Osteoarthritis — the most common type of arthritis — is the leading cause of disability in the United States. This progressive joint condition often develops gradually, but once in full swing the pain can significantly impact your daily life. Before you know it, you can find yourself cutting back on physical activities you once enjoyed.

Advances in arthritis treatment mean you no longer have to accept the course of arthritis. SoCal Regenerative Medical Clinics offers the latest effective treatments for arthritis, including viscosupplementation injections. Read on to learn how this treatment can help improve your mobility and get you off the sidelines.

Understanding arthritis

Arthritis refers to more than 100 conditions that affect the joints, characterized by progressive joint degeneration. Your joints have important components that provide cushioning and help your bones move smoothly so that you can walk, run, and bend. With arthritis, your joints gradually break down and you may experience inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness that reduce movement and range of motion.

Symptoms may come and go or remain persistent. More than 50 million adults in the United States have arthritis, ranging from mild to severe. Arthritis is more common in women and it’s more likely to strike as you get older.

How arthritis impacts daily life

For many people, the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis is most apparent in the morning after they wake from a night’s sleep. The stiffness reduces range of motion, making it difficult to perform routine functions such as climbing stairs. Many people with arthritis report giving up activities like hiking, golf, and biking.

Arthritis can even make it difficult to play with your children and grandchildren. Arthritis can make you feel isolated as your friends and relatives participate in physical activities while you sit and watch. The specialists at SoCal Regenerative Medical Clinics can help you get off the bench and back in action.

Viscosupplementation for arthritis

If you’ve tried nonsurgical treatments but continue to limit your activities, you may be a candidate for viscosupplementation. This procedure involves injecting hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring fluid, into the affected joint.

Your body produces hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture levels in the skin and joints. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the fluid surrounding your joints where it acts as a shock absorber and provides lubrication so that your bones move smoothly.

People with arthritis tend to have lower-than-normal levels of hyaluronic acid in their joints. Adding hyaluronic acid to an arthritic joint may reduce pain and improve joint function.

Your specialist at SoCal Regenerative Medical Clinics determines the best treatment course for you. Typically, patients receive as many as five injections over the course of several weeks.

How soon does viscosupplementation provide pain relief?

Many patients who respond to viscosupplementation report pain relief in as few as three weeks, during the course of injections. Others may experience pain relief 12 weeks after their treatment started. For those who do get pain relief, it generally lasts for more than six months after the injections.

Not everyone is helped by viscosupplementation injections. Other treatment options are available for patients who fail to get adequate pain relief.

Left untreated, arthritis almost always worsens. For effective treatment strategies, call SoCal Regenerative Medical Clinics, with offices in West Covina and Anaheim, California, to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, or book your request online.