Injections

Can synovia injections help with the swelling and pain in the joints from RA?

[kmil1999]

I had an injection in my wrist on my last Rheumy visit and it helped me immensly.

K

[babyde]

The injections should help with the swelling and pain because all it is is lubrication to your joints so that bone to bone is not rubbing against each other. It helped my knees for about 6 weeks but not as much now.

[jake61]

Is this medication a lubricant or a steriod? Is there any meds that you can be on that it would interfere with?

[jake61]

Is this medication a lubricant or a steriod?

[babyde]

Synvisc is a gel-like mixture that is made up of hylan A fluid, hylan B gel, and salt water. Hylan A and hylan B are made from a substance called hyaluronan (pronounced hye-a-loo-ROE-nan), also known as sodium hyaluronate that comes from chicken combs. This is a natural substance found in the body and is present in very high amounts in joints. The body's own hyaluronan acts like a lubricant and a shock absorber in the joint and is needed for the joint to work properly. There are no known drug interactions. Just let your doctor know all your meds tho. There are some side effects that may occur but I didn't have any.

[kmil1999]

When you said  synovia ( A clear, viscid lubricating fluid secreted by membranes in joint cavities, sheaths of tendons, and bursae)  I took it you ment injections into the synovial space.

Injections into the synovial space can be corticosteroids or a hylan product like babyde said.  It depends on what you need it for.

I had steroids injected in my wrist for RA.  It helped almost immediately with the pain and ability to move it.  I also have had them for pain in my hip and in my knee for osteoarthritis.  All have worked very well.  

I had Synvisc in my knee twice.  The first time it was like the difference between night and day.  It helped with the pain (I have osteoarthritis in knee) and made movement tons easier.  It worked well for over 6 months.  However, on the second injection I became allergic to it and my leg from just about two inches above my ankle to about 4 inches above my knee swelled so much the skin was more than taunt and it was red.  (Can't have anymore of the synvisc.)  Trying to hold off on knee replacement as long as I can.

Hope this answered your question,
k