Re: knee swollen since accident

I hate needles as well so it was only the Novocain that hurt, and only a little.  The one that drained the knee has a more terrifying look because it is huge, but it didn't hurt a bit after the numbness.

I seriously doubt that you will find anything that will drain the knee other than rest and staying off of it.  If there is any damage at all, any minor activity will just keep creating more fluid and make it worse and for me that's a zillion times worse than a needle.  See a doc.

Here's Dr. Weil's solution:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA310534

However, sometimes water on the knee can be the result of overuse - the term "housemaid's knee" was coined to refer to this condition among domestic workers who spent hours each day on their hands and knees scrubbing floors. "Housemaid's knee" is also known as prepattellar bursitis - an inflammation of the bursal sac located between the kneecap and the overlying skin. Repetitive pressure, gout and infection are the most common causes. However, this typically resolves within two weeks if you avoid putting pressure on the knee.

You can try topical DMSO (dimethly sulfoxide) available at health food stores or on the Internet. DMSO penetrates the skin and targets pockets of inflammation, where it stimulates healing. Make a 70 percent solution by diluting a 100 percent solution with distilled water. The mixture will get hot so allow it to cool down before use. Apply it to the affected area with absorbent cotton and let it dry. You can apply the solution three times a day for three days. If you don't see any improvement, stop using it. If you do notice a difference, begin to cut back to twice a day for three more days then once daily for the last three days. After that, your body can continue the healing process on its own.

Osteoarthritis can also cause water on the knee. This happens if the joint becomes inflamed and the membrane (or synovium) which lines the joints secretes an excess of synovial fluid. If you have arthritis, I recommend reading The Arthritis Cure by Jason Theodosakis, MD, Brenda Adderly and Barry Fox, PhD. (St. Martin's Press, 1997) and, for treatment, consider using glucosamine sulfate (1,500 mg daily) with or without chondroitin sulfate (1,200 mg daily).

Andrew Weil, M.D.