Knee Swelling - Is This Arthritis Or Something Else?

Are you having problems with painful knee swelling and wondering what in the world is going on? Well, if you are like one of millions of people who suffer from knee joint problems, this can be an on-going situation. Don't you think it's time to find out if your swollen knees are caused by osteoarthritis or something else?

Many people in today's society are living longer. Degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, Parkinson's, and diabetes were not a big concern to researchers in the past because many people did not live past their 40's. Now a days, people are living well into their 60's and 70's and even into their 80's and 90's. They are wanting cures to these debilitating diseases so they can be healthy in their golden years and live free of pain.

The problem with a symptom like knee swelling is that it could be something other than arthritis. Knee inflammation happens when there is fluid build up or bleeding in the joint of the knee or around the joint. Many conditions can cause this namely osteoarthritis, knee joint infection, meniscus or ligament tear, bursitis, vitamin deficiencies and medication toxicity.

Bursitis for instance is a condition that happens when the bursa that surrounds the knee joint becomes swollen due to injury. A bursa is closed fluid filled sac that serves as gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues in the body. When the fluid filled sac around the knee becomes injured, it causes knee pain and inflammation.

Unlike bursitis, cartilage damage induced by arthritis causes fluid to accumulate in the knee joint instead of around the joint. So determining where the fluid is accumulating in the knee is key to a diagnosis. Vitamin C deficiency and toxicity from blood thinning medications like coumadin can cause blood to seep into the joints and tissues but these are less common conditions that can cause the knee to swell.

In the meantime, what can you do to decrease knee swelling. Getting an MRI is one way to determine what is causing knee inflammation. If it is an acute problem which is usually from an injury, an anti-inflammatory can be taken. However, if it is a long term condition such as osteoarthritis, you may want to consider a natural supplement with ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger which decreases inflammation in the knee and rebuild cartilage.

Whatever you do don't allow knee swelling to continue. Talk with your health care professional. Continuous inflammation in the knee can lead to further knee damage down the road because the last thing you want to have to undergo is knee surgery.