Medical Question

[Jackmonkey]

First, let me say I completely realize that this is not a medical forum, and with possible exceptions, you kind folk out there are not medical doctors. So I am not going to take your words as gold, I will seek medical help, and I won't hold anybody responsable for any bad advice .
Now on to the question:
Yesterday evening I got a very sudden, and very sharp series of pains on the outside of my right knee. To describe them, I would say they were cramp-like in that they hit and released over a period of 30 seconds or so, with 30 to 60 seconds between pains. However the pain wasn't in a muscle, and not related to position of my leg, or weight load. Also the type of pain wasn't cramplike, it felt as if the bones in my knee were breaking. (I've broken a few bones in my life, and the pain is very similar in nature and intensity.) I had two episodes yesterday about 4 hours apart, and one today so far. Between spasms, I am fine, normal movement, no pain or anything, and there is no comon activity that seems to bring them on. I am quite baffled, as I am quite active, in rather good shape, and have no history of any kind of ailment like this.
Anyone have any ideas while I wait for my doctor's appointment?

 

[Tink79]

That sounds cartilage like. Have you done anything to it? Stepped wrong, twisted? Anything like that?

 

[Jackmonkey]

No, that is the wierd part. The first time it hit I was sitting on a stool at the computer and Wham!
The truely bothersome part of this is the timing. A scheduled Sunday evening departure doesn't leave a whole long time for test results. But not going is not an option

 

[mdhkitten]

It could be anything. Take me for example. I was born with "loose joints" as the physical therapists like to call it, but a normal person would refer to this as being "double jointed". In my left knee this has caused me many problems since I was a teenager, with that kneecap dislocating for no reason, and then popping back into place. I never did have surgery on it, and now it's stopped. The other knee I never had any problems with, and then in 2002 I had this horrible pain that seemed to come from absolutely out of the blue. I hadn't injured it in any way, and it wasn't dislocating like the other. I went to the orthopaedic doctor who did an MRI based on my other knee problem and he found that my kneecap was slowly coming out of the groove. He ended up having to do a lateral release (this is where they cut the ligament in your knee so that you have more flexibility), and then smoothed out the inside of my kneecap groove. It was laser surgery, so that part was a piece of cake..............the recovery was a whole other story. Fortunately I was out of physical therapy in 6 weeks, but most other people he said took 12 weeks in my condition. He said that I just happened to be younger and in better shape, which is why I was so lucky. Good luck with your knee and let us know what happens!

 

[irisbud]

I have had pains similar to those that you are describing in my knees for as long as I can remember, though they come and go, thankfully. They did some tests and determined I don't have any of the fluid in those joints that you are supposed to have, and I have been treated for it in varying ways over the years. My chiropracter actually helps me more than anything else.

If you are leaving on Sunday, and are still planning on doing a lot of walking in the parks, I would suggest that you head down to your local Walgreens (or whatever drug store is in your area), and go to the section with ace bandages. Ace makes a knee brace that is absolutly wonderful. It's basically and elastic sleeve with a hole in the middle, but there are flexible strips that I assume are metal sewn on the inside that do wonders for supporting my knees. Make sure to get the right size, as they actually make your knees hurt worse if they are too small. I have a custom knee brace, but actually prefer these. They are light, small and fairly comfortable, for a brace.

Good Luck!

 

[manda40475]

You may not have time for tests and treatment, but I would certainly try to have it checked out before you leave. Can you possibly get some x-rays done? When dh was younger, he was having pains in his knees and the dr. put him off twice saying nothing was wrong with him. By the 3rd trip (and finally having x-rays), they realized he had a staph infection in his bone. He had to have knee surgery because of it and it still bothers him from time to time. It may not have gotten to that point if the first dr. hadn't blown him off so easily. Hopefully it's nothing as serious as that, but I would definitely try to have a dr. fit you in before your trip should it happen again.

 

[bab31]

Go to the Doctor and get it taken care of before you leave....hope your vacation is wonderful!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

it could be a number of things.

it could be cartilidge(sp? i'm terrible at it!). you can tear that easily. by twisting, bending, or just moving the wrong way.

another thing it could be is tendonitis. i have it in my wrist and the pain gets so bad sometimes i can't turn doorknobs or hold anything in my hand because it's too much pain. and i guess that would feel sort of like a broken bone because you can't move it, and when you try it's beyond painful. tendonitis comes and goes. it can last for days or seconds. there's not much they can do about it either.

but get yourself to a doctor asap and make sure there's nothing else seriously wrong!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

I have had pains similar to those that you are describing in my knees for as long as I can remember, though they come and go, thankfully. They did some tests and determined I don't have any of the fluid in those joints that you are supposed to have, and I have been treated for it in varying ways over the years. My chiropracter actually helps me more than anything else.

If you are leaving on Sunday, and are still planning on doing a lot of walking in the parks, I would suggest that you head down to your local Walgreens (or whatever drug store is in your area), and go to the section with ace bandages. Ace makes a knee brace that is absolutly wonderful. It's basically and elastic sleeve with a hole in the middle, but there are flexible strips that I assume are metal sewn on the inside that do wonders for supporting my knees. Make sure to get the right size, as they actually make your knees hurt worse if they are too small. I have a custom knee brace, but actually prefer these. They are light, small and fairly comfortable, for a brace.

Good Luck!

i agree with the bandage. but i would suggest getting the velcroe one(the brace) instead of the elastic one. it's pretty much the same thing but it's a much better fit. when i hurt my knee at work they tried to fit me for an elastic one and the small and medium didn't fit and the large was too big so they fitted me with a medium velcroe one and it's much better. and it helps a LOT with the pain.

 

[Jackmonkey]

Thanks everybody. Well it looks like I will live after all

It seems I am now paying for a 28 year old football injury. (how cliche is that?) I have a little bit of floating something or other that has mamaged to settle next to a nerve, and everyso often it touches it. I have a stretch that I can do when it hits that makes it manageable, and after the trip I can explore options on getting rid of it.
So thanks again, and happy travels

 

[bab31]

I checked this morning to see if you had gone to the doc or not. Hope it doesnt give you much grief while on your vacation!

 

[Philagoofy]

Hope you have a great vacation Jackmonkey & that this doesn't give you any problems while enjoying yourself in Disney. You're leaving tonight, how exciting.