What to do if your knee is swollen and painful. The knee is swollen and hurts a lot when bending: treatment with folk remedies

A leg tumor occurs in a person’s life; pain of this nature causes a lot of inconvenience and trouble. A tumor is a process in which newly formed tissue appears in the human body, associated with the influence negative factors external or internal environment.

In the article we will look at a specific area on the leg - above the knee, the causes of pain and the occurrence of a tumor. If the leg hurts, or is swollen just above the knee, this is a rare phenomenon; more often patients experience pain calf muscle, foot, lower leg or knee. However, any pain that occurs in the human body, regardless of the area of ​​distribution, appears for certain reasons.

The main and common reasons to start with are heavy physical activity on the legs. Currently people different ages trying to get in shape through constant training gyms, wanting to get the perfect result in the shortest possible time. Not every person will be able to independently calculate the amount of exercise required; sometimes excessive physical exercise leads to pain and the appearance of a tumor.

The leg can be very painful, accompanied by slight swelling in the area above the knee. The tumor limits a person's movements. Treat similar condition it is necessary accordingly, reducing the amount of physical activity on the sore leg.

Stretches or tears in the muscles above the knee can provoke the appearance of a tumor or hematoma in the problem area. The patient definitely needs rest. Periodically, recovery from such an injury takes several months.

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve

A serious problem with the occurrence of a tumor above the knee is inflammation sciatic nerve, significantly limits the patient's movements. Inflammation is often caused by reasons: cold, leg injury, viral infection. More often, inflammation appears as a result of hypothermia.

The sciatic nerve originates in sacral region spine, the disease occurs if a person’s back is blown in cold weather, in a draft. Inflammation is expressed in, the patient experiences severe pain in the indicated area, the temperature rises, redness is possible skin. On the opposite side of the body, the patient feels numbness or tingling.

As a rule, the pain intensifies when coughing, sneezing, physical activity. The patient is disturbed at night severe attacks pain that interferes with rest and limits movement.

Arthrosis of the hip joints (coxarthrosis)

Coxarthrosis – destruction cartilage tissue. People of all age groups are susceptible to the disease. Coxarthrosis is treated with early stages without surgical intervention, when the first symptoms appear, it is better to go to the hospital for advice.

The main symptoms include:

• limping;
• the appearance of swelling in the affected surface.

When the disease occurs, a person experiences severe pain that spreads from groin area, runs along the surface of the thigh and reaches the knee. Severe pain occurs when walking or when a person tries to get up from a chair. A swelling of the damaged surface appears, and at times, as the disease progresses, a crunching sound is heard in the joint during movement.

Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis - serious reason severe pain in the legs above the knee. Let's look at the disease in detail. Osteomyelitis is the process of inflammation of the leg bone when an infection enters the bone tissue. The infection enters the human body in two ways: the first - during a leg injury (for example, an open fracture), the second way - penetration from an already existing inflamed focus of infection in the body (sore throat, caries).

Initially, it is impossible to recognize osteomyelitis in a patient; initial stage There are practically no symptoms, and a little later the disease develops rapidly. The symptoms that appear at first can easily be confused with colds, there is weakness and general malaise. The patient suddenly feels elevated temperature body, rises to 40 degrees in a few hours, after a few days a person develops obvious signs osteomyelitis: severe pain occurs in the affected bone, a little later swelling and redness of the skin will appear on the damaged surface of the leg.

Osteomyelitis is a disease that requires immediate hospitalization of the patient; in 25% of cases the disease ends in death.

Osteoporosis of the knee joint

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes wear and tear of the cartilage in the knee joints. With osteoporosis, changes in bone tissue occur in the human body; bones become very fragile, provoking further complex fractures. The disease usually occurs unnoticed by the patient, this is the danger; it is impossible to detect osteoporosis at the initial stage.

This disease appears more often than others in women of a certain age category, over 50 years old, the phenomenon occurs due to hormonal disorders in organism. The cause is also a lack of calcium in the body. Alcohol abuse and smoking are known factors in the onset and development of the disease.

A sedentary lifestyle or previous leg injuries – possible reasons occurrence of osteoporosis knee joint. Symptoms of osteoporosis:

• aching pain in the legs during bad weather;
• Often people with osteoporosis have severe leg pain in the morning, even at rest;
• movement is often accompanied by crunching joints;
• During the inflammatory process, the patient may develop a tumor in the knee area or higher.

