Struggling with Knee Pain? Consider Viscosupplementation

What was once sporadic aching in your knees has turned into a daily grind to move without pain. You might take some solace knowing you're hardly alone. In fact, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, which is the leading cause of chronic knee pain, is on the rise and now affects 14 million people in the United States.

As millions of people struggle with ongoing knee pain, many have turned to viscosupplementation to help regain pain-free movement.

Here at Apex Pain Specialists, our board-certified pain management specialists, including Dr. Maziar Massrour and Dr. Naveen Reddy, offer this minimally invasive therapy to patients who are dealing with chronic knee pain.

If you want to explore whether viscosupplementation might be the treatment you’re looking for to get back out into the world, read on.

What we’re up against

To better understand how viscosupplementation works, it’s helpful to review what we’re up against when it comes to osteoarthritis (OA).

Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the protective cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in your joint begins to break down. As a result, your bones rub together directly, which leads to the pain and inflammation that are the hallmarks of OA.

While OA can affect any joint, it tends to strike those we use the most, which is why it’s often referred to as a wear-and-tear disease. As you can imagine, your knees succumb to considerable wear-and-tear over the course of your life, which is why they’re the most commonly affected joints when it comes to OA.

Unfortunately, OA in your knees is irreversible as your cartilage doesn’t regenerate.

Viscosupplementation for smoother function

The reason why viscosupplementation works so well is that we’re able to re-establish lubrication in your knees for smoother, more comfortable, function.

At the heart of viscosupplementation is hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a lubricating substance naturally found in your joints. More specifically, your joints are surrounded by synovial membranes that house synovial fluid, and this fluid contains HA.

Through viscosupplementation, we inject a synthetic version of HA into your knees to reduce the pain and inflammation and to add cushioning and support inside your joints.

Receiving your viscosupplementation treatments

We perform your viscosupplementation treatments right here in our offices, and you’re free to get on with your day afterward. 

In most cases, we recommend a series of viscosupplementation injections into your knees, which we space apart by several weeks. As you progress through the quick-and-easy injections, you should realize gradual results and regain more comfortable function in your knees.

The length of time these results last varies from one patient to the next, but many experience 6-12 months of relief.

If you’re tired of feeling like a prisoner to your achy knees, contact Apex Pain Specialists in Chandler, Arizona, to explore your treatment options, including viscosupplementation. To get started, call 480-820-7246 or book an appointment online.