painful injection?

[kitkat576]

How painful are synvisc injections to receive?  I've had cortizone injected into my knee and that about killed me. My Doctor is recommending synvisc and I just want to know how difficult the injection itself is to tolerate. The whole idea of having an injection into the joint conjures up the whole cortizone injection experience...

[lolareyn]

I just completed the three injections in the knee, over three weeks. My orthopedist numbed the knee first by injecting Novacaine and this worked great. I had no pain at all with the Synvisc injections. There was no swelling or other side-effects. In fact, I went shopping today after the injection. My doctor said it would take about a month before I would notice any benefits of the Synvisc, but honestly it feels better already, I think from the first injection. I know people who have had 3 separate series of the injections, over 1-2 years. I plan on relying on Synvisc, versus a knee replacement. I know too many people who have had serious issues with replacements, so don't want to go there. Hope this info helps. To you all who are considering Synvisc, I highly recommend the three shots, over three weeks. It took me a long time to decide to have the shots and I'm so glad I did. I've also talked with patients who started with the one shot treatment and had problems. They then decided to have the three shot series and had no negative side effects at all. For all of you out there who are on the fence, do the three shot series!

[sawilliams1963]

I am not sure if what I had is the same as synvisc injections, I had the gel injections in my knee, a series of 3 over 3 weeks.  The first one I had was painful, so I insisted that my ortho doctor did the next one, not an assistant!   I explained that it was very painful and he used a spray to numb my knee and he used a lot of it!   I barely felt anything with the 2nd and 3rd injection.
Although, I did not get any releif and ended up having total knee replacement.  I am now facing the injections in my other knee now, I will give it a try and hope for the best, but will only let my ortho give the injections....lol.

I wish you the best of luck with your injections.  Let me know how they worked for you and make sure they spray you ALOT with the numbing stuff!
Sherry