Orthovisc (Sodium Hyaluronate) is used to relieve knee pain due to osteoarthritis. It is used for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. In healthy knees, the space between the bones is filled with a thick and slippery liquid (joint fluid). Joint fluid acts like a shock absorber to give your knee cushioning while walking, working, or playing sports. When you have osteoarthritis, your body's joint fluid becomes less healthy and the cartilage begins to break down, leading to irritation and discomfort in the knee. ORTHOVISC is injected directly into the knee, where it may help restore the cushioning properties of your joint fluid. This can provide up to six months of relief from knee pain.
Orthovisc is proven safe and effective. In clinical studies, side effects were similar to placebo. The most common side effects were joint pain, back pain, and headache. Some people experienced pain, swelling, heat rash, itching, bruising, and/or redness in the injection area. Side effects were generally mild and lasted a short time. If any symptoms or other problems occur, you should report it to your doctor. If you are allergic to hyaluronate products, or if you are allergic to products from birds (poultry, feathers, eggs, etc.), viscosupplementation is not right for you. Also, you should not receive this treatment if you have infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint.