Hip and knee arthritis management
Osteoarthritis is a common condition that can affect our quality of life. Put simply, osteoarthritis is the mechanical wearing out of the smooth joint surfaces over time. Eventually the wear process causes symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling or change in shape of the joint. It is usually slowly progressive and there is a wide variability in how much osteoarthritis can interfere with your normal day to day activities.
There are many treatment options available to help manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis that is often unique to your personal situation. Your first port of call is always your general practitioner to diagnose and provide advice on how best to manage this – however they may also recommend you consult a specialist. There are many options before a joint replacement procedure is recommended that may be worth exploring with your specialist as well.
Some less invasive options for arthritis management
When standard non surgical treatment such as physiotherapy, weight loss and simple analgesics like paracetamol and anti-inflammatory medication fail to give relief, there are other less invasive options which can be of benefit.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection
PRP injections involve taking a sample of the patient's blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the platelets. This fluid is then injected into the affected joint, where the platelets release growth factors that can promote healing and reduce inflammation. The idea is that injecting a concentrated amount of platelets stimulates the body's natural healing processes and potentially improves the symptoms of arthritis.
While some studies suggest PRP injections may provide pain relief and improve function for certain individuals with arthritis, the research is still ongoing, and the effectiveness of PRP injections can vary from person to person. Often two or three injections are required over a few weeks to deliver the best treatment effect.
Viscosupplement injection
Viscosupplement injections aim to restore normal joint fluid and mechanics with an injection of hyaluronic acid - a normal building block of joint fluid. This single shot injection can improve function and reduce pain from arthritis. Dr Tsung currently performs Cingal injections in his clinic for recommended patients. Click here for more information on cingal injections.
Genicular nerve ablation
Genicular nerve ablation is a novel mininally invasive procedure used to provide relief from chronic knee pain. The genicular nerves are small nerves around the knee joint that transmit pain signals. In this procedure, a specialised needle is used to deliver heat energy to these nerves, which effectively disrupts their ability to transmit pain signals. By blocking the pain signals, genicular nerve ablation can reduce knee pain and improve mobility. The effects of genicular nerve ablation can last for several months to a year, providing long-term pain relief for individuals with chronic knee pain who have not found sufficient relief from other treatments. Dr Tsung currently offers this procedure at John Flynn Hospital.