How Effective Is Viscosupplementation Therapy in Remedying Knee Pain?

Did you know that osteoarthritis affects about 10% of men and 13% of women over age 60, making it the most common joint disorder in America? When you suffer from this condition, the surface of your cartilage breaks down and no longer allows your bones to glide easily next to each other.

This degenerative joint disease also causes you to lose the thick, gel-like fluid that lubricates and cushions your joints. Basically, you don’t have a functioning shock absorber anymore.

At Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute in Plainsboro Township and Manalapan, New Jersey, Ronak D. Patel, MD, and the rest of our team provide noninvasive, viscosupplementation injections to ease the pain in your knee and improve your mobility.

How viscosupplementation works

Before your procedure begins, we numb the area to make sure you don’t feel any pain. If you have any excess fluid on your knee, we aspirate it first. We then inject a thick, hyaluronic acid fluid into your knee to lubricate your joints. The entire treatment only takes about five minutes.

We recommend three to five injections per session, one week apart for successful results. You should begin to experience improvement throughout your treatments and continue on for six months or more after your injections.

Benefits of viscosupplementation

Hyaluronic acid injections provide many benefits for you. For instance, they can:

Improve your ability to walk and sit with ease
Reduce ongoing inflammation in your joints
Reduce pain in your joints
Get you back to your normal, daily routine

Viscosupplementation also regenerates your joint cartilage, which promotes stronger, healthier knees. Overall, the procedure provides a noninvasive solution to helping you get the proper function of your knee back without pain.

Safety of viscosupplementation

Hyaluronic acid injections are approved by the FDA, which attests to its safety and effectiveness. Other alternatives, such as knee replacement surgery, can put you at risk for infection and bleeding.

The side effects of viscosupplementation, if any, are mild. They include:

Possible mild, temporary swelling
Slight bleeding
Possible flare-up of arthritis immediately after your injection
Allergic reaction

Several studies show that viscosupplementation therapy provides a well-tolerated solution for patients suffering with knee pain.

Care after your procedure

After you’ve had your treatment, we recommend that you avoid lengthy periods of standing, walking, jogging, or lifting weights for at least 48 hours. If you experience any swelling, use an ice pack to help reduce your symptoms. If any side effects persist, we can treat you accordingly.

We monitor you with follow-up appointments to ensure your successful outcome.

If you haven’t benefited from other treatments for your knee pain, we can help. Contact Dr. Patel and our team by phone today at your preferred location or book your appointment online. You can also send a message to us with your questions, concerns, or comments.