Treatment

If we talk about pain caused by excessive physical exertion on the leg, the affected limb needs to be rewound elastic bandage and ensure complete rest for the patient, it is permissible to apply cold compress. To prevent the appearance of severe swelling of the damaged surface, the patient should take a sedentary or supine position, placing the sore leg above the level of the body. Then you should gradually increase the load on the sore leg; this should be done regularly, but with extreme caution.

In case of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, treatment must be competent. Self-medication is not always appropriate. For example, you should not apply a heating pad to a sore area of ​​the leg, causing severe inflammation or swelling. You should immediately consult a doctor. More often, after examination, the patient is prescribed painkillers; treatments for inflammation of the sciatic nerve include special ointments, gels, and patches. Physiotherapy is sometimes used for treatment; in extreme cases, surgery is possible.

Treatment of arthrosis hip joints Consider the prevention of physical activity on the problem area. Swimming and special aerobics are good for recovery. The patient must carefully monitor their diet, get enough sleep and control their weight. If necessary, the patient can use a cane or crutches when walking to facilitate movement.

The treatment of osteomyelitis should be trusted exclusively to professionals; the patient’s further condition depends on the patient’s care. Many recipes have been developed for treating osteomyelitis at home. folk remedies, however, choosing a method is sometimes difficult for an amateur. It is better to contact for examination medical institution.

After examination, the patient is prescribed antibiotics, drugs or vitamins aimed at increasing the overall resistance of the body. Typically, the patient is prescribed several medicines simultaneously. Surgery is often required to eliminate the source of severe pain. During the operation, the patient first cleans the wound and removes the bone tissue that has become incapacitated. Recovery after such an operation in most cases takes for a long time, the recovery process depends on the patient’s age category, literacy and timeliness of treatment.

The listed reasons can cause pain and swelling of the leg in the area above the knee. Pay attention to your health, listen to your body. If your leg hurts for a long time, if swelling occurs, do not delay visiting the doctor. Experienced specialist after examination will determine correct diagnosis patient, will take measures for proper treatment.

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Swelling of the knee joint is a symptom of an inflammatory process that can occur due to various joint diseases, injuries or other causes.

Since there are many reasons why knees swell, in the first stages of development pain diagnosing the specific factor that provoked the tumor can be quite difficult.

Inflammatory processes in the joints of the legs can occur in completely different ways, vary in severity, and have different causes.

At the same time, it is very easy to independently determine that an inflammatory process is taking place. In addition to swelling, there is redness of the skin, impaired mobility of the knee joint and pain when touched.

About the causes of swollen knees

Inflammation can be caused external influences And internal reasons- various diseases.

Among the reasons why legs swell in the area of ​​the knee joints include:

If the swelling creeps up...

Swelling may be localized in different areas lower extremities. For example, if leg swelling occurs above the knee, this is due to the following reasons:

Swelling extending into the feet

Swelling of the leg below the knee, in addition to the purely joint problems listed above, can be caused by the following reasons:

Localization can be bilateral or unilateral. At first the tissues remain soft, and then compaction occurs. The skin has a very dark shade. The leg may increase significantly in size.

First aid

If your knee is swollen and very painful, then it will be impossible to avoid going to the doctor, but it is necessary to provide first aid at home.

What measures can be taken in this case to minimize the pain syndrome and avoid worsening the situation:

1. If your knee constantly hurts, it is necessary to immobilize the leg as much as possible and try not to make the same type of movements that load the knee joint.
2. Helps cope with swelling very well ice. Pieces of ice should be wrapped in a cloth and applied to the swelling for no more than fifteen minutes. The procedure can be repeated, but no more than four times a day. Instead of ice, you can use any product from the freezer.
3. Place your leg in an extended position on a hill so that the level of the leg is slightly higher than the heart.
4. Take anti-inflammatory drugs— , Aspirin.

Set of measures

Treatment for swelling of the knee joint will directly depend on the underlying cause.

Drug therapy

Based on the wide variety of diseases that cause swelling, drug treatment should not be limited to one group of drugs, but must include a component that acts on the specific cause of the development of the pathology.

