Swollen knee

A swollen knee can be caused by an infection. However, acute swelling usually results from a trauma, such as a fall. Non-inflammatory knee swelling usually begins gradually and usually the joints change due to internal damage. Causes are arthrosis and gonarthrosis, hip diseases, gout, haemophilia or sciatica. Inflammation, however, is manifested as an acute attack of gout, rheumatoid or bacterial arthritis.

contents

• injury
• The reasons
• treatment

Diarrhea or genital infections sometimes lead to a swollen knee as a side effect. The advantage of acute injuries is that the person concerned knows the reason for the swollen knee. But if infections develop in the vicinity of the knee, is there an unknown rheumatic disease or even an internal injury, the doctor first taps in the dark.

Acute swelling of the knee, which does not rely on external force or injury, are often associated with inflammatory events. (Image: chuugo / fotolia.com)

injury

When the knee is distorted or squashed, it swells. Typical injuries occur in bicycle accidents, such as blows with a hammer, or in sports such as handball, football and rugby. Then a bump forms.

But not only injuries let the knee swell during sport, as well as the knee can be overloaded. If the knee is over-stimulated by unfamiliar movements, the bursa inflames and swells.

Fractures, surgery, infections or rheumatism are some of the many causes of a fat knee. A fat knee hurts, and it restricts the movements.

Breaches, bruises and tendon tears swell the knee, as do tensions and overstretching. The injury itself irritates the tissue.

The reasons

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joint. Affects the knee joint, then the tissue disappears there. The knee joint loses its buffer zone and movements cause knee pain.

Arthritis is a collective term for various infections that also show by swelling. Bacteria infect the knee joint, and the knee swells. Fever often accompanies.

Inflamed bursae on the knee are particularly painful. The bursae usually protect the knee from pressure and friction. If they do not work, all the tissue around the knee is chronically irritated. Besides swelling, this inflammation also causes fever.

treatment

Anyone who injures his knee, the wound should cleanse immediately, otherwise they may ulcerate. If a fracture or fracture is suspected, a doctor should be consulted immediately.

Cold wraps relieve the swelling, as the cold calms the tissue. Three to four times a day for about 20 minutes should take such a treatment.

Rails and bandages prevent the attacked knee tissue from becoming irritated.

However, joint diseases such as osteoarthritis or rheumatism are not suitable for self-treatment. A doctor must design the necessary therapy here. The symptom, ie the swelling, to alleviate, brings nothing, but the disease must be fought at the root. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)