Amazing Informations About Knee Effusion You wish You Knew Before

Knee effusion is an accumulation of excess fluid in or around the knee joint causing puffy and swollen knees. It can be due to disease or injury of the knee joint or simply a result of overuse.

Normally. There is a small amount of fluid in the knee joint to reduce the friction of knee structures and smoothen the movement.

The synovial membrane moves fluid between itself and the synovial fluid inside the knee joint, lubricating it and providing cushioning.

The knee is one of the most important joints in your body. It connects your lower leg to the rest of the body and allows you to stand and walk.

Symptoms of knee effusion

The symptoms of knee effusion include:

1-Swelling

2-Knee pain

3-Tenderness

4-Warmth

5-Joint stiffness

6-Limited range of movement

When should you see the doctor?

if you have one of the following symptoms

1-Loss of sensation below knee

2- Fever

3- pulse on the feet isn’t felt

4 -severe knee pain

What causes knee effusion?

The knee is most commonly injured with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL is a strong band of connective tissue that runs along the inside of the knee. It can be injured during sports or in an accident when pivoting or twisting. If the ACL tears, the knee will become unstable and give way easily when walking or running.

1-Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation in the joints of the body. It often starts in the spine or lower back and can move to other areas of the body.

2-Septic arthritis

Septic arthritis is an infection that has spread to the joints. It is most common in the knees but can occur in any joint.

What is 2-Septic arthritis?

Septic arthritis is a condition in which the joints become infected with bacteria. The bacteria, usually staphylococcus, enter the joint space through a damaged blood vessel. This sets up an infection that may cause inflammation and pain in the joint.

3-Reactive arthritis

Reactive Arthritis (Reiter's syndrome) is a form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the joints of the lower body. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which usually affects people over age 40, Reiter's syndrome can affect people of all ages.

Reactive arthritis is a condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joint lining. The joint lining is called the synovium, and it produces a lubricating fluid that helps joints to move smoothly. When the immune system attacks the synovium, symptoms of 3-reactive arthritis develop.

4-Injury

5-Inflammation

6-Infection of the knee

7-Bone marrow edema

Bone marrow edema refers to the presence of edema (swelling) in the bone marrow. It can occur as a result of damage to the lymphatic system and is usually characterized by increased pressure in the setting of acute infection, surgery, and cancers.

Bone marrow edema is a condition that occurs when the bone marrow becomes swollen and enlarged. It is a rare condition that can occur in both children and adults, in men and women.

8-Gout and pseudogout

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in the blood. The uric acid forms crystals, which collect in the joints, causing pain and swelling.

Pseudogout is a type of arthritis that can affect people at any age. It causes the body to form calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joints, which leads to inflammation and pain.

9-Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. It can also lead to inflammation of the lining of your heart, lungs, eyes, brain, or spinal cord.

10-Simply knocking your knees against something hard.

11-Obesity creates extra pressure on the knee joint causing knee effusion.

Does knee effusion go away?

Knee effusion goes away as the synovial fluid is absorbed by the surrounding tissues. It takes time for this fluid to go away and it can take up to two weeks for the knee swelling to completely go away.

How long does knee effusion last?

It depends on the cause. If you injure your knee, it may take only a few days for the swelling to go away. But if you have osteoarthritis or other types of inflammatory arthritis, the swelling may last for months or years.

Knee effusion can be acute, occurring suddenly and lasting for a short period of time, or it can be chronic, lasting for months or years.

How do you treat knee effusion?

Treatment of knee effusion depends mainly on the underlying cause so there are many different treatments.

Knee effusion is the swelling of the knee tissue. If you have swelling in your knee, There are two degrees of treatment according to the severity.

Home remedies for knee effusion

1-Rest your leg

2-You will need to apply ice packs to it.

3-Elevate it above your heart for twenty minutes at least every two hours.

4-Be sure to wear a pair of compression stockings to prevent blood clotting.

5-Try low-impact exercises like swimming or yoga.

6-Wear knee braces to support the knee joint.

Medical treatment

If the swelling continues, you may need to take medications.

1-Non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

2- Steroids injections

The doctor will inject steroids directly into the knee joint to reduce inflammation.

3- Antibiotics

4-Drainage and aspiration are the most effective treatments in relieving discomfort.

5- DMARDS are useful if knee effusion is due to rheumatoid arthritis and can be taken for a long time.

6- knee replacement surgery is the final option and maybe the best one for some cases.

How to prevent knee effusion?

1. Knee effusion can be prevented by avoiding long periods of sitting or standing. Standing up straight is important as well as avoiding bending the knees too much.

2. Knee effusion can be prevented by moving around regularly.

3. Drinking lots of water will prevent knee effusion since it helps to keep the knees lubricated and soft.

4. Exercising regularly

Summary

Knee joint protection is very important for many people. In order to protect the knee ligament from being torn, people may use a knee brace to stop their knee from hyperextending or being twisted. Knee braces are usually used after an injury but can also be used by athletes for the prevention of injuries or pain relief.

By. DR.Fatma Ragab