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Did you know that around 500 million people worldwide live with knee osteoarthritis? While being a chronic health condition that causes much discomfort in knee joints, it cannot be fully cured as of now. Luckily, there exist several methods to create substantial symptomatic relief in the affected joint. For instance, it is possible to reduce OA knee pain by either undergoing physical therapy treatments or receiving intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections.
One of the most popular brands that produce intra-articular injections to reduce the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis is Euflexxa. In this article, we will talk about it in detail and pay special attention to the question of how long it takes it to work.
Euflexxa is a popular brand of intra-articular injectable medications to reduce the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. It is manufactured by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a research-driven pharmaceutical corporation that produces effective medications that create long-lasting relief of knee pain in patients living with chronic disease.
A side note
The main active substance in the composition of Euflexxa is highly purified hyaluronic acid. It functions as a lubricant and shock absorber that effectively reduces musculoskeletal pain in patients living with osteoarthritis. With its help, an osteoarthritic patient (regardless of his or her medical history) has a good chance to get rid of knee pain for a substantial period of time.
Euflexxa is primarily used to treat knee osteoarthritis through the temporal reduction of knee joint pain. More precisely, it is a non-steroid intra-articular injection indicated for patients who experience joint pain due to the disease and cannot substantially reduce it with simple pain medications or physical therapy. In other words, Euflexxa is a medication for patients who have already tried other non-invasive methods of addressing the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis with no sufficient results.
A side note
Even though an injection of Euflexxa is primarily indicated for the reduction of pain in knee joints, some healthcare providers use it to address unpleasant feelings in the ankle, hip, wrist, or elbow joints. Thus, the treatment has proven results when it comes to the reduction of pain in different joints of the human body that have been affected by osteoarthritis.
Euflexxa is a medication that has proven its efficacy and safety. It is a well-tolerated treatment that causes little to no allergic reactions or unwanted complications in the majority of patients. Still, there exist several contraindications to an injection of Euflexxa. Namely, it is preferable to postpone it under any of the following circumstances:
Moreover, Euflexxa is not recommended for breastfeeding or pregnant women. The main reason for this is the lack of clinical studies regarding the interaction between Euflexxa and the recently born or yet-unborn child. Also, it still remains unclear whether Euflexxa passes into breast milk.
A SIDE NOTE
Euflexxa is not intended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (arthritis rheum). More precisely, it should not be used while reducing inflammation or other symptoms (such as back pain) caused by the disease. If it is the main concern of a patient, he or she should discuss other treatment options with his or her healthcare practitioner and insurance provider.
In the majority of cases, up to three injections of Euflexxa with a one-week interval between each of them might be required to help a patient achieve the desired results. In rare cases, however, this number might increase to five injections. As soon as they are complete, a patient is expected to notice a substantial reduction in joint pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. As well, he or she would no longer need to avoid physical activities since his or her joint mobility is expected to be improved after the treatment.
A side note
Most patients claim to experience only partial (or mild) pain relief after the first injection of Euflexxa. At the same time, however, they tend to achieve full pain relief after completing the full treatment protocol (or, in other words, after the third injection).
When properly administered, Euflexxa does not cause any severe adverse reactions or serious side effects. Similar to other treatments of such a kind, it is injected directly into osteoarthritis-related joints in a safe and risk-free manner. At the same time, it is possible to have the following side effects or symptoms after the treatment: mild joint swelling, temporary muscle pain, or nausea. Luckily, they do not carry any major risks and fade away on their own in a couple of days after the injection.
It is also worth mentioning that the most common side effect right after the injection of Euflexxa is a painful sensation around the treatment area. If needed, it might be substantially reduced by applying a cold pack to it for a short period of time.
A side note
In case of worsening pain in joint space or any other serious side effects after Euflexxa treatment, a patient should contact a healthcare provider immediately. This way, it would be possible to reduce unwanted complications after the injection.
The vast majority of patients who have undergone the treatment involving Euflexxa injection claim it to last for a substantial period of time. Namely, its average duration equals six months. Still, it might vary from one patient to another (and even from one knee to another). Moreover, the aforementioned duration of Euflexxa results strongly depends on the individual peculiarities of each patient, such as his or her current age, health condition, and even lifestyle habits. For example, a patient involved in heavy lifting or any other strenuous exercise might notice Euflexxa results fading away much quicker than a patient who adheres to all after-treatment recommendations of a healthcare provider.
A side note
The natural production of hyaluronic acid in the joint of a patient also influences the results of Euflexxa. Namely, the more natural hyaluronic acid is produced, the longer the results of synthetic hyaluronic acid in the composition of Euflexxa are going to last.
If compared to other brands of a similar kind, Euflexxa is characterized by the following list of benefits:
At the same time, it is essential to state that the full benefits of Euflexxa might be felt by a patient only if the product has been administered in a professional and risk-free way.
A side note
The list of potential benefits offered by Euflexxa injections directly depends on the individual peculiarities of each patient. In other words, the positive effects of the treatment might vary from one patient to another.
Summing it all up, Euflexxa is a beneficial medication to address joint pain associated with osteoarthritis. Its long-lasting duration is one of its numerous benefits, strongly beloved by medical professionals and their patients worldwide. While lasting about half a year on average, Euflexxa returns full activity and mobility to its patients for a very long period of time.
Thus, feel free to schedule an appointment with your medical professional right away and try Euflexxa out yourself! Get rid of knee joint pain safely and effectively!