How was your Baker's Cyst treated ???

[Jennifer]

I am having my cysts aspirated...anyone else  

[jathib]

Mine has never been treated. My OS figures it will just come back so he's not going to touch it unless it bothers me.

[Jennifer]

Mine are more than bothering me right now.  One of the PTs at my gym went to touch one while I was standing and if I had not been near a door frame I would have gone down    The new one (on the left) seems to have some fluid tending towards the calf too.  I have had the cyst on the right for 3 years and didn't need to do anything with it.  I figured it would just fill back up, etc.  I wonder how much of the pain that I have always had on the right might be related...it is also much more tender now, so I am having it drained at the same time.   I don't think I will be one to sign up for the habitual drainings though...

Jennifer

[jathib]

Mine has never been painful but I was told that if it ever did burst it would be very painful. Maybe that's what has happened to yours?

[The KNEEguru]

You may find this reference leads you to more information. It is a little technical, but there is a good picture and surgical procedures are named, so it will be easy to follow up a search:

http://www.mdainternet.com/topics_b/baker_s_cyst.htm

KNEEguru

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the cite (and the site ).  I hope my situation doesn't  go in that direction, though.  I am merely getting the fluid drawn off.  When did they stop doing this in the doctor's office  I was pretty sure my OS's nurse could have handled me

BTW~~~~ I am going to be in London this coming year, I will be attempting to get my records together for a pop in while I am there.

Jennifer

[Heather M.]

Hi.

No doctor that I have seen will actually treat my Baker's cyst....they all tell me that the chondromalacia patellae is the underlying cause, and that must be addressed first.

Easy for them to say!!  It really hurts a lot of the time, and often causes radiating pain down into my calf.  And this is my GOOD knee!

Basically I was told to get my bad knee sorted, as it would be the best possible course to help take the load off my good one.  Then, if they cyst and other pain didn't resolve, then I would need to consider a TTT due to the damage on the patella and condyles....

Heather

[Jennifer]

Hi Heather : )

I have already had TTTs on both of these legs, so they can't threaten me with that much anymore : O

I am a bit perplexed, but I think the OS is trying to keep me comfortable so I can continue my rehab (which as for the knees and the dreaded VMO is going well).  He is also sending me out for some consults soon so he might just be tidying up : O

I get a lot of muscle spasms related to mine, so I will be glad to be rid of mine even temporarily.  I feel sorry for the new health insurance company...the first week of my policy is not going to bode well for them : O  My collegues wanted me to change policies as they personally held me responsible for the 33% raise in premiums    

Well at least it will all be over tomorrow : )

jennifer

[Teresa_S]

Before my tkr, the bakers cyst in my left knee was causing me lots of pain and interfering with me bending and using my knee. I had an doppler done of it and it was bar belled shaped almost . Big roundish areas on both ends seperated by a thin(BAR) shaped part in the middle. THEY told me the reason it was hurting was it was being stretched so far and that it was probably getting ready to burst. WHEN it burst, then "it would really hurt." I was offered a script for percocet and told to see my OS asap, who told me it was too vascular an area and he just left them alone. THAT seems to be the general consensus of opinion with most OS. Glad you may get some relief with the draining. Good luck, Teresa

[stgiles16]

My first Bakers Cyst burst on its own....... OUCH so when another one came up inthe same spot,,,,,, I had that sucker cut out. It has never returned. Having them burst is not a fun experience and it was very painful before the explosion. It definately interferred with my knee bending.

missy

[kelly19819]

My bakers cyst burst on its own just over a week ago and i am still in great pain with it

[Big H]

Hi - I'm new to this site - first time I've joined a forum of any sort.  I have had knee problems for at least 10 years but just grumbling along until the last two years when all my muscles seemed to be in permanent spasm and walking downstairs or downhill was painful to say the least.  A physiotherapist suggested I might have Baker's Cysts but my doctor (without even feeling around my knees or looking at them) decided it was osteo arthritis.  However as the pain got worse and the cysts got bigger about 8 weeks ago I went to an acupuncturist and after weekly treatments the cysts have drained away and whilst I am still experiencing a little stiffness in my legs I feel a new woman. 

