Has anyone experienced fluid on the knees? - Page 2

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Yes, my husband has been having fluid drawn off his knee (as much as 50cc) every few months for 3 full years.

In his case this will continue indefinitely. My husband needs a knee replacement; he is not a candidate for one due to multiple other health issues. The most that can be done is to keep the fluid off and try to keep him comfortable. He takes pain meds for his other issues, and uses Voltaren topical for knee pain.

Your knee is extremely inflamed and swollen internally; it will take a very long time for a non inflammatory medication to take effect to the level where you feel relief. My husband was told to ice and elevate.

Best wishes to you for some relief.

Maggie Nolia · ‎03-09-2010

@IMW wrote:
Md drained knee with a turkey blaster type syringe--
great immediate relief, not a cure though. Fluid returns
unless underlying condition is treated successfully.

Having it drained didn't hurt much at all, no recovery
time.

Good luck

I would go for didn't hurt much at all and no recovery time!

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@Maggie Nolia wrote:
@panda1234 wrote:
@Maggie Nolia How did this happen?
Thought I had pulled a leg muscle as result of multiple trips up and down stairs which I was unaccustomed to. After pain didn't go away and, in fact, increased, and woke up one morning unable to bend knees, went to ortho who says fluid of knees is related to that injury/event.

@Maggie Nolia How awful. A simple thing like steps can do this to you.

embgm · ‎07-02-2014

I've had several knee injuries and physical therapy was always part of the solution. It can be done at home. I was told while exercising the knee it causes the fluid to spread out making it easier for the body to absorb it. The PT has to be started slowly of course. I would ask your doctor if it's a good option for you. In all cases it improved and strengthened my knees.

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

About five sessions with a physical therapist worked for me when I had a knee fluid problem about 10 years ago.

Orthopedic doctor gave me two choices-------cortisone shot or physical therapy. I chose PT.

Draining the fluid wasn't even offered as an option by the doctor.

Cortisone shots don't always produce longlasting results either, according to my athletic husband who's had them many times in various joint areas over the years.

Still do some leg-lift exercises that the therapist taught me.

Seems that at least part of the cure was exercise that strengthened my thigh muscles and consequently relieved downward pressure on the knee.

HLP · ‎04-02-2015

@Snowpuppy wrote:
Only once. Hyper extended 1 knee and it swelled. Like really swollen.

Had to have the knee drained by a dr using a needle. Really painful but necessary. Bandaged and immobilized for I think 10-14 days.

You could try wrapping it with an ace bandage or a Tommy Copper type of compression wrap for a couple of days.

I had this once because of my RA, drained with needle and it never came back.

redbird · ‎03-24-2010

I had this after a fall on my arthritic knee a few years ago. Dr gave me prescription strength Aleve.and prescribed physical therapy. That included a special heat treatment , home exercises and moist heat packs applied at home. It took a little over a month to go away and has never returned.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@Maggie Nolia wrote:
Diagnosed two weeks ago. Doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory. No better. Not one bit. Still severe pain. Severely limited ROM in knees. Can barely and very slowly walk. Is it too early to call doctor and say this isn't working?

What was your remedy and cure?

TIA.

@Maggie Nolia Prior to my double knee replacement, I had the bursi saks behind my knees swell and cause limited motion and inflamation. Mine was caused from the arthritis I had... replacing my knees was the fix for me, but also:

Knee bursitis can be caused by joint overuse (at work or during recreation), by injury, like a sharp blow to the knee, or when a joint is put under pressure for a long time. Knee bursitis can also be caused by: Frequent stress or pressure, such as kneeling on a hard floor. Bacterial infection.

To ease pain and discomfort of knee bursitis:

Rest your knee. Discontinue the activity that caused knee bursitis and avoid movements that worsen your pain.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers. ...
Apply ice. ...
Apply compression. ...
Elevate your knee.

Pain from knee bursitis usually goes away within a few weeks. You need to stop doing the activities that cause pain until your knee has healed. If you continue doing activities that cause pain, your symptoms will return and it will take longer to recover.

Direct trauma, joint infection or muscle stress and arthritis are common causes of bursitis. Arthritis is generally caused by age-related wearing of cartilage and connective tissues, leading to bone degeneration. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is a common cause of arthritis.

Treatment is similar for both arthritis and bursitis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, ice, rest and steroid injections make up the primary course of therapy. If infection is the cause, treatment with antibiotics is necessary.

For severe cases that last longer than a few weeks or if you have major swelling, the bursa may need to be drained. In rare cases, removal may be necessary.

Return to your orthopedist and ask for an X-ray if you have not had one already. Bursitis will not show on the film, but other causes, such as arthritis, can be ruled out. Given your age, the most likely cause of your bursitis is age-related osteoarthritis. If you like, get a second opinion from another orthopedic specialist. You can then compare the results and go from there

vsm · ‎05-08-2010

@Maggie Nolia wrote:
Diagnosed two weeks ago. Doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory. No better. Not one bit. Still severe pain. Severely limited ROM in knees. Can barely and very slowly walk. Is it too early to call doctor and say this isn't working?

What was your remedy and cure?

TIA.

Is the doctor an orthopedist? If not, I'd see one.

May5 · ‎09-14-2014

I was diagnosed with this the beginning of last year. I had an xray done. I was given a knee brace and told to take 3 ibuprofen 3 times a day. Also was told to keep it elevated with ice pack 30 minutes on four times a day.

And most importantly do not walk without the knee brace until all the pain is gone.

Keeping it elevated even without the ice made it feel and look so much better, but it was at least a full two weeks.

It worked but it was a long and painful two weeks. Don't give up.