Hyaluronic acid is often used to preserve the beauty and youth of the face. Orthopedic doctors discovered another property in it - the acid helps to rejuvenate not only the skin of the face, but also the cartilage in the joints. For this purpose, it is necessary to introduce it into the joint and place a certain number of injections.
Osteoarthritis is a gradual "drying" of cartilage, the appearance of cracks, irregularities on its surface and, at the same time, a decrease in the volume of intra-articular (synovial) fluid. This liquid, by analogy with machine oil, is needed to "lubricate" the joint and ensure it slides smoothly.
If the cartilage begins to "age" and break down, and the amount of synovial fluid decreases, it would be impossible to completely restore the joint. But the process of joint destruction can be significantly slowed down. This helps some people avoid disability and joint replacement surgery.
Why exactly her?
Hyaluronic acid is a compound that is vital to the human body, one of the components of connective tissue. Thanks to it, the organs and tissues are strong enough, but at the same time flexible and elastic. In total, our body contains about 15 grams of acid, and a third of this volume is constantly renewed.
With age, the process of restoring hyaluronic acid in the tissues, including inside the joints, slows down. As its amount decreases, the skin ages, wrinkles appear and there is less moisture in the tissues. The introduction of hyaluronic acid into the joint can increase the volume of the fluid - it then better nourishes and lubricates the cartilage.
Our joints cannot function normally without synovial fluid
Synovial fluid is a substance in human joints that provides lubrication and nourishment to the joint. There are a number of other features as well, but these are the main ones. Synovial fluid is very similar in composition to blood plasma.
But unlike plasma, there are fewer proteins in the synovial fluid, and it also contains a specific substance - hyaluronic acid, which is a key component of this biological "lubricant". Simply put, it retains moisture, attracts water molecules to itself and preserves the volume of synovial fluid, prevents cartilage from drying out, nourishes it.
Who are hyaluronic acid injections indicated for?
Hyaluronic acid is injected into the joint to prevent and treat premature wear of the joint surfaces (development of osteoarthritis). Therefore, the technique is suitable for those who experience a high load on the joint:
• professional athletes with joint problems;
• people engaged in heavy work, if they have signs of osteoarthritis or the threat of it;
• overweight patients – their joints are destroyed faster due to excessive loads;
• the elderly, as the condition progresses with age and the joint is increasingly destroyed;
• people of any age who have had joint trauma - damaged cartilage is initially prone to faster destruction.
Injections are given only by a doctor
The procedure is short and almost painless. Local anesthesia may be used to reduce discomfort. In some cases, imaging aids such as ultrasound or X-rays are also used to more precisely enter the joint cavity.
The course of treatment with hyaluronic acid is recommended to be repeated once every 6 months. The doctor can prescribe a course of one or several injections, with an interval of 1 week. When the procedure is done correctly, complications are very rare.
Using hyaluronic acid helps relieve joint discomfort, prolong its life, and in some cases, postpone surgical treatment.
However, it should be borne in mind that hyaluronic acid injections have contraindications. The procedure is not performed if:
• has an intolerance to the components;
• an infectious process was detected in the joint (purulent inflammation or other variants).
