Osteoarthritis is one of the most common pain-causing joint conditions in America. It is a degenerative joint disease that primarily affects the knees, where the cartilage and the synovial fluid present between the bones deteriorate. 

Cartilage is a tissue surrounding the joints that act as a shock absorber and buffer between bones; as it fades away, friction between the bones causes constant pain and restricts a person’s motion ability. This disease is mostly seen in the elderly population. There are various treatments available that relieve the pain, viscosupplementation is one of those treatments. 

Viscosupplementation is a minimally invasive treatment that is known to provide temporary relief from pain caused by osteoarthritis. The procedure involves injecting a thick, lubricating fluid called hyaluronic acid in the knees. This helps in decreasing the friction around bones and allows easy movement. Viscosupplementation sometimes also delays the need for knee surgery. 

Your doctor may suggest viscosupplementation only if other non-surgical treatments fail to give you any pain relief. At Naples viscosupplementation procedure, Dr. Glen M. Flanagan, MD, has years of experience as a trained specialist who will guide through the procedure and help you regarding your concerns. 

Procedure

The synovial fluid present between the knees already has some traces of hyaluronic acid that helps in lubrication. The hyaluronic acid used in viscosupplementation when injected is believed to enhance the lubrication properties of the synovial fluid and provide comfort and cushion to the knee. This will allow easy movement and stability of the knee with higher comfort. 

 During the procedure, your doctor injects hyaluronic acid at the site of the problem. They may inject local anesthesia into the knee for the procedure. If there is swelling around the joint, the doctor may first remove the fluid present; this process is called aspiration. 

Depending upon the pain, you may need around three to five injections, injected at an interval of one week apart. After the injection, you may go home, but avoid heavy exercise and lifting for around 24 hours after injection. 

However, the pain relief may not be instant. There can be decreased pain relief in three to four weeks. Many patients have reported complete relief after eight to twelve weeks of injection.  

Side-effects 

Some common side effects reported are:

• Swelling, rashes, redness, and discomfort at the site of injection for a few days.
• Sometimes itching or burning sensation. This will go away in some time. 
• If you are allergic to hyaluronic acid, the side effects may get severe, like swelling, knee filling with fluid, and pain. Contact your doctor if the symptoms persist.