Synovitis: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment
Publisher/Author
: Pacific Cross
Nội dung bài viết / Table of Contents
This post is also available in: Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
If you have synovitis, it means that your synovial membrane has become inflamed. The synovial membrane is a very thin membrane that lines the joints of your knees, hips, wrists, shoulders, and ankles, though synovitis most commonly affects the knees. When synovial membrane is inflamed, it becomes painful and swells.
The synovial membrane is filled with synovial fluid, which is secreted by the membrane and can be found in joint cavities, bursae, and tendon sheathes. This fluid can be analyzed to discern whether any other problem is present in the joint.
Synovitis is often the result of repeated joint bleeds that are not treated early or correctly. With synovitis, the synovial membrane thickens and grows more blood vessels, causing even more bleeding into the joint.
Please discuss with your doctor for further information.
The symptoms are often of short duration and may change location although when caused by overuse tend to remain in one joint. The pain is usually more severe than expected based on the appearance of the joint on examination.
In fact, sometimes there is pain without swelling or even tenderness in the joint, in which case the symptom is called “arthralgias” (literally meaning “joint pain” in Greek).
Synovitis can be distinguished from other joint disorders because it causes the area around the joint to appear swollen. It also feels puffy, and may even be warm to the touch. Aside from the joint being red or swollen, there may also be stiffness, pain, and a popping feeling when you move the joint or put pressure on it.
There may be some symptoms not listed above. If you have any concerns about a symptom, please consult your doctor.
If you have any signs or symptoms listed above or have any questions, please consult with your doctor. Everyone’s body acts differently. It is always best to discuss with your doctor what is best for your situation.
Although synovitis has many different causes, the most common cause in an active healthy person is overuse.
Synovitis can also be part of rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, injury, or gout.
Other times, a person may have had an injury that seemed minor at the time, or they may not recall an injury at all, but the fluid collects in response to the trauma and causes inflammation.
Discuss with your doctor for further information.
The information provided is not a substitute for any medical advice. ALWAYS consult with your doctor for more information.
In diagnosing synovitis in a joint, a doctor will first look at it to see how it looks. If it is as described above–red, warm, puffy—the doctor may then go on to order a synovial fluid analysis. In this test, the lubricating fluid around the joint is extracted by needle and examined, in part to see whether one of the synovitis-causing disorders is present.
This test can usually be done in a doctor’s office and takes about half an hour. The doctor may do a test called a patella tap, in which they take their hand and press down above your knee, which presses excess fluid under the knee cap.
This is an easy way to tell if there is swelling under the muscle. An X-ray, bone scan, or ultrasound can rule out other bone disorders and may also be prescribed.
In synovitis of the hip, which usually occurs in children, the main symptom is pain in the hip. In some children, this can happen very quickly, while at other times, the pain comes on gradually.
If the pain gets bad enough, some children may have difficulty walking or moving around. They may prefer not even to stand, because they find that lying in a certain position helps the pain to lessen. Synovitis of the hip is diagnosed by ruling out other, more serious disorders first, since synovitis is the most commonly occurring possibility.
Synovitis is usually treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. These could include aspirin or ibuprofen or corticosteroids. Ice is also useful to help reduce swelling. Fluid from around the knee can be drawn out, but that is a temporary solution done to ease the discomfort.
More severe cases may require cortisone injection or surgical removal of the inflamed tissue. If there’s enough damage, especially to the knee, replacement surgery might be required.
The treatment depends on what is causing the synovitis in the first place and how severe the symptoms are. In synovitis of the hip, the child should be checked by the doctor several times throughout the course of the attack, and then again six months later to ensure that there are no further problems.
Another way that synovitus presents itself is known as sub-clinical sinovitis. This means that you might feel pain, soreness or morning stiffness in your joints, but you will not be able to discern synovitis right away because you do not have all the usually symptoms. So, you may have pain, but no swelling or warmth due to inflammation.
If you do have sub-clinical synovitis, it may show up on an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), but may not show up on an X-ray. This sub-clinical synovitis is often the result of rheumatoid arthritis, but it has been demonstrated that it appears earlier than previously thought in other forms of arthritis, too.
It is also possible to have symptoms of sub-clinical synovitis when rheumatoid arthritis is otherwise in remission. So even if your rheumatoid arthritis is not troubling you, you may have still joints or soreness from time to time. Standard treatments for synovitis, such as anti-inflammatories and ice application, can help with this remission pain.
What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can help me manage synovitis?If you have any questions, please consult with your doctor to better understand the best solution for you.
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