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Safety of Hyaluronate for Knee Arthritis

Has pain from osteoarthritis of the knee gotten you down? Tried everything? Doctors report that hyaluronate (HA) therapy is a safe and effective treatment. HA is injected into the knee joint when drug or other therapies haven't worked.

HA mimics a substance normally found in the joint. It helps keep the joint moving smoothly. In the past 15 years, about 10 million injections have been given worldwide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three types of HA for use with osteoarthritis.

Studies such as this one are trying to find out if HA is safe for use. There are reports of knee pain and swelling after injection. Usually problems occur after a second or third injection. The symptoms often go away without treatment. In rare cases, an allergic reaction or more serious problem develops.

The authors of this review report that HA is a good treatment option for some patients. Doctors may want to use HA in cases of drug failure or sensitivity to drugs. With three different HA products available, more studies are needed to compare the safety and effectiveness of each one.

References: J. F. Rick Hammesfahr, MD, et al. Safety of Intra-articular Hyaluronates for Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis of the Knee. In The American Journal of Orthopedics. June 2003. Vol. 32. No. 6. Pp. 277-283.

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