Synvisc injections

I could be accused of being too opinionated, but as most of our readers know, I try to base my opinions on facts! Sometimes I come across articles or reviews that I really need everyone interested in pain medicine to read. Here is one of those articles that I came across that definitively needs reading!

In a comprehensive review published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal the authors noted that intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (and its derivatives, like Synvisc) did not improve knee function at any time point and that the reduction of pain on a scale of 0 to 100 was only -7.1.1 This means that on a scale of 0 to 10 the reduction of pain was only 0.7.  In other words, if you started with a knee pain level of 6, after 3 Synvisc visits (after you and/or the government spent $1500+) you can expect your pain level to be 5.3 after 22-30 weeks and thereafter the pain to return to its previous level.

What a complete waste of money!
In summary this article, noted “The currently available evidence suggests that intra-articular hyaluronic acid is not clinically effective and may be associated with increased risk of adverse events. There, this type of therapy should not be used for the treatment of painful osteoarthritis (except in clinical trials) until a large long-term trial with clinically relevant and uniform end points has been clarified the benefit-risk ratio.”1

How do these results compare to Prolotherapy?
In a comprehensive review of our published data involving over 700 patients treated with Hackett-Hemwall dextrose Prolotherapy with an average of 18 months post-treatment follow-up, the mean pain level decreased by a total of 4.2 points on a scale of 0 to 10.  Compared to Hyaluronan/Synvisc, dextrose Prolotherapy improves pain six times more effectively, or in other words is at least 600% more effective.  Dextrose Prolotherapy also provides long-term pain relief where Hyaluronan/Synvisc provides minimal relief at best and is only short term (then pain returns.)

Compilation of Dextrose Prolotherapy Results for Various Joints at a Charity Medical Clinic.
Dextrose Prolotherapy caused a statistically significant improvement in pain in various joints in patients who on average suffered with pain for 55 months.  Ninety-eight percent of the patients treated said dextrose Prolotherapy improved their quality of life and thus, have recommended it to other people.

In my opinion
It is my opinion that dextrose Prolotherapy is the most effective alternative treatment to Hyaluronan/Synvisc intra-articular injections available. Dextrose Prolotherapy provides short-term and long term pain relief at a much greater level than Hylruonan/Synvisc. The Canadian Medical Association Journal recommends that patients with painful arthritis not get this treatment until long-term studies show its efficacy. Long-term studies have already determined that it doesn’t work. I concur with their findings. One point is missing, however. Patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee should receive dextrose Prolotherapy, because as our results show, it definitely works!

Ross A. Hauser, M.D
Dr. Hauser the Medical Director of the comprehensive Prolotherapy, PRP, and Bone Marrow Prolotherapy clinic, Caring Medical & Rehabilitation Services in Oak Park, Illinois. Dr. Hauser is one of the leading experts in the treatment of chronic pain and sports injuries with Prolotherapy.