Inflammation cont’d: BAKER’S CYST♨️
Are the back of your knees swollen❔
Do you get shooting pain down your calf❔
Does it hurt to extend your knee❔
I had these symptoms 7 years ago and after getting an MRI, I was told that I had bakers cysts (BC) at the back of both knees. (These symptoms resemble those of a blood clot, so you may want to seek medical attention to rule out). BC is a lot more common than I thought, so I wanted to share my experience.
BC is a pocket of fluid that forms a lump behind the knee, also called a popliteal cyst.
It can be caused when excess joint fluid is pushed into one of the small sacs of tissue behind the knee.
BC are common amongst athletes, especially in sports that require sudden changes of direction and twisting movements. Some athletes get them drained prior to a game. Arthritis or other injuries can also cause BC. I had been working out since I was 16 with a lot of repetitive work and wear and tear, so I’m thinking they could’ve come from that.
Mine were slightly bigger than golf balls and left my knees feeling super sore in the morning. They would get a bit better with movement but certain actions would hurt such as deadlifts, knee extension, forward folds, and standing on one leg. Squatting and cycling were fine for me.
Doctors told me they were too small for surgery and that since I was young, they could disappear on their own, or even burst (great). Draining them was an option, but that wouldnt stop them from coming back.
A few years went by and the pain got worse. I got another MRI done which showed that they grew. The sports doctor told me my only solution was surgery and draining would again, just be temporary.
Of course, I said EFF that to it all, and looked for a better answer.
At 25 I started to develope knee pain. Now at 32, my cyst has disappeared from my right knee and Im left with a small one on my left with zero symptoms.
This is what worked FOR ME.
My knees have taken quite the beating over the years, from heavy weight lifting and cycling.
So how did I reduce the size of my cysts? Perhaps they decreased on their own, like the doc said, but my symptoms immediately improved once I started using CASTOR OIL!
I highly back this remedy up and I know it worked for a few others too!
Castor oil is a medicinal oil and commonly used as a powerful laxative. It can also be used with a poltice (paste) to dissolve and draw out cysts,tumours, warts, and other toxic accumulations.
Every single night, I filled up a hot water heat pack, and poured some castor oil on a cheese cloth, or any cloth that can absorb. I placed the cloth under my knees and the hot water pack under THAT. I Went to bed every night like that for a long as I could remember to do it, and as long as I wasnt too lazy to do it 🙂 I dont do it as often now – but I should. I keep up with it every now and then, especially if my knee feels tired, swollen or worn down, and when I do it, my knee feels better within days.
In addition to castor oil,I can confidently say that yoga has helped slow down the degeneration in my knees, increased my strength and stability of my joints, and has enabled me to keep doing what I love.
I wear knee braces when I lift weights, jog on concrete, and hike, climb stairs, and it makes all the difference in the world. These are the things I must continue to do keep my knees healthy to the best of my ability as I age.
One other thing I tried and I’m not sure if it helped directly, but I did acupuncture and blood letting (painful AF!). I definitely had some stagnant blood back there
My most recent MRI (I know, Ive gotten a lot done…not ideal… thats another topic) showed that my cyst has disappeared from my right knee and Im left with a small one on my left with zero symptoms.
Again everyone is different, and it can depend on the individual and how severe the condition is. So do your research and make informed decisions, whatever you decide on.
Watch my Video on how to do a castor oil pack and I hope this helps!
