Diagnosis

The diagnosis of bone edema in the knee is often difficult because the possible symptoms, such as pain or restricted mobility, are non-specific and in most cases have other causes. This is compounded by the fact that bone edema often causes no symptoms at all for a long time. In order to make a diagnosis, it is therefore particularly important to talk to your doctor and have a physical examination at the beginning.

If the doctor considers it appropriate, he will also arrange for an imaging examination. Usually, a conventional X-ray examination of the knee is performed first. However, if there is a suspicion that bone edema may be present, a reliable diagnosis can only be made by means of an MRT (magnetic resonance imaging). However, since the examination is very complex and expensive and bone edema is rather rare as a disease, an MRI should only be performed in justified individual cases.

Treatment

Special treatment of bone edema in the knee is not always necessary. Especially as a result of an injury, the water retention usually recedes by itself, even without therapy. Nevertheless, some supportive treatment measures can be useful to achieve faster healing and prevent the development of consequential damage.

An essential part of the therapy is often the temporary relief of the knee joint, for example, by using crutches and frequent elevation of the leg. Occasional cooling can also reduce possible swelling. To treat pain and swelling, anti-inflammatory painkillers are often used for a limited period of time.

Special drugs that act on the bone substance, such as bisphosphonates, can in some cases be a therapeutic option in cases of bone edema in the knee. Furthermore, in some cases it is not the physical protection but a specific movement training that is an important part of the treatment. This promotes blood circulation and stimulates bone metabolism, which should lead to a reduction in bone edema in the knee.

In addition to physiotherapeutic treatments, joint-gentle sports such as swimming or cycling are also suitable. If there is a deficiency of nutrients that are important for bone metabolism, such as vitamin D or calcium, it is essential to compensate for this. In principle, treatment with homeopathic remedies is also a possible alternative for complaints caused by bone edema in the knee.

This can either be done alone or in addition to another therapy. Due to the large number of possible causes and the individually different appearance of the symptoms of knee bone edema, no uniform recommendation can be made as to which homeopathic preparation should be taken. A physician who carries out a homeopathic treatment will choose the remedy primarily based on the patient’s expressed complaints.

Among other things, bisphosphonates can be used to treat bone edema. This drug inhibits the breakdown of bone substance and is therefore used to treat bone diseases with increased bone resorption, such as osteoporosis. If the bone edema in the knee is caused by a disease that results in a reduction of bone substance, it may therefore be advisable to use bisphosphonates for therapy.

In most cases of bone edema in the knee, however, this is not indicated.Due to possible side effects caused by the intake of bisphosphonates, this should therefore only be done in justified cases. In most cases of bone edema in the knee, it is advisable to cool the joint occasionally. However, it may sometimes be appropriate to apply heat.

Cold is particularly indicated after an injury or to relieve symptoms such as pain, swelling or redness. The use of cold is particularly appropriate for newly occurring or increasing symptoms. However, if, for example, osteoarthritis of the knee joint, i.e. a disease caused by wear and tear, is responsible for the bone edema, heat can be used to improve the symptoms.

It is best to consult the treating physician about whether and in what form cold or heat should be used for treatment. A very aggressive treatment alternative for bone edema in the knee is drilling into the affected bone. If the pressure exerted by water retention is so strong that it does not alleviate the symptoms or even causes bone substance to die, drilling is the last resort.

In addition to relieving the pressure, the bone should be stimulated to form new cells. However, this procedure should only be decided upon after all other treatment options for bone edema in the knee have been exhausted. In the case of protracted pain due to bone edema in the knee, acupuncture can be used to try to relieve the pain.

Compared to treatment with medication, for example, acupuncture is an alternative form of therapy with few side effects. At best, however, it can only relieve the symptoms and not treat the cause of the pain. If necessary, acupuncture can also be used in combination with other therapeutic procedures. The stimulating stimulus of the needles is intended to stimulate an increased release of the body’s own pain-relieving messengers.