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What Causes Swelling In Knees?

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Posted on Fri, 30 May 2014
Question: May you suggest any things which would improve my mother's condition / life, particularly for the severe swelling of the knees and down but not so much ankles ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (44 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I would like to ask few questions

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I have studied your case.

Swelling around knee joint post TKR can be due to many reasons.
I would like to ask some detail history like does she have pain in knee? Does she have redness around swelling? Is there local rise of temperature?
There is possibility of metallosis or infection around knee joint.
As pre your history infection needs to ruled out by tests

You may need to investigate like CRP, CBC, ESR .
PCR culture from knee aspirate is very useful to find culprit organism if infection is suspected.

Leg swelling can be due to cardiac origin or related to hypertension.
Physiotherapy will help in reducing knee and ankle swelling.


For associated age related osteoporosis take calcium and vit D supplement.
Avoid cortisone injection as long term effects are not good.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Take care.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (9 hours later)
Thank you doctor XXXXXXX for your reply.

I forgot to mention that she has had shingles on one side of her face for over a year also. A low immune system I suspect.
She does not have osteoporosis.
At 90 years of age for the relief from pain and then more ability to use the arm and remain independent she has no better alternative than the cortisone injections.
I'll put your reply to her for her response and let you know.
What are the long term effects of cortisone ?

with thanks for your valuable works from Peta Emes
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (17 hours later)
Brief Answer:
potential side effects include thinning of skin

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX Emes

For low immunity she should eat healthy fresh diet including more fruits and vegetables and do regular exercises.

Her osteoporosis can be confirmed by DEXA scan. At age of 90 there is strong possibility of osteoporosis.

Long-term side effects of corticosteroid injections depend on the dose and frequency of the injections. With higher doses and frequent administration, potential side effects include thinning of the skin, easy bruising, weight gain, puffiness of the face, elevation of blood pressure, cataract formation, thinning of the bones (osteoporosis), and a rare but serious damage to the bones of the large joints (avascular necrosis).

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (47 hours later)
thank you for your reply doctor XXXXXXX
update :
I have checked with my mother XXXXXXX
You are right she does have osteoporosis and also has recently been told according to blood tests she needs extra magnesium.
Correction on the knees : her knees are not swelling, sore or heated, although they looked it to me.

Her problem is stiff knees she says, and sometimes her back if she sits upright for too long becomes stiff.
She has had some calcium removed from within a knee joint by a sucking out process some time ago.
She stopped vitamin D at the start of summer as her levels of that were high, but now it's low again and she is again taking that.

She has the cortisone by injections only to reduce the side effects.
I hope I have given an overall idea of her current constitution.

Do you have any more advice which may help her conditions ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (28 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Explained below

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

Continue treatment for osteoporosis.
For knee stiffness regular physiotherapy and exercises will help.Those can be done manually by passive or active ways.

Many of my patients get relief by yoga pranayama and XXXXXXX XXXXXXX so you can also due that.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Take care
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 5164 Questions

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What Causes Swelling In Knees?

Brief Answer: I would like to ask few questions Detailed Answer: Hello, I have studied your case. Swelling around knee joint post TKR can be due to many reasons. I would like to ask some detail history like does she have pain in knee? Does she have redness around swelling? Is there local rise of temperature? There is possibility of metallosis or infection around knee joint. As pre your history infection needs to ruled out by tests You may need to investigate like CRP, CBC, ESR . PCR culture from knee aspirate is very useful to find culprit organism if infection is suspected. Leg swelling can be due to cardiac origin or related to hypertension. Physiotherapy will help in reducing knee and ankle swelling. For associated age related osteoporosis take calcium and vit D supplement. Avoid cortisone injection as long term effects are not good. Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries. Wishing you good health. Take care.