Tag: knee pain relief

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Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee Pain, Even at Rest?

The pain of knee osteoarthritis can be felt not only during movement such as walking, but also during rest.

The pain of osteoarthritis in the knees can be felt when standing up, walking, or doing any other movement. Which makes sense.

However, did you know that many people with knee osteoarthritis experience pain even when they are at rest?

In order to decrease this pain, many turn to over-the-counter NSAIDs, prescription medications, knee injections, and physical therapy. Then if none of those work, the next step is usually knee replacement surgery, however, this is changing as more and more people are opting to treat their condition with Genicular Artery Embolization.

Genicular artery embolization is a procedure that can treat knee osteoarthritis by blocking the blood flow to the inflamed areas of the knee that are causing decreased mobility and pain.

The outpatient procedure is performed by way of a tiny catheter which is inserted into the blood vessels and then guided by a highly skilled interventional radiologist, to the artery that supplies blood to the areas of knee pain.

The interventional radiologist then releases microscopic spheres into the specific blood vessel (genicular artery) to block this flow.

As a result of this blockage, inflammation is greatly decreased and so is knee pain.

Unlike knee replacement surgery which requires recovery time in the hospital, patients who undergo GAE treatment can go home the same day.

In most cases, pain relief begins to occur within two weeks, as the inflammation in the knee joint is reduced, thereby relieving the knee pain associated with osteoarthritis.

In fact, according to a study published in The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, knee pain has been shown again and again to be significantly reduced as a result of genicular artery embolization- particularly for those dealing with moderate-to-severe knee pain.

This particular study found that its participants showed continued improvement in their knee osteoarthritis symptoms at one-month, three-months, and at their six-month checkups. Not only did their symptoms improve, but the MRI scans taken at this point of recovery, proved it.

The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology also published the results of a study that followed ten patients through their GAE journey, pre and post-procedure.

At the one-year mark, the participants reported:

Median pain: 15.4% improvement
Knee/leg function: 21.3% improvement
Quality of life: 100% improvement

This study also conducted follow-up tests with the participants that included a six-minute walk and a 30-second chair sitting/standing test. As a result of the GAE procedure scores for these tests improved by 26% and 43% respectively.

Add to that, the fact that in both studies no adverse reactions were reported, and you have yourself an excellent option for treating knee osteoarthritis.

To learn more about GAE, and to see if this procedure could benefit you and relieve your osteoarthritis knee pain, please call and set up a consultation today.

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Side Effects and Risks of Corticosteroid Injections

Corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections can help to relieve osteoarthritis knee pain, however, it is temporary.

Corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections can help to relieve knee pain, however, it is temporary.

Not only is the relief temporary but there is ample evidence to support that exercise can be just as effective, and so can a simple injection with plain old saline solution (which is often used as the placebo in clinical trials).

Again and again, exercise, in order to treat knee osteoarthritis pain, is recommended over knee injections. One reason is that knee injections come with many more risks than exercise.

One of the biggest risks of knee injections is infections of the knee joint. This is especially true of corticosteroids.

If there are germs on the needle that is used for corticosteroid injections, an infection can happen.

Though joint infections are rare, they do happen. And when they do, they can cause serious problems. Therefore it is critical that these knee injections and performed by experienced doctors that follow hygiene standards such as properly disinfecting the skin before the injection.

The risk of infection is slightly higher with corticosteroid injections than with hyaluronic acid, because of the effect that steroids can have on the immune response of the joint.

In fact, repeated steroid injections over a long period of time can weaken the joint cartilage as well, furthering this risk.

Other possible side effects of steroid knee injections include pain and swelling at the injection site. This is especially true in the days after treatment when the muscles and ligaments may be slightly weakened.

There is also the risk that, for those getting treated with multiple steroid injections, the skin at the injection sight can become permanently discolored.

Some of the other potential side effects of steroid knee injections are:

–  osteoporosis of nearby bone tissue

–  osteonecrosis, which is the death of bone tissue

–  a temporary flare of pain and inflammation in the joint

–  joint infection

–  nerve damage

–  thinning or lightening of the skin and soft tissue around the injection site

–  allergic reaction

–  elevated blood sugar levels in some people with diabetes

 

There is also evidence to suggest that cortisone injections come with not only the risk of infection post-injection but that when administered in the time period before knee surgery, these injections can lead to a much greater post-surgical infection risk.

Even when corticosteroids are effective, according to a research study published by an independent group of scientists from the Cochrane Collaboration, these injections might reduce osteoarthritis symptoms for several weeks in roughly 10 out of 100 people.

 

The Bottom Line: Though there was a time when corticosteroid injections were considered to be some sort of miracle cure for knee pain, in more recent years, research has shown that this isn’t entirely true.

In fact, several studies have found that corticosteroid knee injections provided no significant pain relief after two years. And, some studies have even shown that cortisone can make the situation worse by thinning out the meniscus, causing more bone on bone in the knee.

In our next article, we will take a look at the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid injections, as well as the potential side effects and risks.

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Hyaluronic Acid Injection for Osteoarthritis

A type of knee injection that is used to temporarily reduce knee pain,  is a Hyaluronic Acid Injection, also known as viscosupplementation.

Another type of knee injection that is used to temporarily reduce knee pain, is a Hyaluronic Acid Injection, also known as viscosupplementation.

