Baker’s Cyst: Home Remedies and Medications
A Baker’s cyst (or Baker cyst) is a swelling in the popliteal space, the space behind the knee. It can develop behind the knee. It is filled with synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid usually found inside the knee joint and causes stiffness and knee pain.
Baker’s cyst symptoms
Some patients may have no pain and may not even notice the cyst is there. However, the signs and symptoms of a Baker’s cyst can include:
- swelling or lump behind the knee that is more evident when standing and comparing one knee to the other. It may feel like a water-filled balloon
- knee pain
- calf pain
- accumulation of fluid around the knee
- clicking, locking, or buckling of the knee joint
Anybody who experiences pain and swelling behind the knee should see a doctor. A bulge behind the knee may signify a more severe condition, such as an aneurysm or a tumor.
Baker’s cyst treatment
A Baker’s cyst will commonly resolve on its own, and no treatment is required.
Home remedies
Some self-care techniques may be effective, such as:
- Icepacks: This can be useful in reducing inflammation. Make sure there is no direct contact with ice on skin.
- Resting: The knee needs to rest; it must not be exposed to irritation. A doctor may advise how long the patient should rest, as well as suggesting alternative forms of exercise.
- Crutches: These take the weight off the knee joint and help the patient walk without pain.
- Compression bandages: These help support the knee. Compression bandages are available for purchase online.
Medications
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) – medications with analgesic (pain-reducing) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects can help treat Baker’s cysts.
Ibuprofen, a common over the counter medication, is an NSAID.
Further treatment
In most cases, if there is an underlying cause, the doctor will treat the cause rather than the cyst itself. However, if the swelling is particularly large and painful, further treatment may be required:
- Corticosteroid injection: This reduces inflammation and relieves pain, but it does not reduce the risk of recurrence.
- Physical therapy: A qualified physical therapist may recommend some gentle strengthening and range-of-motion exercise for the knee muscles. These exercises can help reduce symptoms as well as maintaining the function of the knee.
- Arthroscopy: Extensive knee joint damage, possibly due to a physical injury or some underlying condition, may mean that the cyst must be surgically removed and the joint repaired. The surgeon inspects and treats problems inside a joint using an arthroscope, a thin, flexible fiber-optic tube which is inserted into the joint through a small incision.
Baker’s cysts affect more women than men, probably because women develop rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis more often.
Although people of any age may be affected, most patients are over 40 years.
