Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Physicians Rehabilitation
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common illness that causes joints to become stiff and extremely painful. If you have been diagnosed with OA you are not alone. Over 27 million people in the United States alone are reported to have this condition!
Though OA can affect multiple joints in your body, it is most common in the knees, hips, hands, feet and spine. OA causes the smooth cartilage that covers and protects the ends of your bones to break down which can cause your bones to begin to rub together. With knee OA your knee joint is no longer able to naturally lubricate itself and the cartilage no longer cushions the joint like it once did. This results in stiffness, swelling, and pain that can make walking very difficult.
Common Symptoms of OA
. Knee pain when moving, standing, or sitting
. Loss of flexibility in the knee
. Redness and swelling in the knee area
What Causes OA of the Knees?
The actual cause of OA is unknown. However, there are many things that will contribute to getting the disease. Anyone can get OA of the knees, but it is most common in people over the age of 65. The associated conditions of OA include getting older, obesity, previous injury to the knee, or a sports-related injury. OA affects women more than men.
Treatment of Osteoarthritis
The physicians and knee pain specialists at Physicians Rehabilitation use a highly effective, natural osteoarthritis treatment called Supartz, which provides welcomed pain relief for OA sufferers.
Over 99% of patients who utilize our osteoarthritis knee pain protocol receive significant pain reduction, with an average of 77% in reduced pain!*
Supartz is hyaluronate that is injected directly into your knees by a physician. Supartz is an FDA approved hyaluronic acid that is used to treat osteoarthritis (OA) and the associated knee pain. Hyaluronic Acid is a natural substance that is found in large amounts in your joint tissues and joint fluids. It acts as a lubricant and shock absorber inside your knee joint and enables your knees to properly operate. Its formulation is from nature, derived from the rooster comb, purified, sterilized and cross linked to match the viscosity of your naturally occurring synovial fluid.
Benefits of Supartz Injection Therapy Include:
. Months to years effective pain relief
. Prevents further damage by replacing joint fluid
. Approved by the FDA for OA treatment
. Naturally-derived formulation
How Supartz Works
Supartz is injected by a physician directly into the knee joint using video flouroscopy (live x-ray) imaging for superb accuracy. When injected, it immediately lubricates the joint and acts as a barrier against bone-on-bone grinding. In doing so, Supartz reduces the source of inflammation and damage caused by grinding and provides long-term pain relief for OA patients.
What to Expect from the Procedure
The knee injections are administered by a physician during a brief office visit. A typical treatment involves the OA patient receiving one injection per week for 5 weeks to achieve the maximum benefit from the treatment, coupled with individually designed physical therapy for creating superior joint healing.
Typical Supartz Injection Session Process
. Sterilization of the knee area
. Small amount of numbing medicine applied
. Lidocaine internal numbing
. Iodine (or other contrast dye) is injected to verify perfect Supartz placement within the synovial capsule
. Video fluoroscopy used to insure a precise injection administered(without use of this method there is a significant chance of missing the synovial capsule and losing benefit of the injection)
. Once completed, the patient is free to resume their normal daily activities
Little or No Side Effects
Though it can only be administered by a physician, Supartz is a naturally derived substance that is not considered a drug. The most common adverse effects reported are injection-site swelling and irritation, like any injection point you may have encountered.
Did you know that our knee protocol is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans? Call today to learn more and to schedule a consultation for your knee, 239-687-2165. *Visit our website for free copy of report www.PhysiciansRehab.com
