

colo60 profile image
colo60 in reply to shoppaholicsue

Hi, thanks for reply, - now this is what baffles me, I would have thought movement is when I would experience the pain too, but it's not that way, once I sit or relax it's there, eg; as soon as I sit to drive my car it starts, if I stop and get out to walk i'm ok ?? laid in bed it starts, if I get up and walk around it goes ?? , i've just dug out a beanbag cushion i'll try in bed, I tried with a pillow which helped somewhat but too hard and slightly uncomfy, did ease pain somewhat and managed sleep a bit better, broken sleeps patterns awful, I recently had that with respiratory probs but helpful advice on here sorted me ! now this starts aarggh ! right knee far more than left one- Cheers !

colo60 profile image
colo60

Thanks for reply- No ankle weights, and yes to walking downhill n slopes, I don't have a problem when walking or movement, the problem starts when I sit, or relax in bed, the pain flares up then, daft explanation but it's like toothache pain, dull throbbing, cheers !

Marylyn profile image
Marylyn

It’s likely to be nerve pain caused by a vit D & Vit b12 deficiency.8 yrs ago I had severe pain in knees during the night .My integrative Dr started me on methyl b12 weekly shots pain went has never been back .There can be bursitis in shoulder,ankle ,hip or elbow .Unfortunately I saw 17 Drs before I received a correct diagnosis.

colo60 profile image
colo60 in reply to Marylyn

17 doctors ? i'm lucky to get to see 1 thats why i'm on here lol- I take vit D every morning + omega3 caps, + kelp, I have daily amount of creatine ( protein ), I take no medication other than Natural or herbal, and by n large fit and active, I understand your complexity with diagnosis yourself, trawling through the internet there's the bursitis which I could kind of adhere to, runners knee another and arthritis, but the info was'nt pinpointing my problem specifically, I thought someone on this site may have endured the same problem and could hopefully clarify- I really appreciate your reply, cheers

krazeeartist profile image
krazeeartist

Best to see a Dr. because there are many reasons why this is happening. Maybe even a blood clot...

colo60 profile image
colo60 in reply to krazeeartist

Well I guess that's the automatic choice, getting to see my doc is more difficult than having a pint of Guinness with the pope, - you have raised an interesting but frightening issue i'd not thought about 🤔- the pain is central to the knee though, no ache or pain above or below in leg, the baffling part of this is pains start when I sit or lay, I find now that the cushion or legs raised in bed more or less stops the pain, I have no problem as I stated walking, climbing steps ? I even broke into a trott rushing around yesterday, no probs ! then sat to watch Euro's on tv and this toothache type pain started soon as I sat ? - anyway, thank you for the reply, appreciated !

kaliska0 profile image
kaliska0

Have you seen a doctor? That's the type of thing you should get checked out when it starts. It's also the type of thing that is sometimes a simple injury and sometimes doctors find no cause for so offer practically no treatment.

Movement can help for a couple reasons. Sometimes it can be a nerve signal issue. Quite commonly it is due to fluid buildup and/or poor blood flow. Heat can help with that when sitting still for long periods of time. Many supplements and patches for pain are aimed at improving blood flow.

For direct, immediate relief I'd try an arnica based pain cream first because it covers the greatest variety of problems from nerves to tissue inflammation. Personally I can't stand the ones with menthol but some prefer them because it basically overwhelms the nerves and covers up the original sensation. I just find it more uncomfortable than the original pain. The arnica is extremely helpful though. Penetrex is a common menthol free brand. I also tried a cream called Neuropathy by Pure Sciences that has high reviews but the menthol burned for hours. If you want a cheaper option for arnica they make creams for horses with simpler ingredients. I'm not sure penetrex worked any better than the bottle of "Equine Arnica" I have with half as long of ingredients list and 1/4th the price.

There are some creams with histamine dihydrochloride that attempt to reduce pain by altering the immune system response but it would really depend on the cause of the pain. It likely does nothing for nerve based pain.

Emu oil is an odd one that I don't actually know why it works but there are a few creams that rely on it and some people who find it useful for various types of pain.

You can also try topical magnesium oil. It's another option that has a very wide range of effects for mysterious problems. It will relax the muscles, improve blood flow, reduces inflammation and has shown to help with everything from carpal tunnel to nerve pain. Plus whatever you absorb systemically is beneficial for whole body health and sleep improvements. You can get it as pure oil, sprays, or in creams with other ingredients to treat sports injuries that may or may not be helpful. There are also magnesium patches but their use is not as proven as liquid magnesium oil and they may be hard to apply to the rquired area. Pure magnesium oil will not damage the skin but some people still experience a mild burning sensation if they are sensitive to it. Diluting with a little water generally prevents the discomfort completely. It's bound to a chloride salt so don't apply to damaged skin if you don't want to cause some pain.

B vitamins are always a good idea with health issues that don't have another clear cause. They are used to process most nutrients you eat, create neurotransmitters and hormones, help keep nerve signals in the body functioning properly, and rebuild most damaged tissue.

Omega fatty acids, especially omega 3s, are also a good basic diet supplement for a variety of problems from neurological to inflammation and pain.

Make sure you are getting enough vit d through daily sunshine or a supplement. It plays much the same roles as b vitamins along with having a major effect on the immune system.

If the issue does not improve soon, you can't find a specific cause, and especially if the discomfort centers around the joint instead of above or below the knee in the muscles then for more long term support I'd suggest a collagen protein supplement. It provides the amino acids needed to create all connective tissue and cartilage that could impact pretty much everything besides a nerve or muscle issue. It does help some to support muscle tissue but you also need other amino acids for that. Some people swear by the health benefits of bone broth but I prefer my mostly odorless, tasteless powder collagen supplement. The dogs do fine with the bone broth and raw chicken feet as their joint supplement ;)

healthline.com/nutrition/co...

colo60 profile image
colo60 in reply to kaliska0

My apologies for delay to the reply, i'm down Cornwall ( hols ) -- Really in depth reply, and I have noted everything you say Kaliska0, I really appreciate the time took to relay the info', there's plenty for me to digest and act upon, once again thank you !

colo60 profile image
colo60

An update - my other knee ( left) was joining the right one by now, so both were causing pain, my daughter ( dispensing chemist ) unbeknown to me, told her friend the pharmacist about my problem with the knee's and lack of sleep etc', daughter brought me Voltarol joint pain relief 2.32% gel, 12 hour application ( guess thats quite strong 12 hrs ? ) I never expected a positive outcome to be honest, but it has worked, I apply morning and just before bed, I sleep and do not need the cushion under leg, this is my 6th day whereby i'm pain free ( the odd bit but rare ! ) - now i'm wondering if I don't apply will the pain reappear ... i'll update later

You may also like...

Has a lack of sleep affected your relationships?

for the weekend. So today we want to know, has a lack of sleep affected your relationships? Reply...

Has a lack of sleep affected your work life?

question 4 of the series. Today we want to know if lack of sleep has affected your work life, and...

How does a lack of sleep impact your day to day life?

question 3 in the Sleep Matters Question Series. Today we are asking: How does a lack of sleep...

Continuous bad dreams affecting sleep

go to bed on alcohol tea coffee etc or a meal, I awake when these bad dreams happen, somewhat upset/

Sleep Apnea after concussion?

ago when I was knocked unconscious after a head injury. I've since had a number of different issues...