Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (also known as OA) is the most common type of arthritis and one of the most common causes of knee pain; affecting more than 1.3 million Australians..

What happens in knees with osteoarthritis

A healthy knee has cartilage and lubricating joint fluid — called synovial fluid — to protect and cushion the bones, allowing the knee to move and bend. In knees with osteoarthritis, the cartilage protecting the ends of the bones gradually deteriorates, and the joint fluid loses its shock-absorbing qualities. Bones may begin to rub against each other, causing the common symptoms of knee osteoarthritis — pain, stiffness and loss of movement in the joint.

What can be done about osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that typically develops slowly and gradually worsens over time. Though there is no cure for osteoarthritis, the symptoms are treatable, especially in the early stages of the disease.In addition to the diagnosis of osteoarthritis, PainSense offers two primary treatment options:

• Viscosupplementation – (also called hyaluronic acid) — a joint injection, such as Synvisc-One® (hylan G-F 20), Durolane or Euflexxa, that replaces damaged joint fluid with a substance similar to healthy joint fluid in order to reduce pain
• Corticosteroid Injection – to temporarily relieve pain and reduce any swelling

Viscosupplementation

Dr Hamlin can provide viscosupplement injection using any of the available options Synvisc-One® (hylan G-F 20), Durolane or Euflexxa. The treatments work by lubricating your joint, it can provide up to twelve months of osteoarthritis pain relief with just one injection.

Who is a candidate?

Patients with knee osteoarthritis who have tried dietary, exercise and over-the-counter pain medication but still have pain, should talk to their doctor to see if viscosupplementation is right for them.

How the treatment is administered

It's a simple procedure performed under CT Guidance that only takes a few minutes.

What you can expect following a viscosupplementation injection

Viscosupplementation can provide up to twelve months of osteoarthritis pain relief. Everyone responds differently, but in a medical study patients experienced relief starting one month after the injection. After the injection, you can resume normal day-to-day activities, but you should avoid any strenuous activities for about 48 hours.