Knee pain due to osteoarthritis can make it difficult to enjoy an active life. In the past, many people had to treat this pain with total knee replacement surgery. But this procedure is expensive, invasive, requires a long recovery period, and doesn’t always provide the relief you need. Today, however, you can find osteoarthritis knee pain relief with with non-surgical treatment for knee pain, including lifestyle changes, medications such as Ozempic or Wegovey, and genicular artery embolization (GAE). This minimally-invasive procedure effective reduces or eliminates your pain without requiring general anesthesia or overnight hospital stays. Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover the ins and outs of this alternative to knee surgery, along with other available options.
Ozempic as a Non-Surgical Treatment for Knee Pain
According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, taking once weekly doses of semagultide weight-loss drugs (prescribed under the brand-names of Ozempic and Wegovy) can help provide knee pain relief for those with osteoarthritis linked to obesity. As such, this drug could be a promising non-surgical treatment for knee pain. However, it’s efficacy was only proven for individuals who also needed to lose weight. Therefore, those whose knee pain in unrelated to obesity may choose to explore treatment options such as GAE.
What is Genicular Artery Embolization for Knee Pain?
GAE is a minimally invasive knee procedure that offers an advantageous alternative to knee surgery for many patients. First, it’s a non-surgical procedure that carries a minimal risk for complications, making it an ideal knee pain treatment for those who prefer to avoid surgery or who aren’t able to undergo invasive procedures. Moreover, it is less expensive than surgical procedures, and typically covered by insurance. After GAE, you can expect a much faster recovery time than you’d deal with following a surgical procedure. Plus, by addressing one of the root causes of knee pain due to osteoarthritis—inflammation—it is still able to effectively reduce your discomfort and improve your quality of life.
GAE Procedure: Taking a Closer Look
When you undergo Genicular Artery Embolization, we inject an embolic agent into a catheter that’s directed to reduce blood flow to the genicular arteries around your knee. Afterward, inflammation is reduced, and most patients report knee pain relief along with improved mobility and an overall better quality of life.
Recovering from GAE
Most people can resume normal activities within days of undergoing genicular artery embolization. Knee pain relief after GAE will initially start improving 4-6 weeks after the procedure, with results further improving over time. Plus, because the procedure is less invasive than surgery, post-GAE discomfort should be minimal, and most patients can manage discomfort with over-the-counter medications.
Do you need relief from the knee pain of osteoarthritis, but you want an alternative to surgery? GAE in Texas could be the option you’ve been seeking. Simply click here click here click here to request a consultation at the Texas Knee Institute, and we’ll review your candidacy for genicular artery embolization.
As a relatively new treatment option for knee osteoarthritis, many people wonder about the benefits of genicular artery embolization (GAE.) Now, thanks to a study from the Charity University Hospital in Berlin, we have more evidence to support GAE’s ability to provide knee pain relief. Here’s what you need to know.
What is GAE?
GAE is a minimally-invasive procedure performed by the interventional radiologists at the Texas Knee Institute. It relieves arthritis-related knee pain by targeting the genicular arteries surrounding your knee joint with an injection of small particles designed to reduce blood flow to the area. In turn, inflammation is reduced and the destruction of cartilage is slowed down, helping relieve pain while also slowing disease progression.
What are the Benefits of Genicular Artery Embolization?
Clinically, we’ve seen that patients who undergo GAE enjoy knee pain relief with improved mobility and quality of life. And now, according to study results presented at the Radiological Society of North America, we can scientifically quantify the benefits of genicular artery embolization.
For this study, German physicians followed 403 patients between the ages of 40 and 90 who underwent GAE at Charity University Hospital in Berlin. All participants had moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee, and hadn’t found relief from more conservative treatment options such as medications and physical therapy. All of the participants underwent technically-successful GAE procedures. And one year later, 87% of participants reported improved quality of life, while 71% reported reduced pain. Best of all, side effects were minimal—no severe complications were reported, and just 18% of participants experienced temporary (and slight) changes in skin coloration, along with mild knee pain, immediately following the procedure.
