Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis: What to Expect 

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and while “arthritis” includes numerous joint issues, the most common problem is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the result of years of using your joints. The tissues begin to wear down, and you feel pain, swelling, tenderness, and loss of range of motion. 

At Pain Consultants of Atlanta, our providers see plenty of osteoarthritis patients who want to continue living active, busy lives. Although there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, we have treatments that can slow down the degradation of your joints and ease your symptoms. Hyaluronic acid joint injections could be a safe and effective treatment if your knees are affected. 

In this post, we describe what osteoarthritis of the knee does and what hyaluronic acid is, as well as why the injections work well for many people. If you want to regain lost range of motion and keep using your knees, this post is for you! 

Osteoarthritis of the knee or KOA

Your knees are amazing! They are one of the biggest and strongest joints in your body, and throughout your life, they have helped you sit, squat, and jump thousands—maybe even millions—of times. Your knees let you walk, run, and do so many other things most of us never give a second thought to. 

Over time, all that use can take a toll. At some point, the cartilage in your knees begins to break down, and the joint produces less lubrication. The weaker, thinner cushioning and less lubrication result in pain, swelling, tenderness, a tendency to “lock,” and eventually, a lower range of motion and functionality. 

Hyaluronic acid

If you’ve heard of hyaluronic acid, chances are it was a reference to a skincare product. It’s a substance that occurs naturally in your eyes, skin, and joints. Although it’s often used for cosmetic reasons, it can be beneficial in treating osteoarthritis. 

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful substance that traps moisture, so it’s essential for proper hydration. It’s a component of synovial fluid, which is the lubrication that keeps your joints moving smoothly and that your body produces less of over time. 

We offer hyaluronic acid injections for people with osteoarthritis of the knee to help the bones of your knee slide over each other without the pain you feel as arthritis progresses. Like many others, our patients often notice improvements after having hyaluronic acid injections. 

What you need to know

Hyaluronic acid injections work best for people with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. If your symptoms are severe and your disease is advanced, we may suggest other treatments. 

It’s important to understand that a series of injections may be necessary before you begin to notice the positive effects. Hyaluronic acid injections help reduce inflammation, and that can take time. 

In the immediate aftermath of having an injection, you may have mild pain, swelling, and stiffness. You may need to rest and ice your joint after an injection. 

Although injections aren’t a cure for arthritis, they can make it so you can function more comfortably. Your doctor may advise you to do some physical therapy along with getting injections.

If you’d like to learn more about hyaluronic acid injections to treat osteoarthritis of the knee, schedule an appointment at any of the convenient locations of Pain Consultants of Atlanta in the area. We’re always happy to discuss your situation and answer your questions.