Swelling of the Joints
Joint swelling and arthritis
Joint swelling can be a primary symptom of arthritis. A small amount of fluid exists in normal joints. When a joint is affected by arthritis, inflammatory types of arthritis in particular, increased abnormal amounts of fluid build up, making the joint swollen. Joint swelling may occur along with other symptoms linked to arthritis including joint pain, joint stiffness, inflammation, tenderness, redness and warmth around the affected joints. Swelling may be caused by injury, infections, trauma, hemarthrosis (bleeding into joint spaces) and arthritic conditions.
When to call
Call your health care provider if any of the following occurs:
- Severe, unexplained joint pain
- Severe, unexplained stiffness or swelling, especially if accompanied by other unexplained symptoms
What to expect at your health care provider’s office
When you arrive, the health care staff at OS will obtain your medical history and will perform a physical examination. The joint(s) will be closely examined. You will be asked questions about your joint swelling, such as:
- Which joint is swollen?
- Is more than one joint swollen?
- When did the joint swelling develop?
- Is it always swollen or does it come and go?
- Is this the first time you have had swollen joints?
- How swollen is the area?
- If you press over the swollen area with a finger, does it leave a dent after you take the finger away?
- What makes the swelling worse?
- Is it any worse in the morning or at night?
- Does exercise make it worse?
- What make the swelling better?
- Does elevating the affected body part make the swelling go down?
- Is it better if you use an elastic wrap?
- What home treatment have you tried? How effective was it?
- What other symptoms are also present?
- Is there joint pain?
- Is there fever?
- Is there a rash?
Tests to diagnose the cause:
A variety of tests may be used to diagnose the cause of your swelling. Those tests include:
- Blood studies
- Aspiration of the affected joint with lab study of the fluid
- X-rays
Treatment Options (non-surgical):
- Lifestyle modifications – Lifestyle modifications can include losing weight, switching from running or jumping exercises to swimming or cycling, and minimizing activities that aggravate the condition, such as climbing stairs. Losing weight can result in reduced pain and increased function, particularly in walking.
- Exercise – Exercises can help increase range of motion and flexibility as well as help strengthen muscles.
- Supportive devices – Using supportive devices, such as a cane, wearing energy-absorbing shoes or inserts, or wearing a brace or knee sleeve can be helpful.
Treatment Options (surgical):
- Arthroscopic surgery uses fiber optic technology to enable the surgeon to see inside the joint and clean it of debris or repair torn cartilage.
- An osteotomy cuts the shinbone (tibia) or the thighbone (femur) to improve the alignment of the knee joint.
- A total or partial knee arthroplasty replaces the severely damaged knee joint cartilage with metal and plastic.
- Cartilage grafting is possible for some knees with limited or contained cartilage loss from trauma or arthritis.
