Reducing swelling – ibuprofen not working

I buggered up my ankle years ago and slapped a load arnica cream mixed with black pepper oil on it and it brought the bruising out a treat. I spent a week smelling like peppercorn sauce mind you…

I spent most of yesterday in A&E after going to the Minor Injury Unit to get more fluid drained off.

Apparently it is REALLY bad practice to drain fluid off joints in the way my doctor did, especially without having it x-rayed or scanned first.

The MIU sent me directly to A&E where I had the knee x-rayed (no damage) but the A&E lot didn’t believe me when I told them a GP had drained my knee. I had to show them the photos on this thread, they were convinced that either I had done it myself or got a mate to do it.

Anyway, knee still swollen but confirmed no damage. Just wasted most of Saturday and meant I missed Soma_rich’s wedding. 🙁

Just an X-ray or MRI as well?

Dr-Death will advice better but you really need both to look for tissue damage.

Looks a right mess that.
You were missed yesterday -sorry that it was boring old hospital visit that kept you away 🙁

x-Ray only. All of the fluid is outside of the joint.

Really sorry to miss the wedding. i hope you had a beer for me!

Sorry, I missed this,

cougar are you being ironic/sarcastic as … tore a strip off me.

That doesn’t sound like me, I’m rarely aggressive. Argumentative, sure. (-:

the A&E lot didn’t believe me when I told them a GP had drained my knee. I had to show them the photos on this thread, they were convinced that either I had done it myself or got a mate to do it.

Worth pursuing a complaint about the GP then?

Apparently it is REALLY bad practice to drain fluid off joints in the way my doctor did, especially without having it x-rayed or scanned first.

I did think this when I saw the pics. My leg was more bruised and more swollen than yours and the A&E docs didn’t even mention draining it. Just told to continue RICE, given a set of crutches, a course of physio and a week off work.

Hope it gets better soon and that you start doing strengthening exercises ASAP as it will have atrophied whilst you can’t use it.

So, how’s the leg doing? I still have a supply of plastic cutlery and a ‘have a go’ attitude to amputation!

good lad cheesi, it’s that sort of “can do” attitude that made britain great