Knee swelling

definition

The knee, also known as the knee joint, is the connection between the thigh bone and the shinbone as well as the kneecap. It is the largest joint in humans and a frequent localization of a number of different diseases. The swelling of the knee joint is usually an expression of inflammation in response to an injury, wear and tear of cartilage, or an infection.

When the knee joint swells, it is usually referred to as a knee joint effusion. This is a pathological accumulation of fluid in the joint. The type of fluid can be bloody, purulent, or clear, depending on the underlying disease.

Read more about this under: Swelling - what's behind it?

causes

There are many causes that can lead to knee swelling. In general, a distinction must be made between different categories. The causes include:

• Injuries (e.g. a tear in the meniscus)
• Infections (e.g. an inflammation in the knee)
• Incorrect loads
• Metabolic diseases
• wear
• Tumor diseases

The swelling itself is mostly due to a build-up of fluid in the knee joint. This is influenced by so-called inflammation mediators, which are released with the diseases mentioned.

One of the most common causes of knee swelling is osteoarthritis of the knee. This leads to wear and tear of the cartilage parts of the knee joint and the associated inflammation.

You might also be interested in this topic: Cruciate ligament overstretched

In other cases, the rheumatoid arthritis onset is responsible for the swelling. The cause of this chronic inflammatory disease is largely unknown, although an autoimmune component is suspected. This means that your own immune system attacks parts of the joint and thus leads to inflammation of the joint.

Injury to the knee joint, for example in the form of an accident or surgery, also causes swelling. This leads to structural damage and associated inflammation. Sports injuries caused by excessive force on the knee, such as kicks or knocks, are often expressed as painful bruises with swelling. This is a so-called horse kiss.

In rare cases, certain cancers can also be responsible for the swelling. In children and adolescents in particular, knee swelling of unknown cause should be clarified.

In order to finally clarify the reason for the individual swelling of the knee, we recommend a detailed clarification during a doctor's visit. Specialists in the field of clarifying swelling in the knee joint are specialists in orthopedics and trauma surgery.

Appointment with a knee specialist?

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Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
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The knee joint is one of the joints with the greatest stress.

Therefore, the treatment of the knee joint (e.g. meniscus tear, cartilage damage, cruciate ligament damage, runner's knee, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of knee diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

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Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Lyme disease

In addition to a host of other causes, infection with certain bacteria can cause the Borreliacause a disease known as Lyme disease is known. The infection with the bacteria is usually through one Tick ​​bite because these are the main carriers of the bacteria. An indication of whether a Borrelia infection has occurred can be the so-called Wandering redness be, a red circle on the skin that gets bigger over time before it disappears.

If the infection is left untreated, it can cause one Reactivation of the infection leading to inflammation of the knee joint come. In the case of joint inflammation caused by Lyme disease, one also speaks of a Lyme arthritis. Lyme disease can be treated with the help of certain antibiotics. Nevertheless, Lyme disease is one dangerous disease, since the nervous system and various organs can be affected in addition to the knee joint, and a complete elimination of bacteria in the body is not always successful, especially in the late stages of the disease.

Knee swelling after surgery

Operations on the knee joint are very common in Germany. As a rule, orthopedic interventions on the knee joint are necessary, leading to operations due to osteoarthritis of the knee. It happens with every operation Injuries to the structures involved in the knee joint and the surrounding tissue. After the operation, the body reacts to the injuries caused by the operation with the release of so-called Inflammation mediators. In addition to healing the injured tissue, these also lead to an accumulation of fluid in the joint and thus to knee swelling.

The knee swelling after an operation cannot be prevented. However, it helps that Cool knee joint and elevate it and not to put weight on the affected leg after the operation. The swelling should decrease significantly after a few days or a few weeks, depending on the procedure performed and the damaged structures.

diagnosis

Knee swelling is a symptom that can be caused by a number of different diseases. In order to find out which disease is responsible for the symptoms in the individual case, a doctor should be consulted. Are specialists in the field of diagnosis of knee swelling Specialists in orthopedics and trauma surgery. In addition to the detailed anamnese of the patient for whom he describes which complaints show how and when, the physical examination the data subject. With the help of the examination, the doctor can estimate how much fluid is in the knee joint and, if necessary, also give a guess as to which disease it is.

Finally, imaging examinations often clarify which disease is responsible for the knee swelling. Especially those MRI scan of the knee allows the doctor to assess the knee joint and the structures involved. An ultrasound device can also be used to determine whether there is an accumulation of fluid and, if so, where it is. The actual amount of liquid can also be found out well with this examination method. Finally, so-called Punctures help to find out the real cause of the knee swelling. Part of the Liquid withdrawn using a needle and examined for pathogens in the laboratory.

treatment

Treatment of knee swelling depends primarily on the diseasewhich is responsible for the swelling. In principle, a distinction must be made between symptomatic and causal treatment.

The swelling of the knee joint can usually be symptomatic of a Cooling and protection as well as elevation of the affected leg. The swelling will not go away completely with these measures, but an improvement in the symptoms can be assumed. The Taking anti-inflammatory drugs is also recommended for a variety of diseases that may be responsible for the occurrence of the swelling. The anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties of ibuprofen and diclofenac, for example, therefore have both a symptomatic and a causal component, since the inflammation is usually responsible for the knee swelling.

Other causal treatments for knee swelling can be operative interventions (as in the case of osteoarthritis of the knee), or the use of certain medications (for example for infections).

In order for the treatment to be successful and the knee swelling to subside quickly, a doctor should definitely clarify the situation, which will result in a suitable therapy.

Knee swelling after exercise

If knee swelling occurs after exercising, there can be several causes. Sports accidents are one of the most common causes of knee swelling. The accident injures structures of the knee and certain substances are released which are responsible for the swelling.

If no sports accident is known to be the cause of the knee swelling, incorrect or excessive strain on the knee joint can be the reason for the knee swelling. Knee-knees or bow-legs in particular, as well as hip malpositions, can lead to discomfort in the knee joint, including swelling. Depending on the duration of the load and the type of misalignment, this can lead to damage to the cartilage or the ligaments on the knee joint. If knee swelling is associated with the exercise, a doctor should be consulted for evaluation. A visit to a sports doctor can also help you adapt your technique when doing sports to prevent knee swelling from occurring again.

Find out more about: Acute knee pain - that may be behind it

Duration of knee swelling

The length of time for which knee swelling lasts depends on a number of different factors. Especially those Type of illnesswhich is responsible for knee swelling, affects the duration the knee swelling.

Swelling, which occurs due to minor injuries, usually subside after a few days with proper rest, while swelling with activated knee osteoarthritis can persist for a long time. To the Reduce the duration of knee swelling it is advisable to initiate suitable therapy for the symptoms. A clarification by a treating doctor can help to discuss and initiate the correct therapy in the individual case. A visit to a doctor is therefore recommended, especially in the case of knee swelling of unknown cause.