Persistent Knee Swelling

Okay! We hope your knee swelling gets better soon and that this guide has been helpful.

Remember:

See your doctor; if serious conditions, including infection, could be present and treatment should be started right away.

Knee swelling can be related to many different conditions, some of which are related to inflammation (such as gout or rheumatoid arthritis), others due to a mechanical problem in the knee (such as torn ligament or injured cartilage), and still others that are less inflamed but still arthritic (such as osteoarthritis.

Knee swelling is most commonly due to conditions that are not serious--in fact, swelling is often present even in people who do not realize it--so if you notice knee swelling, don't panic! But do contact your health care provider.

Diseases and conditions

gout

IBD-associated arthritis

Lyme disease

meniscal tear

osteoarthritis

pseudogout

psoriatic arthritis

reactive arthritis

rheumatoid arthritis

septic arthritis

Test and procedures

tapping the joint for synovial fluid analysis

MRI

CT scan

arthroscopy