Hyaluronic acid is a gel-like substance that occurs naturally in the body as part of the synovial lining that coats the joints. Hyaluronic acid is also present in other areas of the body such as the skin and eyes, where it helps retain moisture and keep these areas lubricated.

When it comes to relieving osteoarthritis knee pain, hyaluronic acid can be injected into the knee to help provide cushioning and lubrication.

The injection of this lubricating fluid into the knee joint can sometimes result in temporary lubrication that may help to decrease knee pain and inflammation, as well as improve knee function.

However, unfortunately, just like with corticosteroid knee injections, the relief experienced as a result of hyaluronic acid injections is temporary.

That being said, though hyaluronic injections are temporary solutions, and will not cure knee conditions, they can be effective at relieving knee pain, in some cases, for up to six months.

The process of getting a hyaluronic knee injection is done through what is known as an intra-articular injection. This injection is usually administered by a nurse or trained healthcare professional, who should first check to make sure that this type of injection is suitable for you.

Typically hyaluronic knee injections are between one and five injections, usually a week apart depending on the brand of hyaluronic acid your healthcare professional uses.

The recovery period, post-injection typically involves avoiding jogging, high-impact sports, or being overly active for at least a few days following the injections. It is also recommended to avoid carrying heavy items or standing for long periods post injections.

For some, hyaluronic injections can provide immediate relief. While for others, it can take several weeks for the inflammation and pain to subside.

In fact, several clinical studies have investigated the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid injections in treating knee osteoarthritis. And one of their findings was that the average time it takes to experience pain relief is around 4 weeks post-injection.

Studies have also found that the duration of relief periods can vary from 2 months to up to 6 months. With the most effective period, on average, being between weeks 5 and 13.

It’s important to note that not all studies conducted to test the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid injections in treating knee osteoarthritis have reported positive results. For this reason, some doctors may not recommend this treatment. Research also shows that these injections may not work in overweight people due to the narrowing of joint space in the knee.

More recently, other types of injections are emerging, though they are still in the experimental stage, and are not FDA-approved at this time. These include using platelet-rich plasma or stem cells to help relieve pain and potentially encourage the healing of damaged soft tissues. Some people have found that these injections can provide long-term relief and help them to remain active, but they may not be suitable for all.

The bottom line when it comes to hyaluronic knee injections is that they do not treat osteoarthritis or the knees themselves. However, they can provide temporary relief.

This temporary relief can be best put to use by using it as a time to begin physical therapy and exercises to help strengthen the muscles that support the knee. It’s also a potential treatment to help relieve the pain in the weeks leading up to surgery or genicular artery embolization, which will provide long-term pain relief.

In our next article, we will take a look at some of the side effects and risks associated with corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections. As well as dive deeper into what the research says about these temporary solutions to osteoarthritis knee pain.

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee Injections: Do They Work?

Knee osteoarthritis is painful and can cause a decrease in mobility, and it puts limits on what you can do. Can knee injections help?

Knee osteoarthritis is painful and can cause a decrease in mobility that puts limits on what you can do. Therefore many people turn to knee injections to help relieve this pain.

So what are knee injections? And do they work?

When physical therapy and pain medication taken by mouth fail to relieve the aching pain caused by osteoarthritis of the knee, sometimes doctors will recommend an injection of medicine directly into the arthritic joint. These injections of medicine can reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

The most common type of knee injections are corticosteroid injections and hyaluronic acid injections. Let’s take a look at what these medicines are and how they work, starting with corticosteroid injections.

Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that closely resemble cortisol- which is a hormone that is naturally produced by the adrenal glands and regulated by the pituitary gland inside the brain.

Cortisol is essential for life, as it helps to maintain blood pressure, immune function, and the body’s anti-inflammatory processes.

Cortisol can also:

–  help the body manage stress

–  convert protein into glucose to boost flagging blood sugar levels

–  work in tandem with the hormone insulin to maintain constant

–  blood sugar levels

–  reduce inflammation

–  contribute to the maintenance of constant blood pressure

–  contribute to the workings of the immune system.

Corticosteroid is a synthetic cortisol that is also used to help relieve knee pain by treating inflammation that is responsible for swelling and pain. Once injected into the knee, corticosteroids work quickly to temporarily relieve knee osteoarthritis pain.

The temporary pain relief from a corticosteroid injection can be helpful if a person with knee pain needs to engage in physical therapy, attend to an important life event, or postpone knee replacement surgery or genicular artery embolization to a later, more convenient time.

That being said, the key word here is temporary.

Though these injections can be helpful, they do not treat the knee condition itself, but rather provide short-term, temporary relief. Relief, that over time, will wear off completely.

It’s also important to note that just like any medication-related treatment, corticosteroid injections do not work for everyone. And, even when they are effective, the results may vary.

Some studies show that on average, just 40% of patients feel better after receiving cortisone shots for knee osteoarthritis.

In one study, one month after undergoing treatment, people who received cortisone injections were asked to report and rank their improvements on a 10-point scale, with 1 being the least improvement and 10 being the most improvement.

The average score that the participants ranked their improvement in symptoms was a 5 out of 10.

So yes, the injection helped, but only slightly.

The Bottom Line: Corticosteroid injections can be helpful for short-term knee pain relief leading up to a long-term solution treatment such as surgery or genicular artery embolization. However, these injections are not without their own set of side effects and risks.

In our next article, we will take a look at the use and efficacy of hyaluronic acid injections. As well as dive deeper into what the research says about these temporary solutions to osteoarthritis knee pain.