If you or anyone you know suffers from knee pain you are aware it can be very debilitating. Think about it for a while and you will realize knee pain can make it hard to get up and down, walk, run, sit comfortably or impossible to sleep. In fact knee pain can rob you of so much.

You may be asking yourself is there anything that can be done in order to help you avoid surgery. Well, we have good news. There are things that can be done that can postpone (maybe even prevent) surgery. If you have not discussed your options with your doctor it is time to do so.

Some patients have had good results with Synvisc injections (treatment for osteoarthritis of the knees) to relieve pain. Others have had their surgery delayed and some were able to forgo total knee replacement surgery.

Synvisc injections are used for relief of knee pain for those who have not had good results from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid shots, exercise, or physical therapy.

Results indicated that 72.6 percent of patients treated with Synvisc injections avoided the total knee replacement surgery throughout the study. No serious or long-term side effects from the Synvisc injections were noted during the study. Eight patients, however, developed acute inflammatory reactions following the Synvisc injections.

About 13.7 million Americans suffer with osteoarthritis of the knee. It is the most common type of arthritis in the United States. The Synvisc injection trial results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It was concluded that Synvisc injections appear to be an effective and viable treatment option for osteoarthritis.

(Source: Synvisc Injections Shown to Be Effective, PRNewswire, 2/4/99)

So where do we get Synviscs? Good questions. It is derived from the natural natural lubricant in normal joints. The goal of using Synvisc injections is to restore the natural elasticity and viscous properties of synovial fluid. Synvisc is just one of several hyaluronates that are used for injections. Some others are Euflexxa, Hyalgan, Orthovisc, and Supartz.

If you have been living with knee pain and are ready to do something about it but not quite to the point that you are willing to have surgery discuss with your doctor the possibility of having Synvisc Injections. Have him or her schedule you an appointment at Outpatient Services East? You can find out all you want to know about the procedure and decide if it is right for you.

Just think about this for a few minutes. You know your are having pain most of the time. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to have the pain gone without surgery. If the synovial fluid has broken down and therefore not providing the cushioning your knee needs it may just take an injection to correct the problem. You won’t know until you try.

Remember the entire staff at Outpatient Services East wants you to be free of pain and able to enjoy life as you should. Call them today with any questions you may have about their facility, 205-838-3888