What is Knee Effusion

Knee effusion means that you have extra fluid in your knee. This can cause pain. Your knee may be more difficult to bend and move.

What are the causes?

Common causes are:

• Arthritis.
• Infection.
• Injury.
• Autoimmune disease. This means that your body’s defense system (immune system) mistakenly attacks healthy body tissues.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Do not drive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
• If you are taking prescription pain medicine, take actions to help prevent or treat trouble pooping (constipation). Your doctor may recommend that you:
  • Drink enough fluid to keep your pee (urine) pale yellow.
  • Eat foods that are high in fiber. These include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
  • Avoid eating fatty or sweet foods.
  • Take a medicine for constipation.

If you have a brace:

• Wear the brace as told by your doctor. Remove it only as told by your doctor.
• Loosen the brace if your toes tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the brace clean.
• If the brace is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If told, apply ice to the swollen area:
  • If you have a removable brace, remove it as told by your doctor.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.
• Keep your knee raised (elevated) when you are sitting or lying down.

General instructions

• Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. These can delay healing. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.
• Use crutches as told by your doctor.
• Do exercises as told by your doctor.
• Rest as told by your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

Contact a doctor if you:

• Continue to have pain in your knee.

Get help right away if you:

• Have swelling or redness of your knee that gets worse or does not get better.
• Have serious pain in your knee.
• Have a fever.

Summary

• Knee effusion is when you have extra fluid in your knee. This causes pain and swelling and makes it hard to bend and move your knee.
• Take medicines only as told by your doctor.
• If you have a brace, wear the brace as told by your doctor.