No, bakers, this has nothing to do with you. It is named after the surgeon, Dr. William Morrant Baker, who first described it.
If you feel a bulge behind your knee, and it feels tight in the area, with pain getting worse when you fully extend (stretch out) your knee, or when you’re active, you could have a Baker’s cyst, also called a popliteal cyst. It is usually the result of a problem with your knee joint, such as arthritis or a cartilage (meniscus) tear. In both cases, too much fluid can be produced, leading to the cyst. Treating the probable underlying condition usually relieves the swelling and discomfort of the cyst.
They’re more common between ages 55 and 70, and between 4 and 7. Up to 20% of people with other knee problems may develop one though.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Sometimes, a cyst causes no pain and goes unnoticed. At times you may get:
• Swelling behind your knee, and sometimes in your leg or foot.
• Knee pain.
• Stiffness.
• Tightness in the back of your knee.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Just as a door hinge needs oil (and sometimes WD-40) to swing smoothly to reduce friction between its moving parts and minimize wear and tear, so it is that the cartilage and tendons in your knees rely on a lubricating fluid called synovial fluid. This helps your legs swing smoothly and reduce friction between your knee’s moving parts.
Synovial fluid circulates throughout your knee and passes in and out of various tissue pouches (bursae) throughout your knee. A valve-like system between your knee joint and the bursae on the back of your knee (popliteal bursa) regulates the amounts of synovial fluid going in and out of the bursa.
But sometimes, most commonly as a result of inflammation of the knee joint, the knee produces too much synovial fluid. Various types of arthritis and knee injury, such as a cartilage tear, may be the culprit.
When the popliteal bursa fills with fluid and expands, the result is a bulge called, you guessed it, a Baker’s cyst. It is similar to a balloon filled with water.
SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE
If you’re having pain and swelling behind your knee, check doc to find out the cause. Treating the underlying problem, such as arthritis or a cartilage tear, usually relieves the discomfort of a Baker’s cyst. Rarely, a bulge in that location could be a tumor or an aneurysm (a weakness in the blood vessel wall) of the popliteal artery, rather than a cyst.
SCREENING AND DIAGNOSIS
How can we tell whether you have a Baker’s cyst? An ultra sound scan or an MRI can help distinguish a simple cyst. If a DVT or an aneurysm is suspected, a Doppler ultra sound scan of your leg or other tests may be requested.
ANY COMPLICATIONS
Uncommonly, a Baker’s cyst bursts and synovial fluid leaks into the calf region, causing sharp knee pain, swelling, and sometimes redness in the calf. These signs and symptoms are similar to a blood clot (DVT) in your leg. Redness and swelling of your calf requires prompt medical evaluation; you know well that a blood clot may require urgent treatment because of the possible complications.
TREATMENT OF A BAKER’S CYST
If the cyst is very large and causes a lot of pain, the doctor may use the following treatments:
• Physical therapy. Icing, a compression wrap, and crutches help keep pain and swelling down. Gentle range of motion and strengthening exercises for the muscles around your knee may also reduce your symptoms and preserve knee function.
• Fluid drainage. Doctor may drain the fluid from the knee joint with a needle. This is called needle aspiration.
• Medication. Doctor may inject a corticosteroid medication, such as cortisone, into your knee to decrease the volume of fluid being produced. Pain may be relieved but it doesn’t always prevent recurrence of the cyst.
The best thing, which is what doctors try to do, where possible, is to treat the underlying cause rather than the Baker’s cyst itself.
If it’s a cartilage tear causing the overproduction of synovial fluid, doctor may recommend surgery to remove or repair the torn cartilage.
Sometimes, especially if you have osteoarthritis, the cyst may remain even after the underlying cause is treated. If the cyst doesn’t get better, causes pain and interferes with your ability to bend your knee, or if – despite aspirations – fluid in the cyst hinders knee function, you may need to be evaluated for surgery to remove the cyst.
Baker’s cysts in children nearly always disappears with time, and rarely require excision.
ARE THERE SELF-CARE ANSWERS?
If arthritis is determined to be causing the cyst, doctor may advise you to take some or all of the following steps to reduce inflammation and lessen synovial fluid production.
