Needs info on arthritis my right knee is swollen and it hurts and sometimes i feel like my knee is going out on me. i have arthritis and its passing on to my other knee

Pls : Pls see my health guide on this site. http://www.avvo.com/health-guides/dr-mark-gallands-conservative-care-of-knee-osteoarthritis then seek the advice and consultation of your primary doctor or local orthopaedist.

How : How old are you? How much do you weigh? How active are you? What type of arthritis do you have? What treatments have you tried? The answers to these questions can change how to manage your knee. Sometimes a "trick knee" is from a meniscal tear. Some tears are part of the arthritic process and some cause mechanical problems. Depending on your other symptoms and the factors above, knee arthroscopy can help remove the loose parts and make your knee feel more stable. Other times, the "trick knee" is an acl tear. In an arthritic knee, reconstructing the acl can put more pressure on the joint surfaces and increase the wear on the cartilage. Another possibility is that you are withdrawing from the pain and therefore reluctant to put weight on the knee. Bracing, therapy, quadriceps training, anti-inflammatories, and injections can be used to manage symptoms. When non-operative treatment fails, you might consider joint replacement. Those function best in older patients with lower bmi's and lower activity levels. Think of it as putting tires on a car. The fewer miles you put on per year, the longer they will last. If you have rheumatoid arthritis or another type of inflammatory arthropathy, then your rheumatologist can work to improve control of the disease. This may not help the right knee, but could prevent damage in the other knee. A good, thorough evaluation by an orthopaedic surgeon can help you explore your options.