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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffMedications
- Pain medications. If over-the-counter pain medications don't work well enough, your doctor may prescribe stronger drugs to help control your pain.
- Antibiotics. If your symptoms are being caused by an infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.
- Corticosteroids. These strong anti-inflammatory drugs, such as prednisone, can be taken orally or may be injected directly into your knee joint. Corticosteroids can cause serious side effects, so you shouldn't use them too often or for a very long period of time.
Surgical and other procedures
- Joint aspiration (arthrocentesis). Removing fluid from your knee joint can help relieve the pressure of joint fluid buildup. After aspirating joint fluid, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid into the joint to treat inflammation.
- Arthroscopy. Using an arthroscope — a surgical tool designed to look inside your knee joint — an orthopedic surgeon examines the inside of your knee joint for wear and tear. The surgeon may also repair damage inside your knee joint with this instrument.
- Joint replacement. If bearing weight on your knee joint becomes intolerable, your doctor may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for knee replacement.
References
- Frequently asked questions about osteoarthritis of the knee. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00228. Accessed Jan. 18, 2010.
- Johnson MW. Acute knee effusions: A systematic approach to diagnosis. American Family Physician. 2000;61:2391.
- Mathison DJ, et al. Approach to knee effusions. Pediatric Emergency Care. 2009;25:773.
- Knee problems. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/default.asp. Accessed Jan. 18, 2010.
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