Knee arthritis: Sodium hyaluronate is useful?

Is it useful to use sodium hyaluronate for knee arthritis? This article let you know the benefits and risks and concludes clearly.

When I get older, I feel uncomfortable. With the increase of age and wear and tear, our joints will also experience discomforts such as pain and limited mobility. Osteoarthritis, especially knee arthritis, is one of the common diseases in orthopedics, which can seriously affect the lives of patients. In China, the incidence rate of over 60 years old is as high as 50%, and the disability rate is as high as 53%. With the development of medicine, many patients with osteoarthritis, doctors may recommend injection of sodium hyaluronate into the joint cavity. So what is the risk if sodium hyaluronate does not work?

Sodium hyaluronate: a lubricant for joints

Sodium hyaluronate, also known as sodium hyaluronate, is mainly composed of sodium hyaluronate, and its auxiliary materials include disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and sodium chloride. Sodium hyaluronate is a physiologically active substance that exists widely in the human body. It is a mucopolysaccharide formed by polymerization of disaccharide units composed of glucuronic acid and acetamidohexose. Sodium hyaluronate injection is known as a lubricating oil for bone joints and is suitable for knee osteoarthritis and peri-shoulder inflammation.

Sodium hyaluronate eye drops are used in ophthalmology, known as ophthalmology jackpot, used for various internal or external causes of corneal and conjunctival epithelial damage. Note that the hyaluronic acid used for beauty is different from sodium hyaluronate: Hyaluronic acid is also known as hyaluronic acid. Its hyaluronic acid molecules can carry more than 500 times of water. It is now recognized as the best moisturizing ingredient and has been widely used in maintenance. Products and cosmetics.

Benefits of sodium hyaluronate for knee arthritis

Sodium hyaluronate is called joint lubricating oil. In fact, the effect of sodium hyaluronate is far stronger than lubricating oil, because its effect can last for several months, because sodium hyaluronate plays a role in not only mechanical lubrication. It also includes inhibiting some joint degenerative enzymes and inflammatory reactions, stimulating cartilage cell metabolism and cartilage matrix synthesis. At the same time, unlike blocking, sodium hyaluronate is relatively slow to take effect. Many patients only feel effective 2-3 weeks after the first injection, but there is no side effect of hormones.

How does the authoritative guide define the efficacy of sodium hyaluronate? The “Expert Consensus on the Application of Sodium Hyaluronate in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Related Diseases (2017 Revised Edition)” concluded that exogenous sodium hyaluronate can increase the properties and viscoelasticity of non-Newtonian synovial fluid. The 017 version of the consensus of domestic experts on sodium hyaluronate is recognized for the effect of this drug.

The risk of sodium hyaluronate for knee arthritis

Theoretically speaking, sodium hyaluronate for knee arthritis should be effective in relieving it, but in fact, the efficacy of sodium hyaluronate has always been controversial. The main discussion points are as follows:

The guidelines of some countries, Japan and Canada all affirm the course of treatment of sodium hyaluronate, believing that sodium hyaluronate can relieve pain for a long time, maintain and improve joint function, and reduce the dosage of oral analgesics for patients with osteoarthritis. However, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons does not recommend intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate, because there are large, high-quality double-blind experiments that show that compared with intra-articular injection of placebo, injection of hyaluronic acid has only a small amount It is beneficial, but has no clinical significance, and cannot reverse and cure osteoarthritis.

This medicine is mainly used to lubricate. For patients with severe cartilage wear, such as severe joint degeneration, obvious joint space stenosis, or varus over 12°, the cartilage has been worn out. There is no need to inject sodium hyaluronate into the joint cavity.

Generally, 5 injections of sodium hyaluronate in the joint cavity constitute a course of treatment, once a week, which is expensive and may cause increased pain and joint infections, which may worsen the condition. Therefore, it is necessary to balance the pros and cons when injecting sodium hyaluronate. Under the accurate diagnosis and evaluation of the doctor, the appropriate treatment can be selected to achieve the best treatment effect.

to sum up

In general, injection of sodium hyaluronate in the joint cavity of osteoarthritis cannot actually be expected to reverse joint wear. It is just that if medication is used strictly for indications, under the standard operation of doctors, it will help relieve pain and delay further joint wear. There is no better or more cost-effective similar drug to replace it.

(source:internet, reference only)

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