What is Viscosupplementation?
If you have knee or shoulder osteoarthritis – to which there is no cure – your physician will look to find the best treatment plan. This may involve things like physiotherapy, at-home exercises, or an injection to reduce the pain on a temporary basis.
While corticocosteroid injections also aim to do this and are covered by OHIP, there are other alternative injections available. Among this is Viscosupplementation, which is the injection of a fluid called hyaluronate into the joint space. This fluid aims to improve the lubricating qualities of your synovial fluid, which helps increase your mobility and reduce pain at the same time. It is reported that viscosupplementation injections last longer than corticosteroid injections, but the Government of Ontario does not have an official stance on this yet – which is why such procedures are not covered by OHIP.
Some insurance plans will cover viscosupplementation. If you are not covered, you can still pay to have the injection performed.
How do I get a viscosupplementation injection?
First, a physician must determine that a viscosupplementation injection is a reasonable course of action. It is not covered by OHIP, so you will need to check with your insurane where applicable. If you are not covered, you can purchase viscosupplementation like DuroLane or SynVisc-One to have injected the physician who approved it as a course of action.
What is the injection procedure like?
When getting an injection, your doctor may request that you change into a gown depending on where the injection is taking place. The doctor will use sterile precautions before the injection, which is typically done by cleaning the area around the injection site, and the application of an anesthetic to numb the injection area. Like any injection, you’ll likely still feel some pressure as the needle is inserted.
How many can you get?
While a viscospllementation injection may help alleviate inflammation and reduce pain, repeat injections may cause the cartilage to deteriorate. Due to this concern, you should not get more than three to four corticosteroid injections within a year.
What do I do after the injection?
After any injection, it’s important to watch out for signs of infection (swelling, redness, and increased pain) over the next 48 hours. One can apply ice over the injection site to relieve discomfort, but heating pads are not recommended. It’s also important to protect the injection site for 48 hours after the procedure. For instance, refrain from prolonged standing if you had an injection to you knee, or any heavy lifting if you had an injection in your shoulder.