What is Supartz Joint Fluid Therapy?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that can become progressively worse with use and age. People afflicted with this disease will eventually experience severe discomfort and pain when performing even the simplest of tasks, which of course lessens the quality of life. When osteoarthritis has progressed to such an extent that conservative treatment no longer alleviates any pain, our doctors at Healthpointe may recommend Supartz Joint Fluid Therapy.

Osteoarthritis causes the degradation of synovial fluid, which is found naturally in the various synovial joints in the human body, including the neck, shoulder, elbow, knee, and more. This fluid acts as a lubricant to limit friction between the cartilage between these synovial joints during movement. The breakdown of this fluid causes inflammation and friction between these joints, thus resulting in pain during even the simplest of actions, such as standing up.

Supartz Joint Fluid Therapy is a process by which a doctor injects Supartz, a viscosupplement, into the affected joint and supplements the synovial fluid to properly lubricate the joint. This lubrication reduces the inflammation that causes pain, thus allowing patients to move more freely, with less pain. When patients are experiencing severe joint pain, they are unable to move the affected joint. This further contributes to the breakdown of the hyaluronic acid in synovial fluid, which makes the affected joint essentially immobile. With less pain, the patient can move and perform simple exercises. The human body then produces more synovial fluid naturally, further relieving pain and delaying the degeneration caused by osteoarthritis.

The process of receiving Supartz injections isn’t as daunting as it may seem. First, the doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the injection site. If needed, the doctor will then use a syringe to extract the existing synovial fluid from the affected joint, a process referred to as arthrocentesis. When all the fluid has been removed, the doctor will use ultrasound guidance to figure out the correct spot to inject the Supartz solution.

Supartz Joint Therapy has been clinically proven to be effective and safe in relieving osteoarthritis pain, but injections alone will not fully improve symptoms. Patients who receive these injections will also be referred to physical therapy, which Healthpointe offers at all of our eleven clinics. Additionally, we can assist our patients with developing a home exercise program, to help with joint exercises when an office visit isn’t possible.

Have you recently found yourself with joint pain, or are you struggling with degenerative joint disease? Our doctors can help you find the relief you’ve been searching for. Contact us today at (800) 956-2663, or visit our website for more information.