As a result of these findings, lead study author Dr. Florian Fleckenstein concluded, “GAE can effectively reduce knee pain and improve quality of life early after the treatment, with these benefits being maintained over the long term, especially for people who haven’t had success with other treatments like physical therapy or pain medications. This could potentially offer a new lease on life for many patients who suffer from debilitating pain and mobility issues, caused by osteoarthritis.”
Moreover, Dr. Fleckenstein reported, “GAE has the potential to reduce the need for more invasive surgeries, lower health care costs and significantly improve the quality of life for countless individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis."
Want to explore the benefits of GAE in Texas and discover whether you’re a candidate for this procedure? We’re here to help you explore your options. Simply reach out to our team to request your consultation request your consultation request your consultation with the team at the Texas Knee Institute.
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are both conditions that impact joint health. But the way they progress and their treatment offers diverge. This post highlights important differences between rheumatoid arthritis vs osteoarthritis.
RA and OA: What You Need to Know
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease; if affected, your immune system will attack your joint linings. The disease can enter remission with treatment. However, osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and progressive disease that develops when due to prior injury or aging you experience a breakdown of the cartilage between your joints. This results in pain and possible deformity of the affected joints and bones.
Key Differences between Osteoarthritis vs Rheumatoid Arthritis
One key rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis difference is what causes joint damage in each condition. As an autoimmune disease, RA develops due to malfunction in the immune system that causes your body to attack its own joint linings. In contrast, OA joint damage is typically due to wear and tear, progressing slowly with time instead of with the periods of flares and remission that are typical for RA sufferers.
Rheumatoid Arthritis vs Osteoarthritis Symptoms
OA sufferers typically notice symptoms in joints that are widely used, meaning the onset of knee osteoarthritis may be the first sign of a problem. Symptoms typically include swelling and joint dysfunction, along with pain and stiffness, or cracking, popping and grinding sounds that manifest with joint movement.
RA sufferers often experience pain in the smaller joints of the hands and feet. Plus, with RA, you may also experience fatigue, loss of appetite, a low-grade fevers, skin lumps known as nodules and stiffness with waking.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Identifying your disease risk factors and seeking prompt medical attention can help you receive an accurate diagnosis. Risk factors for OA include age; a history of joint injuries; overuse of joints; obesity; and family history. RA risk factors are less clear, though weight and family history do seem to play a role. However, when it comes to osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis, being a woman, smoking or certain chemical exposures increase your RA risk, while these factors do not seem to play a significant role in OA risk.
Now, both OA and RA are incurable, and existing damage to your joints can’t be reversed. However, with medications and lifestyle modifications, you should be able to enter RA remission. Some patients with OA may find symptom relief by taking pain medications such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. But many may also require a medical intervention such as the genicular artery embolization (GAE) procedure to get relief. But what is GAE? In short, it’s a minimally invasive procedure that provides OA knee pain relief by interrupting the flow of blood flow to the knee joint lining. While not an option for everyone, you can request a consultation request a consultation request a consultation with the Texas Knee Institute to learn more about this procedure and explore your candidacy.
If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, you may wonder which activities are safe, which will cause you pain and which will bring relief. This guide from the Texas Knee Institute highlights the dos and don’ts of arthritis knee pain relief.
Exercise for Arthritis Knee Pain Relief
While some forms of exercise can help ease knee osteoarthritis pain. Unfortunately, exercise could also cause pain or even worsen your condition if you don’t take the proper precautions. Before beginning any exercise program, be aware of your current state of joint health and pain levels, so you can track any discomfort that may be associated with new movements. Also, be sure to clear new workout routine with your healthcare provider. Then, when you’re ready to get moving:
Do
- Move joints gently. Daily stretching and low-impact workouts such as progressive strength training, biking, walking or swimming are all ideal for lubricating joints and preserving mobility. They can also help build muscles to support your movement, taking pressure off your joints.
- Focus on form. Meeting with a physical therapist can help you move in ways that protect your joint health.
