How Viscosupplementation Can Alleviate Your Knee Pain

Knee pain is common, particularly in people with osteoarthritis. It’s a common form of arthritis involving wear-and-tear damage in your joints that can lead to stiffness, pain, and immobility. No matter who you are, it’s difficult not to use your knee joints. 

Viscosupplementation is an excellent treatment option, specifically for pain in the knee. Alongside many other orthopedic therapies, Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants in Merrillville, Indiana, provides viscosupplementation to help you manage your pain for at least several months. Serving the Northwest Indiana area, including Munster, Crown Point, St. John, and Dyer, our team of board-certified physicians can help you decide if viscosupplementation is the best choice for your care plan.

Early measures for knee pain management

Viscosupplementation is typically an option for treatment when knee pain due to osteoarthritis doesn’t respond to other conservative early interventions. Before you get viscosupplementation at our office, our experts might recommend:

• Weight management via diet changes and exercise
• Physical therapy
• Over-the-counter pain relievers
• Activity modification at home

If knee pain and other symptoms, like stiffness, persist after conservative management strategies, it’s time to consider options like viscosupplementation. 

How viscosupplementation improves knee function

A significant reason why experts and patients alike trust viscosupplementation for knee pain management is the treatment’s ability to improve the function of your knee as it alleviates pain at the same time. 

The treatment involves an injection of hyaluronic acid directly into your knee joint with X-ray guidance. Hyaluronic acid is found in various parts of your body, including in your joints as a natural lubricant. Its slick and hydrating properties make it an effective ingredient in many skin care products, dermal fillers, and dry eye treatments, too. 

If you have osteoarthritis, the hyaluronic acid in painful and inflamed joints (such as your knees) is lacking. Viscosupplementation restores your levels for smoother joint movement and less pain.

Viscosupplementation may also slow the cartilage and bone loss that occurs with osteoarthritis.

Completing your plan

Most people who undergo viscosupplementation benefit from 1-5 injections over several weeks, which result in months of pain relief. Our experts determine the appropriate number of injections for your knee pain according to its severity and duration. They can also help you by providing physical therapy and any other forms of treatment to restore the function of your painful knee. 

To get started on planning your knee pain treatment, schedule a visit online or over the phone at Orthopaedic Surgical Consultants today.