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Swelling of the ankle and knee joint

Swelling of the ankle joint is swelling and inflammation of soft tissues characterized by pain and discomfort. Depending on the cause of the problem, the swelling can be very pronounced or almost invisible.

Swelling of the knee joint is the body's response to any injury or inflammation. This state is often a little swelling of the tissues and the muscles located around the knee.

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The causes of edema of the ankle and knee joint

As the causes of swelling of varying degrees of gravity, the ankle joint are the following:

  • Goutin most cases causes severe swelling of tissues and pain when walking. This is due to the fact that the inside of the joint formed by the excess uric acid that is not excreted in the urine.

  • Arthritisis a very common disease, due to which cartilage begins to degenerate and then ossify, as a result of friction of the deformed appendages of each other, there is swelling. Often is a companion to the elderly.

  • Arthritis often leads to severe swelling. They are formed due to the fact that due to severe inflammation of the synovial fluid is secreted, but it is outside the joint capsule, as the latter undergoes deformation.

  • When the bursitis and synovitis often there is swelling as all the same synovial fluid or improperly allocated, or accumulates in the wrong place.

  • Psoriatic arthritis is always associated with a skin disease called – psoriasis. The arthritis of the toes, causes a little swelling in the ankle joint.

  • Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. When due to a failure in the immune system having the disease to healthy tissue, this often affects the ankle joint.

  • During infection, after traumatic penetration of bacteria into the ankle often occurs its inflammation, and as a result, and swelling. This condition is called septic arthritis.
  • Peripheral edema, which is related to the fact that there are problems in the blood circulation. As a rule, swollen both feet.
  • Soft tissue infections that can be caused by viruses and bacteria.

As for the swelling in the knee joint, often they arise as a result of a number of diseases:

  • Osteoarthritis most often affects the patellar tendon, namely the rear part, resulting in deformation of the joint, resulting in above knee starts to gather the liquid, it leads to swelling. Such conditions cause well and septic and rheumatoid arthritis, gout.
  • Often the cause of swelling in the knee joint becomes a cyst of the meniscus. At the same time, the bigger it is, the more noticeable swelling.
  • The knee sometimes swells when dissecting will osteochondritis when there is necrosis of the cartilage with separation of free bodies in his area.
  • Bursitis causes swelling in the area of the lower front surface of the patella. This is due to the inflammation of the Bursa and the accumulation in it of synovial fluid.

If we consider the causes that lead to swelling as the knee and ankle is not from the point of view of diseases, to include all sorts of injuries: fractures, dislocations, sprains, bruises.

Topic: Treatment of joints in the home


Symptoms that accompany the swelling of the ankle and knee joint

Depending on what was the reason that caused swelling of the joint as the knee and ankle will vary and a number of accompanying swelling symptoms:

  • Gout and arthritis swelling he is accompanied not only by swelling of the tissues, but pain as in the joints and muscles.
  • With psoriatic arthritis, in addition to the swelling observed red spots located all over the body, covered with scales, and also occurs swelling of the joints in the fingers and toes.
  • Septic arthritis in addition to swelling in the joints, gives himself up to the presence of fever.

  • When bursitis the skin around the knee is not only swollen, but red may be hot to the touch and accompanied by severe pain.

If swelling has occurred as a result of injury, he will be accompanied by severe pain, even at rest.

Treatment of edema of the ankle and knee joint

Before you start the treatment of edema in ankle and knee joint, it is necessary to determine the causes of his offending. In order to make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to bring their complaints to the therapist!

There are several ways that you can apply at home, in order to slightly reduce the resulting swelling. To do this, in place of the flow off of the fabrics you want to apply a cold compress. You can use analgesic ointments. If not easier, then definitely you need to go to the doctor!

Most often patients who have revealed such serious diseases as arthritis, arthritis or bursitis, the doctor will prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. To increase efficiency you can perform physical therapy exercises and attend physiotherapy. Often patients are offered to review your diet and switch to a certain diet. A comprehensive approach to the treatment of diseases of the knee and ankle joints most often gives a positive result. Always remember that edema is not a disease but just a consequence of certain violations in the work of either the joints or the whole body. Therefore, to eliminate it – not to get rid of the disease, since after a short time it will appear again. Only competently made therapeutic scheme based on the number of studies will help a person feel healthy. Moreover, often requires surgical intervention, immobilization and orthotics.