So, we can highlight the following drugs various groups used in therapy:

Also, some diseases suggest specific therapy. Antibiotics are prescribed. For kidney disease, corticosteroids and cytostatics are prescribed. Pathologies endocrine system treated with hormones thyroid gland. In case of thrombosis, anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents are prescribed.

Physiotherapy procedures

Physiotherapy is used not only for injuries, but also for joint diseases - and venous insufficiency, tendinitis and lymphoderm. Such procedures stimulate biochemical processes in tissues, improve blood circulation and vascular tone.

Physiotherapy procedures mean:

• electrophoresis and phonophoresis with medications;
• laser treatment;
• UHF therapy;

It is important to know that during pregnancy, infectious pathologies and heart disease, these procedures are contraindicated.

Manual therapy and physical therapy

Therapeutic exercise is an integral part of the treatment of injuries, tendinitis, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Exercises help to more quickly restore lost range of motion and prevent joint stiffness.

Classes should be held systematically. Under no circumstances should pain occur during training.

Massage is very effective for lymphostasis and venous insufficiency. Vacuum and lymphatic drainage techniques are considered the most effective.

In case of gout, iodine therapy helps to fight edema very well. To do this, use a solution of iodine and aspirin, which is used to lubricate the affected areas. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed.

Surgery

Surgeries are performed for knee injuries - in case of damage to the meniscus or sprained ligaments.

Bursitis is treated with thermal procedures, immobilizing the knee, taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Sometimes surgery is required.

Surgery is mandatory for thrombosis severe when it is impossible to restore vascular patency using other methods. In this case, the blood clot is removed.

For varicose veins, pathologically altered sections of veins are removed. With lymphostasis, vascular patency for lymph is restored.

What does traditional medicine offer?

In cases where the knee is swollen, but not yet very much, traditional treatment can only be auxiliary and should be carried out under the strict supervision of a physician.

It is possible to keep your knees healthy - but how?

If you are prone to such problems, you should:

1. Keep from time to time legs in an elevated position. This contributes normal circulation blood.
2. Wear elastic stockings. They are sold for both women and men.
3. Revise your menu and try to eat as little salty food as possible. Salt interferes with the normal removal of fluid from the body.

Edema is not independent disease, so they cannot pose a danger by themselves. However, you should not ignore their appearance, because this is a sign pathological process, which occurs due to an exacerbation of a particular disease.

If swelling appears, do not postpone a visit to a specialist. The sooner measures are taken, the more successful and faster the treatment will be.

If your knee is swollen and hurts, then there are only three main reasons why this problem occurs:
- the knee may swell after mechanical injury to the tendons, ligaments or meniscus,
- the cause is either another medical problem,
- extreme loads on this joint, for example, in sports.

The tumor may be located inside the knee joint or in the tissue surrounding it. Therefore, if the back of the knee is swollen, you need to look for the problem there. Medically this is called synovial effusion (water in the knee). Serious injuries The soft tissues surrounding the knee may be affected by fluid and/or accumulated blood. The methods used for treatment depend largely on the fact whether the tumor is acute or chronic.

After 50 years, 10% of the population suffers from. The knee is subject to stress in many sports. Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor promptly and regularly, even if the problem itself at first seems quite minor to you and does not require attention.

Knee pain can be mechanical or inflammatory and infectious in origin:
- Knee pain of mechanical origin: it occurs from mechanical pain when walking or standing in one place and disappears at rest. In most cases, an MRI will confirm the existence of a tendon, cartilage or meniscus injury.
- Inflammatory pain in the knees: they manifest themselves as pain at any time of the day or night, here the fact of chronic inflammatory rheumatism is evident.

Causes of knee pain

Knee pain may be a symptom of a disease or indicate the following facts:

• there was a fracture in the past, but it went unnoticed and healed incorrectly;

• arthrosis of the knee joint (femur-tibia) or femoral-femoral (thigh, patella);

• osteochondritis, localized in the bone under the cartilage covering the thigh to the end of the tibia;

• necrosis, that is, destruction of the femur (lower end femur) in adulthood;

• chondrocalcinosis of cartilage and meniscus is sometimes a symptom of acute arthritis.

