Euflexxa is an injectable medication used to treatknee painin people withosteoarthritis(“wear-and-tear arthritis”).
Treatment
Euflexxa is administered in a series of three weeklyintra-articular injections.
Each dose is supplied in a pre-filled glass syringe.
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Prior to the injection, your healthcare provider may need to drain excess fluid from around the knee.
This not only helps reduce the localized swelling, but it also prevents the dilution of hyaluronan when injected.
The two-step process of drainage and joint lubrication is known asarthrocentesisplus viscosupplementation.
After drainage, the Euflexxa injection is delivered into the joint space in the mid-kneecap region.
It is only afterward that the body may react to the hyaluronan, triggering short-term inflammation and pain.
Even standing for a long period of time should be avoided.
Effectiveness
Despite the potential benefits of treatment, viscosupplementation success rates can vary dramatically.
To date, scientists have been unable to explain this disparity.
What most healthcare providers will agree to is that viscosupplementation is not a quick fix.
It is also often used in place of traditional corticosteroidknee injections.
Common Side Effects
The most common side effect of Euflexxa use is musculoskeletal pain.
The symptoms tend to mild and short-lasting and rarely result in treatment termination.
These are signs of an infection that may require treatment.
It is also not known if Euflexxa is excreted in breast milk.
Therefore, it may be out of reach for even insured individuals who have a highcopay or coinsurancecosts.
There are no copay or patient assistance programs offered by the drug manufacturer.
A Word From Verywell
It is important to remember that Euflexxa is not a cure-all.
It only provides short-term relief of knee stiffness and pain.
It does not regrow lost cartilage or reverse the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
The 2019 American College of Rheumatology guidelines recommend against hyaluronic acid injections for knee osteoarthritis.
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