Osteoarthritis is a disease which the majority of
Americans, at some point in their life, suffer from. Many
different forms of treatment have been developed to try to
help people through the pain and discomfort which is
associated with osteoarthritis. One of the newer forms of
treatment is the replacement of synovial (joint) fluid
within arthritic joints. This is helpful because during the
progression of arthritis, this synovial fluid breaks down
into smaller units, thereby decreasing its lubricating and
shock absorbing abilities.
The backbone of the joint lubrication fluid is known as
hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid itself is not absorbed when
taken orally and therefore its use at this point is limited
to an injectable form. There is no current evidence that
hyaluronic acid is effective for the treatment
osteoarthritis when given orally. The only proven and
approved method of administration is by injection into the
joint. Hyaluronic acid is injected directly into the knee in
a series of three to five injections approximately one week
apart. As it is injected into the knee, its onset of action
is often immediate, however several studies have found that
some individuals do not benefit from the injections until
after the final injection.
Hyaluronic acid has been approved by the FDA. It can be
administered only by a qualified provider in a series of
injections as mentioned above. Most insurance companies are
currently paying for these injections, after traditional and
conservative measures have been attempted.
In summary, hyaluronic acid injections have been found to
be beneficial in osteoarthritic knees. There is no
explanation as to why some individuals react positively when
others do not. However, it has been found that 80 to 85% of
individuals who are treated with this series of injections
have some amount of pain relief which lasts anywhere from
nine to 12 months. This series of injections can be repeated
if necessary, though the understanding and reasoning for
repeat series of injections has not been clearly defined
yet.
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