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My knee is swollen - what to do?

If the tumor is acute, occurring suddenly (for example, a knee bruise):

- It is necessary to rest the knee as much as possible and walk as little as possible.
- Use crutches if holding your leg hurts.
- Place the ice directly on the skin of the swollen area of ​​the knee for approximately 20 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes. Repeat twice. Do this 3 times a day to reduce swelling.
- Place a warm, damp towel or heating pad on your knee or take a warm bath to relieve pain after the swelling reduces.
- Wrap an elastic bandage around your knee to compress it and thereby reduce pain.
- Keep your knee elevated above the level of your heart while lying down. Place your knee and leg on cushions or on the armrest of the sofa.
- Pain can be reduced with analgesics. If the pain persists, see your doctor, who may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or a muscle relaxant.
- Go to the doctor if the swelling seems very large, if you cannot bear your weight on your knee, if there is obvious deformity, or if you have fever and redness in your knee, this could indicate an infection.
Contact your doctor if you do not notice improvement after 4 days. Ligaments may be damaged.

If the tumor is chronic, that is, it occurs from time to time:

- Go to the doctor - he may recommend exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.
- Wear knee pads if you spend a lot of time on your feet. If possible, do it frequent breaks to give your knees a rest.
- Use insoles in your shoes, which should be prescribed by an orthopedist at your appointment. They may change the pressure on the knee area in those suffering from arthritis and others medical problems.
- Accept nutritional supplements, such as glucosamine, which may be effective in reducing swelling and pain from arthritis.

Attention! Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can relieve pain, but can also cause side effects, if you take more than the recommended dose.

Talk to your doctor or specialist before you start following practical advice and/or if symptoms persist for more than a few days.
Only professional doctor is able to provide you with qualified medical care, no matter your problem.

Injuries and diseases of the knee joint are usually accompanied by the occurrence of an inflammatory process in soft tissues and the development of swelling.

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There can be many reasons why your knee is swollen and painful. However, no matter what the causes of discomfort in the knee joint, there is main question- what to do? Swollen knees are serious reason think about your own health.

In fact, a tumor in the knee area is a symptom of a pathology of the musculoskeletal system. Most often, it is caused by: injuries, gout, bursitis, osteoporosis and other diseases.

The knee joint is covered on all sides by an articular capsule, which has an outer and inner membrane.

On outer shells joint capsule there are bags of mucus. The human body is designed in such a way that all the moving parts of the skeleton constantly rub against each other. And these bags of mucus actually help reduce friction and facilitate movement. We can say that the mucous sac is a kind of shock absorber with liquid, located between surfaces rubbing against each other. Thanks to the bags, the friction process is painless and without damage.

Knees can swell in different ways. Sometimes the tumor is almost invisible, and in some cases it reaches enormous sizes, rising 7–8 cm above the level of the knee.

The most common causes of knee swelling

Most often, the knee swells and hurts due to the following reasons:

• tendonitis (inflammatory process in the tendons). Tendons are thick fibers connective tissue. With the help of these fibers, muscles are attached to bones. When the tendons become injured or inflamed, the knee begins to hurt and swell;
• injury knee ligaments. In the knee area there may be severe swelling And sharp pain due to sprain or rupture of ligaments;
• A knee injury is usually accompanied by redness, swelling and pain during movement;
• osteoporosis of the knee is accompanied by pain and swelling of varying degrees of severity;
• bias kneecap very often accompanied by discomfort and swelling;
• septic arthritis is manifested by sharp pain, redness and even fever;
• rheumatoid arthritis manifests itself as a constantly swollen knee and aching pain;
• bursitis or inflammation of the joint capsule. This disease is manifested by pronounced swelling and severe pain when trying to bend the affected leg at the knee;
• gout. If the cause of the tumor lies in this disease, then the knee may periodically swell and be very painful for several days, and then suddenly subside, and so on until the next time.

Treatment of swelling and pain in the knee

If you have injured your knee or it suddenly begins to hurt and swell, you can try to help yourself with some types of first aid:

• it is necessary to provide rest to the sore joint;
• It is permissible to apply a cold compress of ice to the site of swelling, but for no more than 20 minutes;
• relieves pain and swelling of the knee well alcohol tincture from flowers horse chestnut, which is prepared at the rate of 50 dried flowers per 500 ml of vodka. The mixture is infused in a glass container for 2 weeks in a dark place;
• useful to do on sore spot iodine mesh.

