For treating knee effusion, it is important to be aware of the causes of this condition. The causes of this condition are wide and many and range from knee injury to arthritis.

Knee effusion is a condition, which causes accumulation of excess fluid in and around the knee joint or in the tissue surrounding the knee joint. There are different names with which this condition is referred to with. The most common name of this condition is water on the knee. Sometimes it is also referred to as swelling of the knee. The swelling on the knee joint can either be acute or chronic. Depending on the causes the onset of the condition can either be sudden or gradual.

Knee Joint Effusion Causes

There is a lining in the knee joint, which protects the joint. It produces fluid, which helps in lubricating the knee joint, that ensures movement of the knee joint and also helps in nourishing the knee cartilage. However, when excess fluid is produced it causes swelling around the knee joint and also gives it a puffy feeling. The effusion is caused due to reactionary synovial fluid, that has been released in the knee joint.

Arthritis
Osteoarthritis: It is a condition related to aging, where the joint degenerates. In this condition, the cartilages of the knee joint deteriorates over a period of time, which gives rise to swelling and effusion. Since the joint deteriorates, the bones in the knee joint rub against each other, giving rise to pain and swelling.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Knee effusion can also be caused due to rheumatoid arthritis as well. It is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, where the most common symptom is inflammation of the knee joint. Along with pain, puffiness, stiffness also may be observed in the knee joint.

Gout: Gout is also a type of arthritis, in which uric acid accumulates in the knee joint. The most common symptoms of this condition is inflammation, swelling, pain and hot and red knee joint.

Infection
When there is rapid onset of knee effusion, it is often caused due to bacteria. In this condition, fluid is seen accumulation inside the knee joint. This condition can be caused to various reasons, common among them are surgery or systemic infection. The infection can either be caused due to bacteria, virus or fungi. Bacterial infection can spread from the bloodstream to the joints, which in turn can lead to effusion. It is important that the bacterial infection be treated on time to avoid permanent damage to the knee joint. The viral infections on the other hand, do heal on its own and often do not cause damage to the knee joint. This condition often requires surgery to alleviate the condition, as the body may find it difficult to fight the infection.

Trauma
Trauma to the knee joint is one of the most common cause of knee effusion. Injuries like broken bone, bursitis, knee sprain, meniscus tears, ligament and tendon injuries, etc., are some of the causes of knee effusion. The injuries can either be caused due to age, or they can also be sports injuries. The trauma can either be an impact on the knee joint or it can be direct blow to the knee joint. Knee effusion can also result due to overuse injuries. These conditions are often seen in athletes. These kinds of injuries are often seen in the bursa, which is located in the front of the kneecap. When the bursa is infected, there can be septic formation in the knee joint.

Tumor
A tumor can be a solid or fluid filled lesion. The causes of tumor are varied. This condition often has gradual onset, where the swelling may be seen increasing or decreasing at different times. Similarly the symptoms of this condition may also fluctuate over a period of time.

These were some of the knee effusion causes. It is important not to self treat the condition. Also the knee effusion symptoms can vary from person. It is advisable to let the physician to treat the condition.

Disclaimer: This write-up should be used for informational purposes only.