Hyaluronic Acid Injections in Annapolis, MD
Chronic joint pain can affect your ability to function and enjoy the simple things in life. According to the CDC, 24% of all adults, or 58.5 million people, have arthritis and it is a leading cause of work disability. The most common form is osteoarthritis, when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time. Hyaluronic acid injections, known as Viscosupplementation Therapy or "Gel Injections", is a safe, natural, and proven treatment for osteoarthritis in the knee and other joints. Get back to doing what you love without pain - many treatments are covered by most commercial insurance companies and Medicare.
What is Viscosupplementation?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the synovial fluid surrounding joints in our body. It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber in your joints. With conditions like osteoarthritis, there’s less fluid in your joint. Drier joints are more likely to be stiffer and more painful, exacerbating arthritis symptoms. In some cases, loss of fluid can even accelerate joint deterioration.
Viscosupplementation is an FDA-approved treatment to relieve pain by lubricating and cushioning the joint. Commonly used in the knee joint, the therapy is also very effective in other joints like the shoulder, hip, and wrist. The injection of hyaluronic acid into the joint mimics healthy, young synovial fluid in terms of molecular weight, elasticity and viscosity. This thick fluid may help reduce pain and swelling in your arthritic joint.
What Happens During Viscosupplementation Treatment?
A hyaluronic acid injection is a fairly quick procedure. Usually, we will inject a local pain killer (anesthetic) into the area around your joint to alleviate pain or discomfort in the area during treatment. In some cases we may use imaging to ensure we are injecting into the exactly the right spot. We will then inject the hyaluronic acid into the joint space using a needle attached to a syringe, then cover the injection site with a small bandage.
We have a few preferred types of hyaluronic acid injectables that we like to use based on their proven effectiveness. Our recommendation will always be to prioritize using an injectable that yields the best results, however if you are utilizing insurance they will have a specific list of their preferred drug which will have to be used to have your insurance company cover the cost of the drug (based on your insurance plan benefits). Ultimately it is up to our patients to choose which injectable they want to use.
The Benefits of Supartz Hyaluronic Acid Therapy
What Can Be Treated With Hyaluronic Injections?
Osteoarthritis
Hip Pain
