standard-title Supplementation

Supplementation

VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis of the knee. In the United States alone, 27 million people suffer from Osteoarthritis. Frequently in patient’s with OA, the synovial fluid breaks down and doesn’t provide adequate lubrication for the patient’s knees. Patients complain that this condition interferes with their way of life and prevents them from doing things that they enjoy.

medical-supplementation

Discuss your pain with your doctor and work with him to find the right solution for you whether it is over the counter medications, prescriptions, steriod injections or viscosupplementation injections. There are three products on the market used by our office, Synvisc, OrthoVisc and Euflexxa. These products act like a lubricant for the knee joint and help to relieve pain and often improve function. They are injected into the knee over a period of usually three to four weekly appointments in the office. You should avoid strenuous activity for 24-48 hours after the injections.

NSAIDS

Frequently you will hear our doctors refer to “NSAIDS”. Just what are those? NSAIDS are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications used for treating conditions such as arthritis. You are probably most familiar with aspirin and ibuprofen as being the two most common NSAIDS.

NSAIDS are more than just pain relievers, they are also great for reducing inflammation. They can cause stomach upset when taken over a period of time so be sure to mention to your doctor if you have existing gastric issues such as GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) or ulcers.

NSAIDS are not just over the counter products but can also be prescription medications such as Lodine, Naproxen, Feldene, and Mobic to name a few. Again, if your doctor prescribes these medications and you have a history of stomach upset, be sure to let him know. He can prescribe medication to protect your stomach or alternatively prescribe you a COX-2 inhibitor in lieu of an NSAID.

COX-2 INHIBITORS

COX-2 Inhibitors are a special category of NSAIDS. These medications target only the COX-2 enzyme that stimulates the inflammatory response. Because they do not block the COX-1 enzyme, these medications generally do not cause the kind of stomach upset or bleeding that traditional NSAIDS do. COX-2 inhibitors also do not offer the same kind of protection against heart disease. An example of a COX-2 inhibitor is Celebrex. You should not use traditional NSAIDS along with COX-2 inhibitors.

Be sure to tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack, stroke, angina, blood clot or hypertension or if you are sensitive to aspirin, sulfa drugs, or other NSAIDS prior to starting COX-2 inhibitors.