Athletes and people who lead sports often experience knee bruises. active image life. The sensations that arise in the damaged joint are unpleasant, and you often have to be out of your training schedule. Which is especially unpleasant. However, one of the most important rules for knee injuries is to keep moving. Even in cases where the knee area has been subject to surgery, it is necessary to engage in active rehabilitation of the diseased joint.

Recovery after illness begins from the very minimum loads both simple and short physical exercise. After all, the initial task is to try to return the injured muscles back to “function” as quickly as possible. By forcing your muscles to work, you can regain joint mobility and the ability to fully move.

During an examination of the problematic knee joint, the doctor may consider it necessary to order an MRI or CT scan ( computed tomography), as well as x-rays. If a specialist suspects an infection, you will have to have your blood tested. In some cases, it is possible to take a puncture of the joint. Naturally, treatment depends entirely on prescribed by a doctor diagnosis.

Risk factors

Of course, no one can protect themselves from the possibility of getting a knee injury. However, there is a category of people who, for one reason or another, are at risk:

• those who are obese. Overweight people most often suffer from pain in the knee area, because it is the legs that bear the main load of body weight;
• those who constantly face heavy physical activity;
• women over 40;
• people who, due to their activities or for other reasons, lead sedentary lifestyle life. Such people have a serious lack of muscle flexibility;
• people with some anatomical features, for example, with flat feet.

If at least one of the above risk factors applies to you, try to make it a rule to never overload your knees.

Those who are overweight should think about adjusting their diet and lifestyle.

If suddenly a household or sports injury area of ​​the knee joint, and swelling is added to the pain, then you should take a painkiller, for example: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. Try to use a cane while walking.

This way you can avoid deterioration of the joint. Do not neglect your well-being under any circumstances and try to short time visit a specialist. Until then, apply a fixing bandage to the sore joint and provide it with maximum rest.

Only after installation accurate diagnosis you can start complex treatments, exercises and gymnastics.

Folk remedies for knee pain

Traditional medicine knows about everything and will support everyone who turns to it for help in everything. Thus, the treatment of various diseases of the knee joint does not shy away from folk remedies and “grandmother’s” recipes.

To relieve swelling and pain, warm baths made from cinquefoil grass, eucalyptus, mint, and fir are recommended;

If the attending physician does not prohibit it, then it is useful to knead the knee in a circular motion using creams such as “Troxevasin”, “Sofya”, etc.;

It is necessary to take equal quantities of horse chestnut flowers, plantain leaves, and white cabbage. All this is ground to a homogeneous mass and applied to sore knee as a compress (under film) for 4-6 hours.

Very important internal state sick. Of course, knee pain and limitations in movement can make anyone angry, but constant irritation can become a significant barrier to recovery. Therefore, try to be as positive as possible. Relaxation and auto-training are considered beneficial for the patient. Unpleasant communication and stressful situations should be avoided.

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is necessary so that the diseased joint can regain its former mobility. However, before starting the exercises, you must obtain permission from your doctor. So, if there are no contraindications, you should start doing daily stretching of the sore leg, gradually increasing the load on it.

Exercise 1

Lying on your back, on the floor, try to stretch your sore leg forward, pointing your toes out, count to 5. Then, relax and let your leg rest.

Exercise 2

Lying on your back, on a hard surface, raise the leg with the sore joint above the floor level by 15 cm, try to make a “semicircle” movement with your foot in one direction and the other. If this comes easily to you, you can do several of these movements; if not, then, for starters, one or two are enough.

Exercise 3

Sitting on a chair, lean your back against the back of a piece of furniture and use your hands to spread your knees to the side, then bring them together. This needs to be done slowly.

Prevention

The basic principles and rules for the prevention of knee diseases, as mentioned above, are the wise distribution of physical and sports activity. It is very important to monitor your own weight.

Try to avoid such a popular, but very harmful modern food, like chips, mayonnaise, sweet carbonated drinks, energy drinks. Eliminate animal fats, sweet pastries, salty and very spicy foods from your diet as much as possible. Try to eat every day dairy products, poultry meat, sea ​​fish, various seafood, vegetables, herbs and fruits.

