In our clinic, we often use a series of injections of hyaluronic acid to treat knee pain due to early to moderate arthritis.
Many patients are already aware of the benefits of hyaluronic acid use topically, as it is now in most facial creams. Indeed, dermatologists have used a form of hyaluronic acid to fill wrinkles for many years.
We know hyaluronic acid has many benefits, as it serves as a joint lubricant and can decrease inflammation. We also know that with surgery, the natural hyaluronic acid is washed away and can take weeks to months to reach normal levels.
This study is interesting as it shows that a new drug in development may be able to turn our body’s own cells into anti-inflammatory cells combined with hyaluronic acid, which improves healing and limits damage.
Stay tuned. We don’t have good interventions (injection or oral therapy) that can stop or reverse arthritis, but for now, we can be comfortable using hyaluronic acid for more than just patients with arthritis. We recently decided to start offering hyaluronic acid injections as a supplement to patients after surgery; while insurance does not cover this type of treatment, it may pay off in the long run.
Read the full article: Revolutionizing cartilage repair: The role of macrophages and hyaluronic acid in healing injuries
Image source NYU Tandon School of Engineering, adjusted for this post.