Meniscus injuries are pretty typical, but they are still unpleasant. The layer of cartilage padding around the knees is referred to by the word “meniscus” in slang. During a vigorous workout or athletics, this connective tissue may tear, resulting in rigidity, discomfort, and other uncomfortable side effects.
Rather than attempting to grin & bear the illness on one’s own, see a medical professional to receive an in-depth assessment of your condition. Not to worry. We are here to guide you through everything you need to know so you may resume your normal activities in as little time as feasible.
Table of Contents
So, how to heal a torn meniscus naturally? You can recover a torn meniscus by following these home remedies for torn meniscus –
- Take Rest.
- Use Ice on Your Knee.
- Try Compressing.
- Keep the Knee Elevated.
- Use Painkillers to Reduce Inflammation.
- Do Mild Exercises.
- Don’t Stress the Knee.
What is a Meniscus?
The meniscus is a portion of tissue in the knee that maintains and protects the joint’s surface. It shields the connective tissue from deterioration. But the only thing it requires to break the meniscus out is a lovely bend of the leg. In rare instances, a fragment of the torn cartilage comes away and becomes caught in the cartilage of the knee joint, locking it.
Both brutal sports, including soccer & non-contact games like tennis and handball that require leaping and slicing, frequently suffer from meniscus injuries. They often occur concurrently with other knee problems, such as a ruptured anterior collateral ligament (ACL) damage, and may happen if a runner abruptly changes position while jogging.
Because the meniscus’s cartilage degrades with ageing, seniors are particularly vulnerable to meniscus tears. They are present in over forty percent of adults 65 and older.
A Meniscus Tear: How Does It Feel?
The discomfort might not seem severe at first. You could even continue to play with the ailment. The knee will likely pain quite a deal once the swelling begins, though.
But over time, the pain increases dramatically, causing the person to be almost unable to move and walk. You can not even think about running or jogging at this point.
You may also see normal to massive swelling around the knee. It depends on how bad the tear is.
You will face problems while moving your leg, even while sitting or lying down. The pain increases when you try to move or curve your leg.
You may prefer to keep your leg put for long hours as you would feel pain trying to move it. But it may as well cause knee lockup, and you may end up not feeling anything down the knee.
How do you know if it’s a Meniscus Tear?
You can not tell if it’s a meniscus tear or not by just seeing it with an open eye. You will have to go through medical examinations to find out.
Your physician will carry out a comprehensive examination to identify a meniscus injury. They’ll be interested in knowing the details of the way your injury occurred. In order to exclude shattered bones along with additional issues, X-rays might be required. An MRI examination may also be needed, which enables a more thorough analysis of the knee cartilage.
How to Heal a Torn Meniscus Naturally
Depending on the extent and position of a meniscal tear, several treatments are available. Age, degree of exercise, and associated injuries are additional treatment-related variables.
A “red zone,” or outside part of a meniscus, is supplied with a robust flow of blood and can, on occasion, mend on itself if the damage is minimal.
A “white zone,” which makes up the interior three-quarters of a meniscus, is not well-blooded. As there are no veins that take in healing vitamins and minerals, tears within this region won’t mend on themselves.
Here are seven at-home remedies for torn meniscus :
- Take Rest.
The first and foremost condition to heal a meniscus injury is to take ample rest. By ‘rest,’ I mean excluding every activity that requires you to get up and move. You can’t even walk while recovering from a meniscus injury.
- Use Ice on Your Knee.
You will indeed feel a lot of pain for the first 3 to 4 days. To relieve the pain, you can use ice cubes on your knee. Do this 4 to 5 times a day or every time you feel increased pain. This will aid in your meniscus knee pain relief as well as make the swelling go away.
- Try Compressing.
Take a piece of cloth and wrap it around the swelling in a way that it’s not too tight to give you pain or too loose. You can also use elastic bandages to do this. This is a good torn meniscus treatment at home.
- Keep the Knee Elevated.
Put a pillow or something cozy under the knee to keep it elevated. This will improve blood circulation.
- Use Painkillers to Reduce Inflammation.
Aleve, Advil, or Motrin are examples of non-steroidal soothing medicines (NSAIDs) that can reduce swelling and pain. These medications may nevertheless cause unwanted consequences, such as a higher risk of hemorrhage and ulceration. Unless the physician expressly instructs you to take them differently, they should just be taken rarely. But they are very effective in meniscus pain relief.
- Do Mild Exercises.
Once the pain and swelling go away, you can do some mild exercises to speed up the healing process. Naming the activities is difficult as different ones apply for different severities. Make sure to ask your doctor to prescribe you some.
- Don’t Stress the Knee.
Allow your knee ample time to recover from the injury fully. Don’t go running or jogging. Take rest for the days that the doctor prescribed.
You can use these torn meniscus treatments at home to decrease your torn meniscus recovery time and get back to the field. These are all meniscus tear self-care activities that you can do by yourself.
How Long for Torn Meniscus to Heal
Torn meniscus recovery time is hard to tell as it depends on the severity of the injury. But if you don’t require surgery, you should be okay within the next two months.
But even cautious measures may be needed. Surgery could be necessary to fix or eliminate problematic areas if a rip is significant, unsteady, or producing locking issues. Typically, the surgery is relatively easy, and you may generally return home the following day. If an adjustment is made, you might require a brace to provide protection later.
The immediate results are satisfactory to outstanding for between 85 and 90 percent of patients who have surgery to repair a meniscus injury. However, those who suffer from significant meniscal damage that cannot be fixed over time may be more susceptible to getting arthritis in their knees.
How to Prevent a Meniscus Tear?
Meniscus injuries are challenging to avoid because accidents are frequently the cause of them. However, a few safety measures might reduce the likelihood of getting hurt in the knee.
- No matter if you’re an athlete or a regular person, you should always follow leg workouts that make your thighs and knees stronger.
- Don’t go straight into workouts. Make sure to warm up your legs with some mild moving or stretching.
- Avoid stressing your knees too much. Always take rests between leg days or workouts. If you push it to the edge, there will be more chances of getting a knee injury.
- Take things slowly. Start with mild workouts and then go on to do the more heavy ones. Stay away from the heavy ones once you start going to the gym.
Conclusion
Given the kind of meniscal harm, most of them can be treated without surgery if they are accompanied by discomfort. Platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow concentration for more severe issues is an excellent strategy for helping the human body recover itself, decreasing pain, maintaining the natural physique, and lowering the likelihood of subsequent operations when the standard treatments of relaxation, exercise, nutrition, and vitamins fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need surgery for a meniscus tear?
Thankfully, not every meniscal tear needs an operation. Nonsurgical therapy may be sufficient if the knee isn’t locked up, remains stable, and the symptoms go away.
How do you speed up meniscus healing?
You can take painkillers for the pain, and once the pain goes away, you can start with mild exercises to speed up meniscus healing.
Can the meniscus heal fully?
Taken care of properly, meniscus injuries can heal fully. But it always leaves room for future and more fatal injuries. So, people with past meniscus injuries need to be very careful with their activities.
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I’m Farzana, an experienced writer with a passion for business, home, fashion, and digital marketing. With over 5 years of experience, I craft engaging content that resonates with readers across diverse niches. From insightful business strategies to chic fashion trends and savvy digital marketing tips, I strive to bring a unique perspective to every piece of writing. Get ready to be inspired and informed as I take you on a journey through the worlds of style, home improvement, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.