Sore Knees With Swelling. Is It Due Torn Miniscus?

Posted on Sat, 12 May 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 12 May 2012 Answered on

Mon, 9 Jul 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I have bad knees and recently developed a large soft bump on the outside of my right knee. My knee retains fluid and was wondering if this is a torn miniscus

Answered by Dr. Ketan Vagholkar (2 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for the query.

Sore knee with swelling around the joint is a sign of inflammation - arthritis. Based on your description, this might be related to osteoarthritis of knees.

You need to get your knees x rayed.

Orthopaedic evaluation is a must to assess the degree of degeneration and its functional impact. A meniscus will not tear spontaneously without injury. Again clinical evaluation will help in assessing the state of the ligaments as well as menisci. If there is any positive finding clinically and on X-ray then a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the knee will confirm the diagnosis.

Hence I encourage you to a competent orthopedician. Meanwhile icing and antinflammatory medication such as ibuprofen (available over the counter) twice a day for a week or two might benefit you.

Hope this answers your query. Let me know if you have any more concerns.

With regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad