Have you tried all the conservative therapies for your knee osteoarthritis, and nothing is working?

You really, really don’t want to go down the knee replacement surgery road. What’s left to try?

You might want to consider HA injections for your knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Call Nona Medical Arts today and speak with a medical professional.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid? What Does It Do?

Think of it like WD-40 for your joints.

Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a gel-like substance naturally present in the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints.

Because arthritis patients lose hyaluronic acid as their joint wears away, the theory goes that replacing it with a process called viscosupplementation would make using the joint less painful.

The injections are FDA-approved for knee osteoarthritis.

Its mechanism of action (how a hyaluronic acid injection works) is not fully known, but is thought to at least temporarily increase the viscosity, or thickness, of the fluid that surrounds the joint it is injected into. This may reduce pain and make joint movement easier.

How Are HA Injections Given? Does it Hurt?

If you are going to get HA injections, the actual process is pretty simple. The shot is directly injected into the affected knee joint, specifically within the synovial fluid that bathes the joint.

Like any injection, it may seem more painful to some people than others, but there should not be a lot of pain. A small, sharp needle is used and the joint may be numbed first with a local anesthetic.

How Long Does The Pain Relief Last?

It is variable but many patients report six months of relief, and the injections may be repeated every six months or based on physician judgement.

Also, the shots may take several weeks to start working, unlike steroid injections, which work much faster.