If you are suffering from problems like joint pain and swelling for a long time, then you might be curious to know whether you are suffering from arthritis pain or something else. The problem with joint pain and swelling is that it can also be caused by something apart from arthritis.

For example, knee inflammation, which is a possible symptom of arthritis, can also take place because of buildup of fluid or bleeding in and around the knee joint. There are many conditions that can lead to knee swelling such as arthritis, bursitis, meniscus, medication toxicity, knee joint infection and vitamin deficiencies. Bursitis, for example, takes place when bursa that encloses the joint of the knee becomes swollen because of an injury. The difference between cartilage injury that is instigated by arthritis and bursitis is that the former causes fluid to gather in the joint of the knee rather than around the knee joint. Therefore, the key to diagnosis is to find out where the fluid is gathering in the knee. Deficiency of vitamin C and medication toxicity can also cause blood to permeate into the tissues and joints but these are uncommon conditions that can lead to swelling of the knee. Getting an MRI scan will also help in determining the exact cause of the swelling and pain.