Gel Knee Shots Can Relieve Arthritis Pain for Months
If you suffer from osteoarthritis, you know all too well that there is no known cure for the degenerative disease. You’re far too used to the wear and tear on your knees that cause painful stiffness and swelling.
However, even though doctors have not found a cure, they have discovered many treatment options that help the knee pain and joint stiffness associated with the disease. One of the most effective treatments is gel knee shots — also referred to as viscosupplementation, hyaluronic acid, or “rooster comb” injections.
What are Gel Knee Injections?
Our bodies naturally produce a thick gel called synovial fluid that keeps our joints lubricated and properly functioning. In patients with osteoarthritis, this gel becomes watery as the cartilage in your knees breaks down and is no longer effective in protecting your joints and absorbing shock.
Doctors can temporarily restore this substance into arthritic knees via gel shots. This treatment increased the hyaluronic acid levels in your knees to that of fully functioning joints. Once this fluid is restored, patients can experience reduced creaking, grinding, and inflammation, as well as restored function in their knees and most of all, pain relief.
Why You Should Get a Gel Knee Injection
1) Gel knee shots are for patients who find other treatments ineffective
This course of action is recommended for patients who don’t experience relief from physical therapy or other injections. Additionally, patients with diabetes often choose gel shots since corticosteroid injections — another common treatment — raise blood sugar levels. If overused, cortisone can deteriorate cartilage in knees, while gel shots do not.
2) Gel knee shots last longer than other treatment options
A typical regimen of gel shots consists of three to five weekly injections. Patients can then enjoy pain relief from osteoarthritis for up to six months on average.
3) Gel knee shots are approved by the FDA
The FDA approved the first gel injections in the late ’90s. There are now more than six different brands available. All of them have been deemed equally effective by independent clinical trials.
The Side Effects of Gel Shots
Rare side effects of gel shots include bruising, excess fluid, pain, redness, swelling, and heat around the injection site. However, these side effects typically subside soon after the injection.
Compared to other injections, gel knee injections can take up to five weeks for patients to experience full relief but last much longer — around six months. Comparably, cortisone shots provide patients relief within a few days but only last a few weeks.
Additionally, like with any shot, there is a small risk of infection.
Contact Arthritis Relief & Vascular Centers today to schedule your risk-free appointment. We can help you figure out if gel knee shots are the answer to your osteoarthritis pain.