10-21-2005, 05:37 AM
Hmm, that doesn\'t sound good at all. Fluid on a joint is always a sign of bigger problems, your body is compensating by adding more padding to the effected area essentially, protecting it. Best way to deal with it unfortunatly is have it drained, by a doctor, I wouldn\'t recomed doing it yourself, it makes a big mess and isn\'t that easy, trust me. Where it\'s swollen, is it hard to the touch? If that\'s the case, more then likely it is gout, a build up of salty fluids in the extremeties, in that case you\'d have to alter your diet and cut out high in salt foods and drink. I know red wine is terrible for gout, and the better the wine the worse it is on the condition. It could be a compression sprain, having your ankle in the boot for real long periods of time can wear on it, and the repeating the problem will aggrivate it more. For home relief, don\'t ice with fluid, elevate it above your heart and stay off it. I would suggest you have a doctor look at it, and give you a proper diagnosis, like I said, fluid can be a sign of other things.