What's with my knee?
After experiences with ankles (including two surgeries), elbows, wrists, and of course fingers, I've been "fortunate" to have RA make a recent visit to my knee. But since the knee is different than the other joints and is load bearing, symptoms seem to be a little different. It started with the telltale pain and swelling. But then is started crunching/squishing when I bend. First question...what's the source of this "nice" sound? Then it started popping loudly whenever I flex it. It's loud and embarassing and sometimes catches/locks and I have to push it past this to flex it. Second question...what's causing that locking? This all leads to my final question...Is this something to bring to my rheumy's attention or even see an orthopedic surgeon about? Since the knee seems so critical to my movement, I'm just a little bit more concerned about it.
Thanks! Andrew
Hi Andrew, How are you? Oh yeah, you are hurtin...
Sounds like the RA finally found your knee...
Is it symmetrical? Maybe it will be soon. RA is usually symmetrical, but not 100% !
The noises are fun. I got them (noises) in every single joint, one at a time, just as the RA would settle there. Some docs call it Crepitus. Funny word.
Sorry about the knee. Something about it getting my knees really shocked me. HEY WHAT'S GOING ON? I'M NOT OLD ENOUGH...
Kelly
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Yeah, that sounds familiar. When my RA is active, my knee locks when I try to straighten it and I can't get past a certain point. It also has crunching and popping feelings inside the knee - I can't tell you for sure what causes this (because it's Saturday and my brain has gone away, okay mostly because I'm not a doctor), but I suspect it's some sort of interaction between the fluid in your knee, the inflammation and tendons getting trapped in the tendon sheath because of the inflammation. It is definitely something to discuss what your rheumatologist. He may be able to drain the knee or give you a steroid shot in the knee, which should help for a while. Surgery may be an option, but again, I would suggest starting with your rheumatologists and going from there.
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