Is Knee Replacement Surgery Inevitable?
Joint injections for knee OA may be an alternative for people who don’t find relief from oral medications or aren’t able to take them. Joint injections are given at your doctor’s office. First your doctor may take fluid out of your knee with a needle and then inject one of the following: • Corticosteroids.These medications are related to cortisone, a hormone your body makes to fight inflammation. Injecting corticosteroids directly into affected knee joints can quickly and effectively reduce pain and inflammation. The relief can last from several weeks to several months. • Hyaluronic acid. These injections are designed to help boost the hyaluronic acid found naturally in your joints, which keep them moving smoothly. In people with osteoarthritis, the hyaluronic acid gets thinner and less slippery. Several hyaluronic acid products, given in a series of injections, are approved for treating osteoarthritis of the knee. They may ease pain for six months to a year, sometimes longer.
