Recent advances in hyaluronic acid based therapy for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating disease that has increased in prevalence across the world due to the aging population. Currently, physicians use a plethora of treatment strategies to try and slow down the progression of the disease, but none have been shown to ubiquitously treat and cure the disease. One of the strategies uses the high molecular weight molecule hyaluronic acid as either an injectable or oral supplement for treatment. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a relatively new treatment that has shown varied results through several clinical trials. It can be used as a scaffold for engineering new treatments and several new preparations have just been added to the market.

Do Injections Work For Knee Pain? Don't Waste Your Money

Superficially, these injections sound reasonable. Hyaluronic acid is already inside your knee and helps to lubricate and cushion the joint. Adding more lubricant seems like a good idea; after all, it works for cars, bicycles, door hinges, or any other creaky joint. But not for knees.

What Are Rooster Comb Injections?

According to the National Institutes of Health’s U.S. National Library of Medicine, when it comes to lowering pain in osteoarthritis patients, hyaluronic acid treatments seem to be the safest and last the longest.

A Little Prick

Injections to the knee joint used to be scary, and almost always involved cortisone. No more. Here is what has changed.

Hyaluronic Acid – the anti-ageing nutrient?

Most of us have heard of glucosamine supplements used for the treatment of arthritic conditions. Glucosamine belongs to a group of compounds known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These compounds help you build stronger, healthier and more flexible joints. Hyaluronic acid is the most active form of GAG’s and it works as a shock absorber lubricating the fluid in the joint tissues as well as stabilising its breakdown.

Stay Active With Arthritis

In those joints that do not have significant swelling, hyaluronic acid, which is an artificial joint lubricant, will provide relief for up to six months in arthritic knees; data shows that it may also protect the cartilage. This is a simple office-based procedure.

What I Wish I’d Known About My Knees

Many of the procedures people undergo to counter chronic knee pain in the hopes of avoiding a knee replacement have limited or no evidence to support them. Some enrich the pockets of medical practitioners while rarely benefiting patients for more than a few months. I wish I had known that before I had succumbed to wishful thinking and tried them all.