What Can You Inject in Your Knee to Relieve Arthritis Pain?

👩‍⚕️Cortisone injections are a common treatment for arthritic knees, providing anti-inflammatory effects and pain relief for up to 3 months.

🧪Hyaluronic acid injections replace the diminished natural hyaluronic acid in the knee, improving lubricity and viscosity. They can provide pain relief for 6 to 8 months.

🩹Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections use the healing factors in the patient's own blood to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. PRP combined with hyaluronic acid may have even better results.

⚠️Cell therapy, including stem cells, has no evidence to support its use for knee osteoarthritis and should be approached with caution, as it is not approved by the FDA or Health Canada.

🏋️Weight loss and exercise, such as the Glad exercise program, can help reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Are cortisone injections harmful to the knee in the long run?

—Contradictory studies exist, but the majority show that cortisone injections do not harm the knee cartilage. If they relieve pain and improve function, they can be a good choice for arthritic knees.

What is hyaluronic acid and how does it work?

—Hyaluronic acid is a natural molecule in the synovial fluid of the knee that provides thickness and lubricity. Injections of hyaluronic acid replace the diminished levels in arthritic knees, improving lubrication and reducing pain.

What is platelet rich plasma (PRP) and how does it work?

—Platelet rich plasma is obtained by spinning the patient's blood to separate out the platelet layer, which contains healing factors. PRP injections reduce inflammation and promote healing in the knee joint.

Is stem cell therapy effective for knee osteoarthritis?

—No, current evidence does not support the use of stem cell or other cell therapies for knee osteoarthritis. The FDA and Health Canada discourage the promotion of stem cell therapies.

What non-invasive treatments can help with knee osteoarthritis?

—Weight loss and exercise, particularly the Glad exercise program, have been shown to reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

00:00In this video, Dr. Tim Deacon discusses injections that can help relieve arthritis pain in the knees.

01:10Cortisone injections are a common treatment for arthritic knees, providing anti-inflammatory effects and pain relief for up to 3 months.

01:52Hyaluronic acid injections replace the diminished natural hyaluronic acid in the knee, improving lubricity and viscosity. They can provide pain relief for 6 to 8 months.

03:02Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections use the healing factors in the patient's own blood to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. PRP combined with hyaluronic acid may have even better results.

04:33Cell therapy, including stem cells, has no evidence to support its use for knee osteoarthritis and should be approached with caution.

05:43Weight loss and exercise, such as the Glad exercise program, can help reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of knee osteoarthritis.