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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment for water on the knee focuses on treating the underlying disease or injury.
- Osteoarthritis. Removing fluid from your knee joint can help relieve the pressure of joint fluid buildup. After aspirating joint fluid, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid into the joint to treat inflammation.
- Gout or pseudogout. With these two conditions, uric acid or CPPD crystals deposit in joints and may cause inflammation in the joint and surrounding soft tissues. An intra-articular corticosteroid injection; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, (Motrin, Advil, others); or colchicine may be recommended for treatment of an acute attack of gout or pseudogout. Allopurinol or probenecid may be started after an acute attack of gout has subsided. Allopurinol decreases the body's production of uric acid in an attempt to prevent additional episodes of gout.
- Infection. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the underlying infection. You may need repeated aspiration of the infected joint or surgery.
- Arthroscopic knee surgery. Using an arthroscope — a surgical tool designed to look inside your knee joint — an orthopedic surgeon examines the inside of your knee joint for wear and tear. The surgeon may also repair damage inside your knee joint with this instrument.
- Joint replacement. Most people with osteoarthritis of the knee don't require surgery. But if bearing weight on your knee joint becomes intolerable, your doctor may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for knee replacement.