I think my cysts started during my Shiatsu training (Shiatsu is a type of massage therapy) because Shiatsu is practised on the floor and requires a lot of kneeling.  So I now work using a massage couch which helps a lot.  The idea of draining the cysts seems at odds with my way of thinking.  As I understand it the cysts are caused by a leakage of synovial fluid into the back of the leg.  Meanwhile the body still continues to produce synovial fluid to lubricate the knees.  If the leak is not healed in some way then the body will just continue to keep producing the fluid thus filling the cysts again if they are drained.  It takes a lot of energy for the body to produce these fluids so tiredness can result - also being in continual pain is energy draining. 

Acupuncture come from traditional Chinese Medicine and according to Chinese Medicine theory one of my problems was a stagnation of energy in my legs - things no flowing properly, stiffness in the muscles.  The acupuncture stimulates the body to rebalance itself and encourages the healing process.  I would certainly reccommend it. 

Has anybody else chosen an alternative route?

Good luck all you people out there with similar problems.  Don't give up there are lots of things out there to try - if your doctor says there is nothing you can do and you must learn to live with it - don't believe them - there might be nothing they can do but there are many other therapies that could help!
Big H.

[The KNEEguru]

A Baker's cyst is simply an indication that there is an irritative process going on inside the knee, with excess production of synovial fluid (joint fluid). The cyst forms at the back of the knee as there is an area of anatomical weakness there. If the cyst pops, and drains into the calf, the problem is not over, as the joint is probably still producing excess fluid and now the calf hurts, too. If you can bring down the joint irritation, the whole thing might resolve on its own.

[Mrs Mop]

Hi - I'm new to this site - first time I've joined a forum of any sort.  I have had knee problems for at least 10 years but just grumbling along until the last two years when all my muscles seemed to be in permanent spasm and walking downstairs or downhill was painful to say the least.  A physiotherapist suggested I might have Baker's Cysts but my doctor (without even feeling around my knees or looking at them) decided it was osteo arthritis.  However as the pain got worse and the cysts got bigger about 8 weeks ago I went to an acupuncturist and after weekly treatments the cysts have drained away and whilst I am still experiencing a little stiffness in my legs I feel a new woman. 

I think my cysts started during my Shiatsu training (Shiatsu is a type of massage therapy) because Shiatsu is practised on the floor and requires a lot of kneeling.  So I now work using a massage couch which helps a lot.  The idea of draining the cysts seems at odds with my way of thinking.  As I understand it the cysts are caused by a leakage of synovial fluid into the back of the leg.  Meanwhile the body still continues to produce synovial fluid to lubricate the knees.  If the leak is not healed in some way then the body will just continue to keep producing the fluid thus filling the cysts again if they are drained.  It takes a lot of energy for the body to produce these fluids so tiredness can result - also being in continual pain is energy draining. 

Acupuncture come from traditional Chinese Medicine and according to Chinese Medicine theory one of my problems was a stagnation of energy in my legs - things no flowing properly, stiffness in the muscles.  The acupuncture stimulates the body to rebalance itself and encourages the healing process.  I would certainly reccommend it. 

Has anybody else chosen an alternative route?

Good luck all you people out there with similar problems.  Don't give up there are lots of things out there to try - if your doctor says there is nothing you can do and you must learn to live with it - don't believe them - there might be nothing they can do but there are many other therapies that could help!
Big H.

[Fellser]

Amazing.  I'm new to the site and I'm learning a lot.  I had a baker's cyst removed.  I noticed about a year after my first surgery (1977) but it didn't hurt.  I noticed it and pointed it out to the doctor who immediately scheduled me for surgery.  I haven't had another one.

I had no idea that cyst was related to the surgery.