- Listen to your body. Make sure to rest if you feel fatigued or experience any discomfort.
Don’t
Engage in high impact activities, or workouts that involve lots of jumping. Steer clear of repetitive motions as well, since they can place too much pressure on your knee joints.
Lifestyle Measures
Changes in the way you live may help manage arthritis pain and prevent disease progression.
Do
- Manage your weight, since carrying extra weight puts excess pressure on your knee joints, contributing to or even worsening osteoarthritis symptoms.
- Consider massage, as it can temporarily relieve pain and stiffness. Just be sure your massage therapist is aware of your condition, and clear your treatments with your healthcare provider.
Don’t
Light up. When you smoke, you cause stress to your connective tissues. This can worsen osteoarthritis symptoms, so now’s the time to quit if you haven’t already.
Medications for Knee Pain Relief
Early-stage osteoarthritis of the knee may be manageable with medication.
Do
Look for over-the-counter options such as Tylenol, Aleve or Advil for occasional pain relief, making sure you’ve cleared your choice with a healthcare provider to be sure it’s safe for you and doesn’t interact with any other medications you may be taking. You may also look for topical joint pain relievers that contain capsaicin.
.Don’t
Avoid overuse of pain medication, since even over the counter pain relievers can cause dangerous side effects when taken in high doses for extended periods of time. If you are not able to find knee pain relief with the occasional support of medication, it may be time to start exploring a knee procedure that will provide longer lasting relief.
Lasting Relief in Houston and Dallas
When you’re ready for an arthritis treatment that goes beyond lifestyle changes or medication, Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) can offer knee pain relief without surgery. For many patients, this option can also help preserve mobility and prevent disease progression, while allowing you to delay or avoid a total knee replacement. Explore your candidacy for GAE by requesting a consultation requesting a consultation requesting a consultation at the Texas Knee Institute.
Many people wonder, ‘How long does genicular artery embolization last?’ Well now, a study on the effects of genicular artery embolization can help answer that question. And the results look promising for those who wish to delay or avoid total knee replacement surgery. Here’s what you need to know.
Effects of Genicular Artery Embolization
Here at the Texas Knee Institute, our interventional radiologists perform genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally invasive procedure designed to provide knee pain relief while avoiding invasive surgery. As a relatively new option for treating knee osteoarthritis, there is relatively little data available on how long the effects of genicular artery embolization will last. And that’s why we were excited to see a new study in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology discussing the lasting effects of GAE for pain relief.
For the study, researchers spent two years following 40 patients with moderate to severe knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. None of the patients were candidates for knee replacement surgery, so they all underwent GAE. Over the course of the study, candidates measured their pain scores. And, throughout the entire course of the study, the post-GAE patients experienced ongoing relief from osteoarthritis knee pain.
As a result, the study authors concluded, "Knee osteoarthritis is a leading cause of adult disability and, until now, most minimally invasive treatment options have been proven to provide only short-term relief, measured in weeks or months. For patients who are not candidates for knee replacement surgery, our study shows that GAE provides durable benefit to many patients, measurable for up to 2 years, a great leap forward in offering this cohort lasting relief."
Exploring GAE in Houston and Dallas
As we learn more about how and why osteoarthritis causes knee pain, it’s become clear that new, abnormal synovial blood vessels grow with this condition, causing painful inflammation and worsening other arthritis symptoms. By blocking blood flow to these vessels, GAE can reduce pain and inflammation, simultaneously improving quality of life for knee pain sufferers.
Ready to see if you could benefit from the effects of genicular artery embolization? Request a consultation Request a consultation Request a consultation with our interventional radiologists. Together, we can explore your candidacy for GAE and get you on the optimal pathway to lasting knee pain relief.
When dealing with knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, there are a range of treatment options, including lifestyle interventions, medications, medical procedures and surgical intervention. When symptoms are severe, choosing a total knee replacement may seem like your best treatment option. However, before you make a final decision, you should be aware of the potential disadvantages of knee replacement surgery, highlighted in this post.
