Teenager - Water/Fluid on the knee? NO INJURY OCCURED, JUST APPEARED!?

My son who is 15 woke me the other night that his knee was really swollen. I looked at it and it was but it was hard and so was the calf w/lots of veins popping out. It wasnt red or warm to the touch but two days later it wasnt any better. Now it has gone down a little bit and it has turned really soft, but he definately has fluid on/in his knee. It is quite discusting as a matter of fact. You push on it and the fluid moves to the other side, like a water balloon.

In asking him, he says it really doesnt hurt, it hurts a little and is tight only when he scwats down. He says that it feels like it needs to be cracked.

Took him to the doctor yesturday and all she did was told him to take 600 mg Ibuprofin every 4 hours, wear a knee brace, try to stay off from it when can and ice it. She is giving him until Friday (went to dr. on Tues.) and if it is still there, seeing orthopaedic dr.

Anyone else have this happen and what is the outcome? How painful to have drained?

If the swelling is on the front of his knee, it could be osgood-schlatter (spelling might not be right) disease. It is something common in boys 10-15 years of age. Is he sporty? It's very common, but I don't think it's dangerous. I used to work for a chiropractor and he treated patients with this.

I don't know what this could be, but my advice is to take him to another doctor for a 2nd, even 3rd opinion. I tore up my knee in college and I went to 2 doctors who said I sprained my hamstring(??!!). I knew there was something wrong with my knee, and not my hamstring, so I went to the team trainer of my college team and he said it was a torn ACL, w/ torn meniscus. I had surgery and was in rehab for 7 months. Some of these doctors have been doing this a long time, maybe not too up to date.