When knee pain is your toughest opponent, come prepared
Answers to your Questions.
UNDERSTANDING OSTEOARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that develops in the joints and leads to the breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. It develops as a result of the body’s failed attempt to repair damaged joint tissues. The joints that are most commonly affected include the knees, hips, hands, and spine.
For most people, joint damage can occur when otherwise healthy joints are exposed to heavy workloads over a long period of time. This leads to joint injuries due to repeated overuse. Frequently performing a particular task or sport or carrying around excess body weight can lead to osteoarthritis. Eventually the joint cartilage, the cushion at the ends of the bones, wears away.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis often begin slowly with one or a few joints, often presenting as pain when the joint is in use. Other symptoms might include morning joint stiffness (lasting less than 30 minutes), joint swelling, looseness in the joint, and reduced joint flexibility.
Although there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, symptoms can be managed through a variety of strategies.
TREATMENT STRATEGIES
Some strategies for managing osteoarthritis include lifestyle changes. Changes might include low-impact exercise, muscle strengthening, cardiovascular fitness, physical therapy, weight management, stopping smoking, and nutritional supplements. Other options include over-the-counter and/or prescription medication to treat the pain, acupuncture, massage, knee injections (including viscosupplementation and corticosteroid injections), and surgery.
Viscosupplementation is the injection of hyaluronic acid into the joint.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the protective fluid (called synovial fluid) of the knee joint. It acts as a lubricant and shock absorber. When you have osteoarthritis, there may not be enough natural hyaluronan in the joint, and the quality of that hyaluronan may be poorer than normal. A hyaluronic acid injection into the joint is thought to lubricate the cartilage, thereby reducing pain for long-term relief with a delayed onset.
Steroids are naturally occurring substances found throughout the body and are involved in regulating a variety of biological processes, including inflammation responses that contribute to many joint disorders. A corticosteroid injection (or cortisone) has anti-inflammatory properties and may be used to relieve pain by reducing inflammation in the joint for short-term rapid relief.
CINGAL®
Cingal® is a mixture of hyaluronic acid combined with a corticosteroid that is injected into the joint. The hyaluronic acid is thought to lubricate the cartilage, thereby reducing pain for long-term relief with a delayed onset. The corticosteroid has anti-inflammatory properties and may be used to relieve pain by reducing inflammation in the joint for short-term rapid relief. Cingal® is used for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy.
When you have osteoarthritis, there may not be enough natural hyaluronic acid in the joint, and the quality of that hyaluronic acid may be poorer than normal. Cingal® is given in a single shot (injection) directly into the knee joint. The injection of Cingal® supplements (adds) hyaluronic acid into the knee joint. The corticosteroid contained in Cingal® quickly reduces inflammation to provide fast pain relief, while the hyaluronic acid cushions the knee joint to provide long-lasting pain relief.
Your healthcare professional will inject a single 4 mL dose of Cingal® into your knee joint.
Pain relief with Cingal® generally occurs after 24 hours of administration and can last up to 26 weeks.
A single intra-articular injection of Cingal® can last up to 6 months.
Cingal® is generally well tolerated. However, possible complications may arise when Cingal® is injected into the knee joint. Pain, swelling, heat, rash, itching, bruising and/or redness, and achiness could occur. The skin at the injection site may become thinner or change colour. You may experience facial flushing. These reactions are normally mild and last for a very short period of time. Should any of these symptoms appear following your Cingal® injection or if you have any problems not included here, speak to your healthcare professional.
Cingal® may be covered by your insurance. See our insurance brochure to determine your coverage.
A prescription by a qualified healthcare professional or licensed practitioner is necessary to obtain Cingal®. Orthopedists, sports medicine specialists, and rheumatologists are also able to administer Cingal®.
Use our clinic locator to find a specialist near you who can diagnose the cause of your knee pain and guide you through treatment options.
DID YOU KNOW?
To find answers to more questions, contact our Medical information department 1-888-550-6060
