Hyaluronic Acid

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as wear-and-tear arthritis. It develops from the wearing away of the cartilage that separates your bones, allowing bone-on-bone contact that results in joint pain and inflammation. 

As a progressive condition that gets worse over time, finding effective treatments to manage the joint pain of osteoarthritis can leave you feeling frustrated. However, Dr. Delman is a joint specialist and offers many treatment options for arthritis, including hyaluronic acid.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a gel-like substance found in the synovial fluid in your joints. Your synovial fluid provides the lubrication that helps the bones that make up your joint glide without friction. If you have osteoarthritis, your body breaks down the hyaluronic acid in your synovial fluid, which may lead to stiffness and pain.

To improve joint function, physicians like Dr. Delman offer hyaluronic acid injections to replace your missing lubrication. 

Am I a good candidate for hyaluronic acid?

Dr. Delman determines if you’re a good candidate for hyaluronic acid injections during a consultation. Due to the invasive nature of the injection, it’s not usually the first recommended treatment for osteoarthritis. 

In fact, Dr. Delman may not recommend hyaluronic acid injections until you’ve tried and failed to get relief from your arthritis pain with anti-inflammatory medication.

What can I expect during my hyaluronic acid injection?

Dr. Delman performs your hyaluronic acid injections at the office. During the procedure, Dr. Delman injects the gel-like substance directly into your joint. 

You may need a series of injections to get the most benefits. Dr. Delman might suggest weekly hyaluronic acid injections for three to four weeks, or until you have adequate relief from your pain. 

Dr. Delman advises that you minimize strenuous activities for up to two days after your injection, including prolonged standing. You may experience some pain and swelling at the site of the injection, but these side effects should resolve soon after treatment. 

You may begin to notice an improvement in your pain about a month after you start your injections, and the pain relief should last for several months.

To get help for your arthritis pain from an experienced orthopedic surgeon, call Allan Delman, M.D., or book a consultation online today.