What should I do if I have joint effusion? Many people who have knee discomfort go to the hospital for checkups, and after taking a film, the report will show a small amount of fluid in the joint, and the doctor will let more rest, but this rest will lead to more problems, such as muscle atrophy…so it will be farther away from normal life and return to sports. So what should I do if I have fluid? What can be done to solve the problem properly? Let’s talk about what joint effusion really is. What is joint effusion? The joint is formed by the connection between the bone and the joint, which is surrounded by a joint capsule that forms a closed joint cavity. The inner wall of the joint capsule is covered by synovial tissue. The contact surface between the bones is a layer of articular cartilage. The synovial tissue secretes joint fluid, which lubricates the cartilage. If the synovial tissue is irritated by infection, trauma, or wear and tear, an inflammatory reaction (synovitis) may result in a fluid that is different from normal and accumulates in the joint cavity, resulting in joint effusion. This is easily diagnosed as “synovitis” in clinical practice. Tips: Once the joint fluid is diluted by excess body fluid, it loses its lubricating effect. The joint will cause local swelling, stiffness, pain and a series of other uncomfortable symptoms. So here is a little disinformation, joint fluid is not a disease, but only a manifestation of the knee joint. Joint effusion can be caused by factors that can cause inflammation of the synovial membrane, which can lead to joint effusion. There are four common causes: Osteoarthritis The cartilage in the joint tends to wear down. Once it wears down to a certain level, the phenomenon of “bone on bone friction” may occur. This produces some wear and tear debris, causing an inflammatory response in the synovial membrane, which can lead to joint effusion. Tips: Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of joint effusion, and the two are usually seen together. Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks the joint tissue, causing sterile inflammation, which can also lead to this problem. Trauma Injuries to the joints from accidents, such as meniscal injuries and cruciate ligament tears, can also cause an inflammatory response from the immune system. This can spread to the synovial lining of the joint and cause joint effusion. Infection Inflammation of the joint caused by the invasion of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses into the joint cavity, the most common cause being sepsis. The most common cause of joint effusion is septicemia. People who do activities related to prolonged standing, walking and squatting are prone to this disease. Whether running, playing ball or working out, some knee injuries can occur due to incorrect movement patterns or muscle strength problems. Such as hobby climbers, donkeys, people who often exercise by going up and down stairs, dancers, athletes, etc. In milder cases, the result of a radiograph is “a small amount of fluid in the knee joint”, while in more severe cases, there is a meniscus or ligament damage, which also results in “fluid in the knee joint”. Patients who have undergone knee surgery. The shaving or irritation of the synovial membrane in the knee joint caused abnormal leakage of soft tissue such as synovial membrane and abnormal secretion of synovial fluid, resulting in excessive fluid accumulation in the knee joint and swelling of the joint itself. Older people As people age, degenerative disease of the joints may occur, and the cartilage in the joints may be damaged to varying degrees, resulting in “joint effusion”. How to treat joint effusion Puncture therapy: If the joint effusion is large and the tension is high, joint puncture can be performed to completely remove the effusion and blood and inject the joint cavity with sodium glacial solution, which is the main component of joint synovial fluid. Immobilization and rehabilitation: In the early stage, bed rest should be given, the affected limb should be elevated, compression bandages can be applied, and weight bearing is prohibited. During the treatment period, the quadriceps muscle can be flexed and contracted, and later the knee flexion and extension exercises should be strengthened, which has a positive effect on eliminating joint effusion, preventing quadriceps muscle atrophy, preventing recurrent synovitis, and restoring knee extension and flexion functions. Local closure therapy: closure therapy, also called “local closure”, is a method of treating pain that has evolved from local anesthesia. The basic operation of closure therapy is to inject a mixture of local anesthetic and hormonal drugs into the painful area to achieve the purpose of anti-inflammation and analgesia. Sequestration therapy is a simple, safe, efficacious and reliable treatment method to relieve pain or discomfort in patients with osteophytes. Exercise therapy: Patients should get into the habit of exercising, but they should be careful not to overdo it. Because the knee is the most weight-bearing joint in the body, overload is prone to arthritis. Once the disease has developed, exercise should not be stopped completely, as long as the amount of exercise is adjusted according to the situation, in fact, a certain amount of exercise is still beneficial for knee osteoarthritis. Physical therapy: shortwave, ultrashortwave, microwave, etc. medication: acute synovial injury, stagnation of blood stasis, treatment to dissipate stasis and swelling, if there is inflammation, anti-inflammatory treatment is required.