Living with osteoarthritis is daunting, as it can impact your mobility, disrupting your everyday routine and keeping you from engaging in the activities you love. Knee arthritis is, for instance, a major reason for disability in the U.S. While you might have attempted numerous noninvasive procedures to alleviate your arthritis pain, viscosupplementation therapy provides far superior pain relief benefits. Most patients report feeling better and being able to resume their normal lives sooner than expected. Interventional spine specialist Dr. Glenn M. Flanagan provides insight into Naples Viscosupplementation to help you decide if this procedure could help relieve your arthritis pain. Continue reading to learn more.
How Does Viscosupplementation Treatment Work?
Osteoarthritis causes knee discomfort because the cartilage that cushions the joints deteriorates. Hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring component of the synovial fluid that helps keep your joints lubricated, declines with age. Viscosupplementation is a treatment for knee discomfort, edema, and stiffness that involves injecting synthetic hyaluronic acid directly into your affected joint.
How Is Viscosupplementation Performed?
Dr. Flanagan injects the hyaluronic fluid to alleviate the joint discomfort. Based on your unique concerns, injections can range from being a one-time therapy to needing to be administered weekly for 3-5 weeks. This procedure is outpatient, which means that patients require no hospitalization.
Nonetheless, immediately after every injection, you should rest for two days; otherwise, feel free to go about your daily routine. This safe and effective procedure can alleviate knee discomfort, potentially reducing the need for more intrusive procedures.
What To Expect After Viscosupplementation?
For the initial 48 hours following an injection, you should keep off any activities that put extra pressure on your knee, for instance, jumping, running, or heavy lifting. Some patients may experience mild swelling, redness, and warmth at their injection site, but these concerns usually fade in a day or two. Likewise, do not be discouraged if your discomfort does not completely subside right after viscosupplementation therapy, as full benefits are often attainable after several days or even weeks.
Are There Any Risks Associated With Viscosupplementation?
Most persons do not experience issues with viscosupplementation. However, some patients experience flare-ups of arthritic pain after receiving an injection. Other less prevalent risks include:
· Bleeding
· Infection (delay the injection if you currently have an infection)
· Allergic reactions
Additionally, there is always the potential that the treatment will not do much to alleviate your concerns. Feel free to discuss your concerns in detail with your healthcare professional. Your unique risks might differ according to your health concerns and how frequently and where you get injections.
Who Could Benefit From Viscosupplementation?
When conventional pain management strategies have failed, doctors often turn to viscosupplementation. Treatment for knee arthritis in the early stages focuses on managing symptoms. Over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are commonly used. Your doctor may supplement these medications with other procedures like physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, and topical pain relievers. If these solutions make you sick or are not helping you feel better, viscosupplementation may be worth a try.
Osteoarthritis can take a toll on your life quality as it causes significant pain. This discomfort is often so severe that it affects numerous aspects of your life, including sleep, work life, and more. Fortunately, you need not put up with this pain, as numerous pain management solutions can help. Dr. Flanagan offers safe and effective viscosupplementation procedures at Naples Regenerative Institute to provide long-term pain relief. Schedule an initial consultation through mobile or request online to discuss your concerns and determine if this procedure is appropriate for you.