What is joint effusion

Joint effusion refers to the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity and is a relatively common health problem. If joint effusion occurs, timely treatment is very necessary, because joint effusion can cause many other diseases and will have a great impact on the patient's joint health. Joint effusion can also be prevented. Next, I will introduce you to some relevant knowledge about joint effusion!

1. Introduction to joint effusion

When the joints are diseased or certain systemic diseases occur, the amount of synovial fluid increases and forms arthritic effusion (arthrohydrops), causing joint pain and discomfort. Under normal circumstances, there is only a small amount of synovial fluid in the knee joint to nourish the articular cartilage, lubricate the joint, and reduce friction during joint movement. Joint fluid is secreted by the synovium and is constantly circulated and renewed when the joints move. Joint effusion may form when the joints are diseased or certain systemic diseases occur.

2. Differential Diagnosis

Patients with excessive knee joint effusion or recurrent effusion may undergo a joint effusion examination. When there is a lot of joint effusion, it is easy to detect it through clinical examination. Ultrasound imaging technology has its unique advantages: ① In normal people, the echo-free area of ​​effusion in the bilateral knee joint cavity is less than 0.2 cm, and it is considered that there is knee joint effusion if it exceeds 0.3 cm. ② The incidence of knee joint effusion is high in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The change in the amount of effusion is related to ESR and can be used as one of the observation indicators for changes in the disease.

Treatment

Treatment of joint effusions requires a clear diagnosis to determine whether they are bacterial or noninfectious. Infectious joint effusion requires systemic administration of sensitive antibiotics, and can also be treated by joint cavity lavage with gentamicin and other drugs, paying attention to aseptic operation. If it is sterile joint effusion, triamcinolone acetonide, lidocaine, and vitamin B12 can be injected into the joint cavity to seal it, reduce synovial reaction, and reduce synovial fluid production. Regular check-ups should be conducted, and sodium hyaluronate injection can be injected into the joint cavity to nourish cartilage. Oral administration of Pu-Li capsules can be performed. During the entire treatment process, the diseased joint can be fixed with a brace to reduce activity. After the effusion disappears, the flexion and extension exercises of the joint can be gradually resumed.

4. Prevention

Avoid long-term strenuous exercise. Long-term excessive and strenuous exercise or activity is one of the basic causes of synovial degeneration. Especially for weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and hips, excessive movement increases the stress on the joint surfaces and intensifies wear. Long-term strenuous exercise can also cause excessive stress and traction on the bones and surrounding soft tissues, resulting in local soft tissue damage and uneven stress on the iliac bones, leading to bone hyperplasia.