Pay attention to the shoes you wear. As a rule, knee diseases are most often observed in women. One explanation for this is wearing high-heeled shoes. Therefore, it makes sense to abandon elegant high-heeled shoes in favor of shoes with more comfortable soles if, for example, you plan to go to the store or to the park for a walk.

Daily exercise is very important. IN as a last resort, make it a rule to walk at least to the store and back. Remember that the scourge modern man– inactivity. And it is precisely this that deprives many people’s knees of the ability to fully function.

If the knee is swollen and painful when bending, treatment should be chosen depending on the cause. Joint pain is the most common reason to visit a doctor. According to statistics, a third of the population could experience such a phenomenon as knee pain at least once in their life.

Pain when bending occurs due to injury, excessive tension in the joint. The knee joint may hurt due to various diseases, among them are arthritis, arthrosis, bursitis and other equally unpleasant problems.

Even minor manifestations discomfort in the knee joint not only cause discomfort in a person, but can also significantly affect the quality of life. If your knees are painful and swollen, this can negatively impact your normal mobility.

The nature of pain can be different - traumatic, inflammatory, dystrophic. This problem must be treated immediately in all cases where the knee hurts when bending. The most common source of this process is trauma. It could have happened long before the swelling of the knee joint and pain when bending appeared. A person forgets about the injury and does not even suspect that it leads to pain when bending or to swelling above the knee.

The most common reasons the fact that the knees are swollen and painful is arthritis and gout. They are accompanied by sharp, dull, shooting, burning or paroxysmal painful sensations.

With arthritis, a person feels severe pain when bending, and when moving it becomes more intense. Redness, swelling of the knee, and inflammation are also observed. Body temperature or temperature in the affected area increases. The basis of arthritis is an inflammatory process that lasts a long time and ultimately (if proper treatment is not available) leads to a complete loss of motor abilities.

During the development of gout, a person feels severe paroxysmal pain when bending the knee joint. The duration of the attack can vary from a minute to several days. Other conditions that are not associated with stress or injury, but cause pain and swelling or swelling, include:

• osteoarthritis - accompanied by pain in the morning;
• Osgood-Schlatter disease - diagnosed in high school students, with pain when bending and swelling of the knee;
• infectious processes in the skin or joints are another reason why the knee hurts;
• Baker's cyst - characterized by swelling of the knee and pain when bending;
• osteochondritis - with this pathology, necrosis of a certain part of the cartilage tissue occurs, the cause of the abnormal process is a disruption of normal blood circulation or a cessation of blood supply to the knee joint, pain when bending is very intense.

Sprains also cause severe pain and swelling. A bruise is one of the types of injuries. Swelling of the knee and hematoma due to hemorrhage appear. This phenomenon is often observed when the knee swells, but does not hurt. When cracks appear severe pain when bending, treatment should be carried out immediately.

Classification of injuries

When a fracture occurs, severe and sharp pain appears, and swelling of the knee is much stronger than in previous cases. Treatment by a traumatologist is appropriate here. When a meniscus ruptures, there is severe and sharp pain in the back of the knee. They are treated after surgery. During a sprain, the knee hurts when bending and straightening. The first treatment for this type of injury is applying cold to the painful area. This ensures complete rest for the injured limb. You can take a pain reliever and then be sure to seek medical advice. medical assistance. If the kneecap is displaced, then discomfort appears, walking becomes difficult, sometimes the knee swells, but does not hurt, and discomfort occurs when trying to straighten the knee.

The reason why swelling of the knee joint and pain appear is joint diseases. For example, arthritis - an inflammatory process in joint tissues - occurs due to excessive stress or previous illnesses infectious nature. Pain syndrome observed at night or in the morning, after waking up, after hypothermia. Treatment is carried out by a doctor after a preliminary examination and research.

Osteoarthritis affects the joints. Swelling above the knee and pain appear when the limb is at rest. In the treatment of these diseases there are certain methods that are based on integrated approach(using as medications, as well as physical procedures, traditional medicine). Bursitis is characterized by inflammation in the periarticular bursa, causing pain and swelling above the knee. This problem occurs due to overloads and concomitant diseases musculoskeletal system. The kneecap turns red, the local or general temperature. Fluid may accumulate and need to be removed by puncture. The pain when bending the knee is strong and sharp.

