Single Injection Relieves Arthritis Joint Pain for Months
29 Sep 2005
"What can I do to relieve the pain in my knee?", a patient recently asked me. She had been treated by cortisone injections, Celebrex and others medications and it was still impossible to walk without pain. But there is a less known way to treat this disabling condition.
A recent report from the World Health Organization claims that osteoarthritis of the knee is the fourth cause of disability in women and the eighth most important one for men. Currently this disease affects 10 percent of those over 55 years of age and 25 percent suffer severe disability. And it’s no fun to suffer from osteoarthritis, to know that every step of the day will be painful. Or become impossible.
Osteoarthritis goes back to the beginning of recorded time. Birds and reptiles show signs of this affliction. It’s been found in the skeletons of dinosaurs and even whales supported by the buoyancy of water share this problem.
Knees and hips joints start to deteriorate for several reasons. Constant pounding causes havoc with many joints, particularly knees. Aging, hereditary and diet also play a role.
Like a car on a bumpy road, joints are jolted every time you move. Even the simple act of walking produces pressure on knees and hips. Cars have shock absorbers to smooth the ride. Our bodies have synovial fluid to cushion the impact between bones and joints.
Studies show that as we age synovial fluid in joints is weakened. This causes more pressure on the cartilage surrounding bone which also begins to degenerate. It’s the old problem, that one thing leads to another. The end result is bone grinding on bone as we walk. Good sense tells us that at this point it takes more than pain-killers to ease pain.
Researchers came up with the obvious solution several years ago. Since we replace many body parts today, why not use the same approach for joints. The procedure is called, "Viscosupplementation" which replenishes the shock-absorbing and lubricating properties of synovial fluid.
Viscosupplementation, and the product name Durolane, are not household words, but they’re helping to ease much suffering. The effects of a single injection of Durolane into the knee or hip joint can last up to six months. This is an advantage for patients as earlier products required three injections one week apart.
How quickly Durolane works varies from patient to patient. For most people the pain relief gradually improves over a period of a few days. But some feel the result almost immediately after treatment. Injections are done by rheumatologists, orhthopedic surgeons and those involved in sports medicine.
Durolane has been used in Europe and other countries for several years and is well tolerated by patients. Since Durolane is made from non-animal sources this minimizes the risk of allergic reactions. But in some patients there may be initial pain, swelling and/or stiffness localized to the joint.
Durolane is not a cure. But its cushioning effect helps to decrease the wear-and-tear of cartilage and slows the progression of osteoarthritis. Durolane is also not an anti-inflammatory agent. Consequently, if a sudden acute inflammatory episode of arthritis occurs, anti-inflammatory drugs are required at this time.
To decrease the risk of arthritis, stay active. But remember Aristotle’s "Doctrine of the Golden Mean". Moderation is the key. Too much exercise such as excessive jogging can cause severe arthritis, particularly in the knees. On the other hand, moderate exercise acts as a "pumping mechanism" pushing nutrients into joints to repair daily wear and tear.
Keeping the quadriceps muscle, the large muscle in the upper thigh healthy, helps to take some of the stress off the knee. Getting up and down from a chair frequently is a practical way to strengthen the quadriceps.
Vitamin C also helps to decrease the risk of osteoarthritis. Collagen is one of the main building blocks of cartilage that protects bone. Studies show that healthy collagen requires adequate amounts of C.
There is no blood test for osteoarthritis. But an X-ray will show a narrowing of the space between bones as the cartilage thins. And painful bone spurs may be seen.
Durolane is available in Canada but not yet in the U.S.
