Patient Information

• Osteoarthritis
• Anatomy
• About DUROLANE
• Benefits of DUROLANE
• Treatment
  • Are you suitable?
  • Post Treatment
• Safety
• Further Questions
  • Pre Treatment
  • Post Treatment
• Resources

Post-Treatment Questions

Q. Has DUROLANE cured my osteoarthritis?

A. All presently available treatments for osteoarthritis are aimed at relieving symptoms, i.e. pain, and giving improved mobility. So far there is no treatment that can cure osteoarthritis.

Q. How quickly can I expect an improvement, and how long will I feel the effects?

A. For most people the pain relief improves gradually over a period of a few weeks, though some feel the result almost immediately after treatment. Most people feel pain relief and improved mobility for several months and, after the effects eventually wear off, the treatment can be repeated safely.

Q. What is important to think about right after treatment with DUROLANE

A. Right after treatment you should avoid strenuous activities such as jogging, cycling and heavy lifting. You may experience increased transient, mild to moderate pain/swelling after treatment, but this should go away within a couple of days. In clinical studies there was significant reduction of pain intensity as early as 2 weeks after treatment. Pain intensity decreased throughout 3 months of follow-up.

Q. Are there any side-effects connected to the treatment?

A. Increased but transient knee pain and swelling of mild to moderate intensity right after treatment. All invasive knee treatments impose a small risk of infection, but this rarely occurs and the risk is minimized with DUROLANE because it is only injected once per treatment session. There have been no allergic reactions to DUROLANE, either among patients receiving their first injection or those being re-treated.

Q. Is there a possibility I will need to undergo further treatment? Would this include a repeat treatment with DUROLANE or a different type of treatment, e.g. joint replacement?

A. Based on our elimination data the treatment with DUROLANE can be repeated after 12 weeks if necessary. Treatment with DUROLANE in no way precludes other interventions at a later date, e.g. various types of surgery.

Q. Is there anything else I can do to help my joints?

A. Studies have shown that protecting an arthritic knee from joint stress will decrease joint pain and protect the cartilage. In some cases, simple adjustments of lifestyle and daily activities are all that is needed to improve your level of comfort and protect your joints.

Q. Is there potential for the treatment substance to migrate?

A. The unique stabilization process increases the size of the hyaluronic acid particles. The substance has not been shown to migrate and NASHA has been used in over 1,000,000 treatments with no emergence of any safety concerns.

Q. What can I do to prevent my condition from getting worse?

A. A few immediate lifestyle changes which are known to help slow the progression of osteoarthritis are non-strenuous exercises and weight loss. If these measures are not sufficient, you are advised to see a doctor for further treatment.