Do The Series of ‘Gel Like’ Injections for Knee Pain Really Work?

I’m referring to Hyaluronic acid injections aka rooster comb, gel  injections, viscosupplements, SYNVISC®, Hyalgen®, Euflexxa®, Supartz®, Orthovisc®, etc.

In my opinion the answer to this question is NO, NOT REALLY. Ultimately though you have to decide for yourself… Let me explain…

I have personally treated and talked to many patients who have had the series of three to five injections listed above (3-5 injections are usually administered over the course of a few weeks. Recently, SYNVISC® came out with one injection).  Most patients noticed little to no knee pain relief after the injections.  Some noticed that their knee pain and swelling got worse after the injections and they developed what’s known as a ‘hot knee’.  Others developed an allergic reaction to the shot and were unable to complete the series. Of the few that responded favorably to the injection theyonly  noticed temporary pain relief (which in all fairness the injections do claim that the relief is only temporary and usually lasts for up to 6 months).

There are multiple studies indicating that Hyaluronic injections are as effective as placebo injections,[1] [2] [3]and that the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs is 48 times greater than the effect of Hyaluronic acid injections (or rooster comb injections).[4]

One study indicated that the immediate pain relief patients experienced was not due to the injection itself, but from draining the fluid in the knee, a step doctors take prior to administering the injection to prep the knee.

Most patients mistakenly think that the knee injections add ‘cushioning’ or cartilage to their knee.  Unfortunately, this is not the case! IF the injections are successful the theory behind them is that they help lubricate the knee joint. The injections do NOT stimulate cartilage or increase the amount of cartilage in the knee.

Based on my personal experience and the multiple studies I have read (not the ones funded by the pharmaceutical companies, but ones written by a third party) about the injections.  I believe that there isn’t any real evidence that proves their effectiveness in the treatment of osteoarthritis knee pain.

On the other hand, I do believe that an individual should leave knee surgery as their very last option, so it’s certainly worth giving gel injections a ‘shot’.

If you suffer from knee pain due to cartilage loss, ‘bone on bone’, or osteoarthritis of the knee and you want to avoid a total knee replacement or you cannot undergo a total knee replacement due to other health problems then Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program™ may be the answer to your knee problem. Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program™ is considered a complete treatment plan that combines low-level laser treatments (cold laser treatments, cold laser therapy), and other modalities that promote rehabilitation of the knee.  Every patient’s program is different depending on whether they suffer from knee pain due to arthritis, ‘bone on bone’, meniscus tears, bursitis, tendonitis, a Baker’s Cyst, post surgical arthroscopic knee pain, or a combination of the listed conditions.  If you live in the Dallas /Fort Worth area call our office at 214- 596-1051 to find out if you’re a candidate for Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program or visit http://www.HelpMyKneePain.com

Or if you would like more information about Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program fill out the form on the right side of this screen to get your FREE report mailed to you entitled, Amazing Cold Laser Therapy the Missing Link to Knee Pain Relief!

At the DFW Spine & Joint Center we also have programs available that can help most musculoskeletal conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, sciatica, disc and nerve problems, hip, ankle foot, hand and wrist pain, etc…

Dr. Robert Hanson,D.C. an associate at the DFW Spine & Joint Center, offers non-surgical cold laser therapy programs for the treatment of shoulder, neck and low back pain.  He also offers programs that combine both cold laser therapy and spinal decompression therapy for the treatment of  herniated, bulging, degenerated discs, stenosis, and pinched nerves in the low back and neck.

Dr. Alexandra K. Schnee, B.S.,D.C. practices in Irving, Texas a the DFW Spine & Joint Center,-Your Cold Laser Dallas Doctor for the Non-Surgical Treatment of Knee Pain for the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas Area-“ Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program Has Been Helping People with Knee Pain and Joint Pain in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area Since 2001.”

Source:
1. Brandt KD, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2000; 43: 1192-1203
2. Lo GH, et al. JAMA. 2003; 290: 3115-3121.
3. Karlsson J, et al. Rheumatol. 2002; 41:1240-1248.
4. Archives of Internal Medicine February 11, 2002; 162:292-298.