Hyaluronic Acid Injections

What is it?

Hyaluronic acid (OSTENIL® PLUS) is an injection treatment for early osteoarthritis of synovial joints. Hyaluronic acid is a constituent of the normal synovial lubricating fluid in joints within the body. When a joint becomes arthritic, it typically has lower concentrations of hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid, reducing its ability to lubricate the joint and cushion the articular cartilage, which can lead to pain, stiffness and swelling. Ostenil injections help to restore the natural balance of production and breakdown of synovial fluid, therefore restoring some of the function, reducing pain, and improving the lubrication of the joint. It also has a local anti-inflammatory effect. 

What’s involved?

Sometimes with the assistance of ultrasound guidance, the injection is administered directly into the affected joint. 

What happens afterwards?

Patients will not notice an improvement immediately, and in some instances the joint can ache for a couple of days after the injection. Over the following week or two, inflammation within the joint should improve and the pain and stiffness lessen.

What joints can be helped by hyaluronic acid injections?

Most major joints of the body, including the hip, knee, shoulder, ankle and spine can benefit from hyaluronic acid injections, under the right circumstances.

Are there any associated risks?

As with all injections, there is a small risk of introducing infection, causing some minor bleeding, or damaging nerves around the joint. This is, however, a very low risk procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Will it work?

Ostenil plus has been shown to work, in the majority of patients, for a number of months or up to a year, according to various scientific studies.

Are there any activity restrictions afterwards?

We would normally  recommend not performing strenuous activity for a couple of days after the injections.