Your knee joint contains synovial fluid, a natural lubricant and shock absorber. HA is found in synovial fluid and helps synovial fluid provide lubrication and absorb the shocks from daily activities.
With OA of the knee, HA in the synovial fluid breaks down and doesn’t work as well to lubricate the joint. Over time, increased friction bertween the cartilage surfaces causes them to wear away. This is thought to become painnful and to cause irritation and inflammation that may increase pain and lead to swelling and stiffness.
OA is a degenerative, progressive disease. Its symptoms should not be ignored.
Fluid cushions and lubricates your knees
As OA progresses, healthy joint fluid begins to break down
A lack of healthy joint fluid can make your knees sore and swollen
Knee pain is not an indicator of how far your OA of the knee has progressed, as pain is different for everyone. Be sure to monitor your knee pain and talk with your doctor about the impact it is having on your life so you can find the relief you need based on your experience.
ORTHOVISC® is an FDA-approved therapy made from ultra-pure high molecular weight HA. ORTHOVISC® is a knee injection that supplements the joint fluid to provide cushioning, lubrication, and protection for the knee joint.
ORTHOVISC® is indicated for the treatment of pain in OA of the knee in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative nonpharmacologic therapy and to simple analgesis (e.g., acetaminophen).
ORTHOVISC® is used to relieve knee pain due to osteoarthritis. It is used for patients who
do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy.
Clinical trials conducted in the U.S. have shown that ORTHOVISC® provides pain relief to
patients who have not been able to find pain relief with simple pain medication or exercise
compared to saline placebo injections.
If you have pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, there are things you can do that do not involve ORTHOVISC® injections. These include:
Non-drug treatments:
• Avoiding activities that cause pain in your knee
* Exercise
* Physical therapy
• Removal of excess fluid from the knee
Drug therapy:
• Pain medication such as acetaminophen and narcotics
* Drugs that reduce inflammation, such as aspirin and other "nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory" agents (NSAI1Ds) (such as ibuprofen and naproxen)
* Corticosteroids that are injected directly into the knee joint
You should not take this product if you are allergic to products from birds (poultry, feathers, eggs, etc.). If you are injected with ORTHOVISC® and are allergic to bird products, you could develop an allergic reaction to the injections.
* You should not have an injection into the knee if you have infections or skin diseases
around the injection site.
ORTHOVISC® should be injected by a qualified physician.
* Tell your physician if you are allergic to products from birds, such as feathers, eggs and
poultry. If you are allergic to bird products and you have ORTHOVISC® injections, you
may have a severe reaction and even die from the injection.
* For 48 hours after you receive the injection, you should avoid activities such as jogging,
tennis, heavy lifting or standing on your feet for a long time (more than one hour).
• The safety and effectiveness ORTHOVISC® in joints other than the knee has not been
demonstrated in U.S. studies.
* The safety and effectiveness of ORTHOVISC® has not been shown in pregnant or
nursing women. You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.
* The safety and effectiveness of ORTHOVISC® has not been shown in children.
* The safety and effectiveness has not been established for more than one course of
treatment.
Knee pain caused by osteoarthritis is suffered by millions of people worldwide10. TriVisc, a 3-injection Hyaluronic Acid from OrthogenRx, may help relieve OA-related knee pain in patients who are unresponsive to non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics.