Inflammation in the Knees and no where else | Arthritis Information

I think my prednisone, mtx, and plaquenil has my RA controlled to a certain extent ...

but I continually get inflammation in my knees ... it is so hard to get up from a chair without wincing in pain ... the lower the chair, the worse it is ...

and it's also difficult to walk down stairs (strangely going up the stairs is easy) ... but going down the stairs is a major pain ... I have to step one at a time ... I am so slow that people behind me lose their patience waiting for me ... it's like I am disabled. Why is going down stairs harder than going up stairs?

Is there anything I can do about my knees? Has anyone just gotten a shot in the knee? What kind of shot is it? And how long does the benefits of the shot last?

Thanks for any advice.

Cindy..... Yes... you can have inflammation in one or two joints alone....

I have a bad left knee..... twist it wrong and it's flaring...and for the most part I am teetering on the edge of remission according to my exams......

I have gotten shots of Cortisone in my knee and in a couple of days I am feeling much better......

is that an option?
how long do the cortisone shots last before you feel better, babs10?

how much do the shots usually cost?

I don't know the cost... I don't even get charged a doctor visit.

I usually feel better in a couple of days if I take it easy.

Cindy,

You should have an Orthopedic Doctor look at your knees. It could be a mechanical problem. He/She will probably Xray them to be sure what is going on. I have had many joints injected, some times they work like a dream other times not so much. Hope you make that appointment and at least get to the bottom of it.

Good luck,

Lisa

call your dr and get some x;rays done of your knees. Cortisone or other injections can certainly help the knees but it will help to know if you are dealing with damage/OA or active RA in the knees

[QUOTE=buckeye]

call your dr and get some x;rays done of your knees. Cortisone or other injections can certainly help the knees but it will help to know if you are dealing with damage/OA or active RA in the knees

[/QUOTE]

Yep - or even a back or foot problem can cause knee issues.
Going down stairs is more painful for me because I have chondromalacia.... I have lost some of the cartilage under the kneecap. I know there is a mechanical reason why down hill and down stairs hurts more but I can't remember why right now. Is your pain mostly under your knee cap?
Cortisone injections have helped me a great deal, but they are temporary ( only last me a month or two at the most). I agree a visit to the orthopedist would probably be worthwhile. My knees are always acting up. I swear by the Kenalog injections in the joints [cortisone] but the rule is no more than 2 injections in the same joint per year. I experience total comfort 36 hours after the injections. Heaven! My shots last almost 8 weeks.

Definitely, find out what the problem is - I'd use an orth surgeon for this. If the promblem is osteoarthritis, consider Synvisc. I had it done to both knees last year - lasted 7 months in each knee. Am going for another round soon.

Cost? Not sure what the cash cost is because my insurance covers about 90% or so of it. Same with the Synvisc.

If your problem indicates Synvisc for treatment, make sure you check with your insurance for pre-authorization.

If you elect to get a cortisone shot in the knee, you might ask the orth surgeon to aspirate some fluid to be checked for CPPD. [Cortisone in the joint often "contaminates" the specimen for the lab, which is why you want them to aspirate fluid first if it is suspected.]

Sam12342010-02-16 19:00:38[QUOTE=JasmineRain] [QUOTE=buckeye]

call your dr and get some x;rays done of your knees. Cortisone or other injections can certainly help the knees but it will help to know if you are dealing with damage/OA or active RA in the knees

[/QUOTE]

Yep - or even a back or foot problem can cause knee issues.
[/QUOTE]

True, My husband had a hip replacement, The hip was causing issues with his knees.

Knees resolved after surgery.

wow, thanks for all the helpful input!

i will need to look into chondomalacia ... i think my inflammation starts towards the inner joint of my knee .... like when i put my 2 thighs together really tight ... the 2 knees feel sore

Bumping because this is an RA board, despite attempts by some to make it into a cesspool...... [QUOTE=Lynn49] Bumping because this is an RA board, despite attempts by some to make it into a cesspool......[/QUOTE]

Copyright ArthritisInsight.com