When you have chronic pain in your knees, one factor working against you is a lack of lubrication in the joint. Your body naturally produces a thick substance called synovial fluid to keep your joints moving smoothly. Synovial fluid contains a substance called hyaluronic acid. If you have osteoarthritis, your levels of hyaluronic acid drop, leaving you with less lubrication in your joints and bones that grind against each other, causing pain.
Also known as viscosupplements, hyaluronic acid injections supplement your natural fluids to ease joint pain. Hyaluronic acid injections have been approved by the FDA as a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee, and the therapy also shows promise for treating hip and ankle joints.
At Nebben Physical Medicine in Clarksville, Tennessee, our team, led by owner Loren Nebben, DC and John Bassell, MD, has the expertise you can trust when choosing the right therapies to resolve osteoarthritis or chronic joint pain. We offer hyaluronic acid injections to patients suffering from chronic knee pain.
In addition to acting like a shock absorber, hyaluronic acid appears to have additional benefits for joint health. Studies show that hyaluronic acid minimizes chemicals in your joints that promote inflammation. Targeted injections of supplemental hyaluronic acid can potentially push your body to produce greater levels of the substance on your own, in addition to providing pain relief. Increased hyaluronic acid levels in your joints promotes strong cartilage and prevents cartilage deterioration, allowing the joint to move more smoothly.
We move to hyaluronic acid treatments when other more conservative pain-management strategies, like over-the-counter medication, chiropractic care, or physical therapy, aren't enough to control your osteoarthritis pain. It typically takes several sessions for you to experience your best results from this treatment. In many cases, patients receive one injection a week for 3-5 weeks. After completing the treatment regimen, you may find your pain significantly reduced and your mobility increased.
The benefits of the injection sequence continue at full strength for about three months, on average. Some patients see results that last for up to two years. For about 30% of patients, hyaluronic acid injections completely end their pain. For about 20% of patients, the treatment may be almost completely ineffective. Even though the treatment doesn't work for everyone, the potential for excellent results makes this treatment worth a try.
If you're looking for ways to address chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis for good, get in touch with us. Our team consults with you to determine if hyaluronic acid injections or other therapies may be helpful to your situation. To schedule your initial consultation appointment, call our office in Clarksville, Tennessee, or use the online booking tool.
