How To Repair Meniscus Tear

Meniscus tears are pretty mutual, but that doesn't make them any less painful. "Meniscus" is a fancy term for the cartilage cushioning your knees; during an intense sport or activity, this cartilage can tear, leading to stiffness, pain, and other unpleasant symptoms.^[1] Don't attempt to grin and bear this injury on your own; instead, visit a doctor first to become a thorough diagnosis of your injury. Don't worry. Nosotros're here to assist walk y'all through all your treatment options, so you lot tin can get dorsum on your feet as before long as possible.

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Follow the RICE method. "RICE" is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, which are the iv principal things you need to recover safely and comfortably at habitation.^[3] After your injury, the RICE method helps reduce any swelling and discomfort while encouraging flexibility and recovery in the process.^[4] Here'south what you have to do:
- Rest: Avoid the sport or action that caused your tear in the offset place, and apply crutches as needed to get around.
- Ice: Wrap a common cold pack in a towel or rag and ice your injured articulatio genus for 20 minutes at a time, multiple times throughout the mean solar day. For your own safety, never ice your knee joint direct.
- Compression: Wrap an rubberband compression bandage around your injured knee. Continue the bandage snug, but not besides tight—if your knee feels tingly or numb, rewrap the bandage a fleck looser.^[5]
- Summit: When you can, prop your injured leg up then it'due south above your heart.^[6]
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Take painkillers if your injury isn't severe. If your torn meniscus doesn't crusade your knee to lock in place, y'all can take over-the-counter painkillers, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to accost the swelling and pain.^[7] Cheque-in with your md if your knee all the same hurts subsequently six weeks; at this point, surgery is your next best option.^[8]
- Acetaminophen: Adults tin can have 1 regular-forcefulness acetaminophen pill every 4-6 hours. If one pill doesn't aid, try two pills next. For your own rubber, limit yourself to 12 pills or less each twenty-four hour period.^[9]
- Ibuprofen: For MOTRIN, take i-2 pills in one case every 4-6 hours. With Advil, have one pill per every 4 hours or 2 pills per every 6-8 hours. For either medicine, limit yourself to 6 pills per day.
- Naproxen sodium: Take a single pill every 8-12 hours. Every bit a safety precaution, limit yourself to two pills each twenty-four hour period.
- Aspirin: Have i-2 pills every 4-6 hours. Cap yourself off at 12 pills each day so you lot don't overdose.

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Talk to your md most steroid injections. Corticosteroids may help with the pain, and tin can help lower swelling. At your appointment, your doctor will inject the steroids directly into your joint, which may get rid of some pain and swelling.^[x]
- Researchers are besides developing a plasma injection that may aid heal meniscus tears.
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Visit a physical therapist. Physical therapy is helpful for any kind of meniscus tear, even if you don't need surgery. A physical therapist might provide manual therapy, suggest icing and compression treatments, use neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and suggest different exercises to help you recover.^[11] Eventually, your therapist will help y'all figure out when yous tin can go dorsum to an active routine.^[12]

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You tin can't move your articulatio genus as much. After a meniscus tear, you might not exist able to straighten or rotate your knee similar you normally would. You might as well experience like your knee is locked, or that information technology can't support your weight.^[22]
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Your human knee is really sore. Pay attention to your regular, daily movements, like climbing out of bed or walking down the street. With a meniscus tear, your knee might experience painful, swollen, and/or actress strong. You might also experience similar your knee is popping.^[23]
- The pain may be especially obvious when you rotate or twist your knee.

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Question

What is the fastest way to relieve knee pain?

Dr. Meera Subash is a board certified Rheumatologist and Internist. She specializes in scaling up healthcare engineering science solutions for rheumatic and chronic disease management. Dr. Subash holds a BA in Human Biological science from Stanford Academy and a Medico of Medicine (Dr.) from Texas Tech University Wellness Sciences Center. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at The University of California, San Diego, where she served as Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safe at The VA San Diego Healthcare Organization. Dr. Subash also completed a fellowship in Rheumatology at The University of California, San Francisco - School of Medicine. She is currently pursuing some other fellowship in Clinical Informatics at The University of California, San Francisco - School of Medicine.

Board Certified Rheumatologist

Expert Answer

It frequently depends on the underlying crusade of the knee pain. I have an appropriately cushioned mattress and working on mobility and stretching can help. If the articulatio genus pain is acquired by arthritis such as If it'due south gout or pseudogout, and then you lot probably need to hash out with talk to your rheumatologist about medications or therapy. If the underlying cause it's osteoarthritis, yous could talk over physical therapy, oral medications or topical medications that may aid.

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Commodity Summary 10

To heal a meniscus tear, try to avert activity for the first 24-72 hours later your injury. During this time, put ice inside a moist towel and put it on your injury for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hours. The cold volition decrease claret flow and swelling while increasing the flow of lymph fluid, which carries healing nutrients to the tissue around the injury. Propping your human knee upward on pillows will also help reduce swelling. When you exercise offset moving effectually, wear a splint or cast to stabilize your knee and prevent motility that can further impairment the muscles and tissue. For information on how and when to consider physical therapy or surgery to treat your meniscus tear, read on!

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