Synovitis develops after injuries; its characteristic manifestation is the accumulation of fluid in the periarticular bursa. This may be the reason why your knee is swollen but not painful. Treatment will be to remove fluid from the joint cavity through puncture.

Osteoporosis is a common pathology in which the knee is swollen but not painful. This disease is characterized by a decrease in bone density. It becomes susceptible to fractures and cracks. The reasons for this phenomenon are a decrease in the level of phosphorus and calcium in the bones of the body, which occurs as a result of metabolic disorders or failure hormonal system. The disease can be treated with an integrated approach.

Another cause of knee pain is gout. This disease is characterized by chronic inflammatory processes, as a result of which the knee hurts when flexing and extending. Sometimes redness appears and the pain is paroxysmal. This disease can occur regardless of gender and age. Sometimes the knee swells, but does not hurt until a certain point. The cause of gout is the deposition uric acid. Treatment should be carried out by a specialist.

Tendinitis causes the knee to become swollen and painful. It is characterized inflammatory process in the tendons. Pain occurs during movement, it is sharp and intense, accompanied by swelling. This pathology occurs more often in children or adolescents, professional athletes (after physical exertion), and in the elderly. The reasons for this phenomenon are:

• infectious process in the peritendinous tissues;
• lack of calcium or decreased quality of its metabolism;
• chronic inflammatory processes;
• frequent and regular loads on the lower limbs.

In the treatment of this anomaly, it is necessary not only to adhere to taking the necessary medications, but also to observe proper nutrition. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause pain aching character, while the kneecap swells and turns red. With this disease, severe inflammation occurs, as a result of which the articular cartilage is destroyed. The disease appears regardless of age and develops in both lower limbs. At rheumatoid arthritis the kneecap swells, flexion and extension functions are impaired. The causes of the problem are:

• decreased immunity;
• malfunctions between the tissues of the joints.

Very rare diseases that affect the knee joint are considered: meniscopathy, dysplasia hip bone, chondromatosis, Baker's cyst, Plick's syndrome, Koenig's disease. All of these ailments can be diagnosed separately or accompany each other.

Symptoms of knee diseases

With swelling and pain in the joints, other symptoms appear:

• redness of the surface of the skin or the joint itself;
• local or general temperature tends to rise;
• motor activity becomes difficult;
• pain occurs of a different nature - from aching to sharp and intense;
• pain or discomfort appears on palpation.

Especially characteristic feature any ailment is pain. More often it intensifies in the morning after waking up or after the limb has been at rest for some time. Flexion and extension movements involving the kneecap are very difficult to perform. In this case, you should not postpone treatment; it is better to consult a doctor and undergo necessary examinations for the most effective therapy.

Drug treatment

You can get rid of discomfort in the lower limb with the help of medication, surgery or physiotherapy.

At drug treatment The purpose of the course is to help in the regeneration of cartilage tissue and inhibition destructive processes. During treatment medicines the following means are used:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of oral or injectable drugs (Revmoxicam, Olfen, Nimid) and ointments (Diclofenac, Voltaren);
• chondroprotectors (Chondroxid, Artra);
• therapy steroid hormones(Hydrocortisone, Diprospan);
• biologically active additives and vitamin complexes.

Types and methods of therapy

If the problem cannot be treated with traditional methods, the doctor may prescribe minimally invasive methods of therapy, for example, arthroscopy, osteotomy, or knee replacement. Not all patients suffering from pain and swelling in the lower extremities undergo this treatment. In partial endoprosthetics, damaged cartilage and bone surface are removed. Then the implant is inserted.

In total arthroplasty, the knee joint is completely replaced.

Physiotherapeutic procedures are necessary to treat the disease. With this treatment, you can not only eliminate unpleasant symptoms, but also improve your body’s health. The most popular procedures are: laser treatment, magnetic therapy, cryotherapy, ultrasound. In addition, it is necessary to do therapeutic exercises. It is recommended to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system in a timely manner and get rid of excess body weight in order to reduce the load on the joints.