How can severe pain and swelling in the knees after injury be treated?
Patient: Yesterday I tripped on the sidewalk and crashed onto the concrete. The first thing to hit was my knee cap it hurt like crazy but I was able to get up and walk home. It swelled pretty significantly and I could hardly walking on it within a few hours. I took two Alene and have iced it. Today is better but am limping and if I torque it a little there is shooting pain. Still icing it and I have braces from a former acl tear (years ago) and a knee wrap. Should I give it more time? Is it important to see a doc sooner rather than later? Doctor: Hello,The severity of the symptoms you are experiencing, suggest that you may have suffered a fracture due to the fall. Since your pain and swelling have increased, and you have not felt any relief even after icing and rest it is advisable that you get yourself checked by an orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible to prevent any further damage. It can also be a case of ligament or meniscal injury and can diagnose with the help of an x-ray and MRI of the knee joint. Treatment will depend on the diagnosis.Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.Regards,Dr. Nazma.amman