painful knee

[Arlene99]

hi all

I’m new to this particular site. Have had pain in the ‘mediscus joint ‘ at the inner side of my knee.

This has been going on for about 8 was now. Was wondering if anyone can give me some information on this……not sure if I have unknowingly injured it or if it could be arthritic.

Any help would b appreciated…..thank you

[nomoreheels]

H iya Arlene99, welcome to the NRAS forum. Two things… I think you may mean meniscus, & there isn't a meniscus joint. The menisci are c-shaped cartilage between the knee joints which act as cushioning, sock absorbers if you like. As yours is the inner knee it's called the medial meniscus & can be anything from quite mild to very painful depending on severity. It can be a very easy injury for anyone, not just those with arthritic conditions, simply twisting your knee wrongly can result in meniscus problems.

Have you been diagnosed & told it's torn? If you have you might be offered surgery as it may be able to be repaired or the damaged part removed. Alternatively depending on the type of tear it may heal itself, though that's less likely. If trying conservative therapy first whilst it may not be a particularly long recovery time it does mean you may need crutches to aid walking, avoid the extra pain & employ RICE… Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation to help it to heal. If bad enough left untreated the meniscus could potentially become loose, if that happens then surgery will most likely be necessary. Physio will probably be offered but if it hasn't healed itself in around 3-4 months then it's likely surgery will be recommended.

Your GP should be able to prescribe appropriate pain relief & an NSAID to help reduce the inflammation & pain caused by it.

I hope this helps.

[Langers2]

I'm having pain in my left knee, but more towards the outer side. It's been ongoing for similar time as yours. I find bearing weight on it painful, so walking, running difficult, any impact exercises is a complete no no. I emailed my rheumatologist and he suggested seeing my gp and trying to get an xray. However, trying to get a gp appointment is a tough task in itself. Maybe you should do the same xx

[Arlene99 in reply to Langers2]

I had X-ray at hosp & they said it showed arthritis. So at the moment I’m using a crutch to try & take the weight off the painful knee. I’m quite an active person & am struggling to do everyday things & it’s making me feel quite down & not sure what to do to help myself.

[katieoxo60]

Hello Arlene99, as you have mentioned meniscus then I presume you have spoken to someone about this . nomoreheels has given a good explanation this is a common injury in atheletes but can often just happen in older people from minor injury or arthritis . It could be something else of course so I would suggest you ask for a referral from your GP or it is possible to get an assessment done by a physio at a reasonable price in case it is muscular. Gout causes similar symptoms in the knee also . We are not able to give diagnosis you need tests for that like Xray or MRI scan. It may take some time to get through the system so if possible I would use everything you can to lessen the pain and any swelling and keep a record of what helps or does not . Creams like tiger balm are quite good , I used to use support bandages before my total knee replacement and pain patches directly on the painful area. If it is a minor meniscus tear you may only need a small repair which is done by day surgery these days. There are lots of articles on line about Meniscus treatment as well as arthritic treatment of the knee joint might be worth a bit of research by yourself. Best Wishes

[Arlene99]

Thanks all for your comments. Can’t get to see GP, but did offer appt with physio who said having checked my knee & mobility was not overly concerned & advised orthotic insoles, which I bought. However, after 8 weeks I was offered an X-ray which showed as having arthritis in my knee, so at the moment I’m using a crutch to help take the weight off the painful knee. I’m considering getting a private consultation, just for advice re what I should/should not be doing to help this problem. Am I just wasting my money doing this??? Should I just live with the problem ??

[nomoreheels in reply to Arlene99]

Apols if this seems an odd question but is the knee pain diagnosis a meniscus tear or arthritis (which I take is Osteoarthritis, the wear & tear arthritis we get as we age)? Depending on the diagnosis my reply to your question differs.

[Arlene99]

Hi…..the physio said it could possibly be a small injury in the meniscus area & the X-ray showed as me having a bit of arthritis ……so I’m unsure how i should be treating this, can’t get gp appt for 4 weeks as it’s non urgent.

Hence the reason I’m asking for some information on this site 😕

[nomoreheels in reply to Arlene99]

Well, I can only suggest what I'd do but it applies to both potential diagnoses. Whilst you're waiting to see your GP your could try using the RICE method. If pain relief or NSAIDs aren't helping as much as you need maybe try Pernaton gel (green lipped mussel) as you can reapply that several times a day. As long as you don't have an allergy to shellfish/seafood you may find it eases the pain, more so when you're resting your knee.

[Arlene99 in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanks for that …..always willing to try something that may help 😊