• Try nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) or acetaminophen. NSAID’s are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, indomethacin and others. Acetaminophen is Tylenol, paracetamol is similar. Prescription, rather than over-the-counter strengths, are preferable.
• Follow the P.R.I.C.E. principles. This is an acronym for protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Protect by using crutches to keep weight off the knee and allow pain-free walking. Rest your leg. Ice the inflamed area. Compress your knee with a wrap. And elevate your leg, especially at night.
• Scale back your physical activity. This will reduce irritation of your knee joint.
See you next week.
I am a dominican citizen living in canada and i have to voice opinion on the health care system in my country. i amnot sure if i am onthe right site for this but anyone who reads this please give back your comment as i need this to go public because i guess alot of my people has experience this situation.
Imagine that your family member is sick at home and the ambulance was called for an emergency and the dispatcher said that there was only one ambulance in the region of roseau. then it had to take a call from canada from a desperate family member concern for her love one begging for an ambulance to be sent to her love one because she was in extreme pain and then the ambulance was sent after 3 hours. what is the minister of health doing about that.
Then at the hospital the service was very terrible with the nurses giving the patient anxiety pill for pain and sending her back home without even having the patient go under a 24 hour observation by carrying test to see what was the problem . Whats wrong with our medical system ? Is that how we lose so many of our love ones without even knowing what was wtrong I am talking of experience because i lost my dad to a malpractice by one of the doctors long time ago and i wouldnt like to see history repeat itself again. my dad died went to have a catheter removed and came back home with extreme pain and bleeding . I was a young girl back then , I WENT TO COURT FOR THE DEATH OF MY DAD AND THEN THEY SAID THAT THE CORONER REPORT said that my dad died of heart disease which he no history of. IS SSUCH A SAD STORY. We neeed help.
Giving compliment where it is due. Dr. Emanuel’s article is informative and educating. Also, “Night’s” excellent health comments.
Health Websites and other nutritionists warn us of processed foods and bottled drinks as you mentioned.
Okra is not one of my favorites. I have some which I froze and have yet to cook them although I have been eager to do so. I know some people who just love okras. I have some recipes with okra. I must get with it and cook them.
I reside in Toronto. A few evenings ago I spoke to a friend who resides in Montreal and who informed me that she has a growth on her knee and recently had an operation but the operation was unsuccessful. The growth is still present.
I asked her if she ever took a Detox. She said no. I told her to take a slight detox. Also that she could see a naturopathic doctor and gave her some other advice. I also informed her that I will search among my archives and send her some health information.
She is an active person, always traveling here and there, overseas. It did not cross my mind to inform her that she probably could have athritis.
From what she informed me about the doctor who operated on her knee, he appears to be lacking in this medical knowledge.
I will pass on the information to her. Thank you! Greatly appreciated.
Some practical self care measures that work well to prevent on control arthritis.
USE UNPROCESSED FOOD THAT GOD MADE INSTEAD OF FOODS THAT MAN MADE IN LABORATORIES.
Unprocessed foods are all the foods that are grown in the ground – that we eat without them being canned or bottled.
Processed foods are pastas, canned and bottled foods and juices.
From my experience sodas , malt and the bottled and canned (so called) fruit juices with or without “all natural “ on their label damages your joint. You hear young people (including children) joints cracking more than adults’ joints.
Drink plenty water
Eat plenty okra. Use them in everything – cook it in rice, in soups and gravy (as a thickener) and as a vegetable steamed or even raw…best remedy for constipation is raw okras.
Eat lots of pawpaw…ripe, half ripe, green ,raw, cook…any stage, any way….pawpaw is just GOOD.
Use toloma (arrowroot) . Use as cereal, or drink (glo arraroot). It is very good for joint care. Although some may say that it will constipate them; if you use pawpaw, okra and other fruits and vegetable, avoid white flour and white sugar, then there should not be constipation problems.
Use comfortable shoes. Soft shoes with soft heels are best. They are never the best looking shoes but they are best for your health. They are usually very expensive but in the long run they are worth it.