Can a small meniscus tear heal on its own?

Can a small meniscus tear heal on its own?

In the case of meniscus tears, some people think the injury will heal over time on its own. But the truth is that there are different types of meniscus tears — and some tears won’t heal without treatment. If your tear is on the outer one-third of the meniscus, it may heal on its own or be repaired surgically.

What happens if you have a small meniscus tear?

Each of your knees has two C-shaped pieces of cartilage that act like a cushion between your shinbone and your thighbone (menisci). A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness. You also might feel a block to knee motion and have trouble extending your knee fully.

Can you live with a small meniscus tear?

“You can live with a meniscus tear,” Dr. Parker says. “And it may heal on its own, or just not cause you problems.”

Can a torn meniscus heal in 2 weeks?

With a minor tear, you may have slight pain and swelling. This usually goes away in 2 or 3 weeks. A moderate tear can cause pain at the side or center of your knee. Swelling slowly gets worse over 2 or 3 days.

How do you treat a small meniscus tear?

What’s the Treatment for a Meniscus Tear?

1. Rest the knee.
2. Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling.
3. Compress your knee.
4. Elevate your knee with a pillow under your heel when you’re sitting or lying down.
5. Take anti-inflammatory medications.
6. Use stretching and strengthening exercises to help reduce stress to your knee.

What is a Grade 1 meniscus tear?

Grades 1 and 2 are not considered serious. They may not even be apparent with an arthroscopic examination. Grade 3 is a true meniscus tear and an arthroscope is close to 100 percent accurate in diagnosing this tear.

Why is my meniscus tear not healing?

A tear on the inner two-thirds of the meniscus that won’t heal on its own because the area lacks blood flow to stimulate the immune system response. A tear that gives you a lot of pain or impairs use of your knee may require surgery to remove or repair the torn part of the meniscus.

Should you stay off a torn meniscus?

Rest. You should stay off your feet until your meniscus tear is healed. Don’t walk, run, or play sports because this can make your injury worse.

Why does meniscus tear hurt at night?

There are a couple of reasons why your knee pain is worse at night: Pain is perceived to be worse at nighttime. As you climb into bed and start to quiet your mind pain becomes more pronounced than when you were active during the day distracted by your activities. An active day may cause your knee joint to swell.

Can you climb stairs with a torn meniscus?

A torn meniscus can prevent normal pain-free motion of the knee and therefore can interfere with the patient’s ability to climb stairs or get in and out of chairs and cars. Sometimes the pain in the knee causes the brain to shut off the quadriceps muscle at the knee and leads to a “giving way” sensation.

What is a Grade 1 or 2 meniscus tear?

Meniscus tears, indicated by MRI, are classified in three grades. Grades 1 and 2 are not considered serious. They may not even be apparent with an arthroscopic examination. Grade 3 is a true meniscus tear and an arthroscope is close to 100 percent accurate in diagnosing this tear.

What makes a meniscus tear worse?

A meniscus tear can get worse when left untreated. For example, you might have trouble managing the pain and swelling in your knee, or your knee may continue feeling like it’s catching or locking.

How long does a meniscus tear take to heal?

Your meniscal tear will commonly take up to six or eight weeks to fully heal.

How should it take for a meniscus tear to heal?

Less severe meniscus tears can take 4-8 weeks to heal. Others may require surgery and take as long as 6 months. For people with less severe tears, doctors may recommend gentle exercises. It is normal for these exercises to cause a little discomfort. If any exercise causes pain, however, stop doing it.

How long does it take to recover from meniscus repair?

If surgery is performed to treat meniscus tear, then it may take a month to recover. Full recovery may take four to six months with effective physical therapy to restore full function and strength.

When might surgery be needed for a meniscus tear?

When Surgery Is Necessary. In order for a meniscus tear to heal, it must have the following attributes: Surgery is generally necessary to repair a torn meniscus only if the tear is unstable, you have healthy meniscus tissue, and the tear is in an area of good blood supply.