Potential Complications
Because it is an invasive procedure, knee replacement surgery has a higher risk for complication than other knee osteoarthritis treatment options. Though uncommon, this procedure could result in blood clots, nerve damage or infection. Additionally, the post-surgical recovery period can be long and quite uncomfortable. Finally, knee pain relief may not be complete, even after surgery, and future revision surgeries may be necessary. However, being aware of these disadvantages of knee replacement surgery—and carefully following post-procedural care instructions—can improve your outcomes and optimize your recovery. Alternatively, awareness can help you explore other, less invasive, treatment options.
5 Disadvantages of Knee Replacement Surgery
- Difficult Recoveries
The post-replacement recovery process is not easy: you’ll have to go to physical therapy, often for months, in order to regain your mobility and strength. You may have knee swelling, pain and stiffness after surgery. And you will need a support system to compensate for your initial loss of mobility.
- Need for Revisions
One of the disadvantages of knee replacement surgery is that I’s not a permanent solution—the replacement lasts between 15 and 20 years. Given that fact, if arthritis develops in the knee at an early age, it may make sense to delay surgery for as long as possible to reduce the likelihood that you’ll need multiple procedures.
- Consider the Cost
Depending on your insurance coverage, you may incur significant out of pocket expenses, since anesthesia and overnight hospital stays will be involved. Be sure to talk to your insurance company and healthcare provider prior to scheduling surgery in order to be accurately prepared.
- Mobility Limitations
While surgery should relieve knee pain, it may not restore your full range of motion, meaning you could still experience mobility challenges. As such, if your primary concern is maintaining or returning to an active lifestyle, you may wish to explore alternative treatment options.
- Infection Risks
Another possible disadvantage of knee replacement surgery is the potential for post-procedural infection. Following surgery, you’ll have to watch out for infection warning signs such as pain, redness, swelling or discharge at the site of your incision. If you notice any of these symptoms, you’ll need to call your doctor right away to prevent further complications.
Seeking Alternative Treatment Options
If you are concerned about the disadvantages of knee replacement surgery but still need relief from knee osteoarthritis pain, there are alternative options.
Here at the Texas Knee Institute, we perform Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE, a minimally invasive procedure that reduces arthritis inflammation by targeting blood vessels that surround the knee joint. Studies suggest that GAE offers significant pain relief, helping people delay or avoid knee replacement surgery. Request a consultation Request a consultation Request a consultation with our experts to learn more about GAE and to see if you’re a candidate for this procedure.
Cycling is a great form of exercise if you have knee osteoarthritis. It’s a lower impact workout, but still provides plenty of cardiovascular benefits, and could even help maintain or improve your joint health, while increasing your range of motion. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Biking for Osteoarthritis is a Smart Choice
Engaging in cycling with arthritic knees can loosen joints without wearing them down. Research even shows that biking builds muscle strength to support your joints while reducing the joint stiffness associated with knee osteoarthritis. Using an exercise bike when you have arthritis of the knee also provides knee pain relief while improving your overall quality of life. You might even lose some weight when you bike, which could take more pressure off your joints.
Is Indoor or Outdoor Cycling Best?
Is it better to bike outdoors or to use an indoor stationary bike if you have arthritic knees? Luckily, both are great options. Biking outdoors is a great way to enjoy nature and view changing scenery, meaning you might be up for longer training sessions. At the same time, when you pass over varying outdoor terrain, you’ll naturally be challenged to adjust to different levels of resistance and incline.
Similarly, cycling indoors can offer many benefits. First, a stationary bike can be good for knees because it’s easy to control resistance levels, without worrying about rain, heat or other environmental factors. You also won’t need to worry about falling off a stationary bike, making it a great choice for people who struggle with balance issues.
Choosing the Right Equipment and Pace
If you’re cycling with osteoarthritis of the knee in the outdoors, try keeping your seat and handlebars elevated, to reduce joint pressure and relieve potential back or neck pain. When cycling indoors, you may prefer to sit on a recumbent bike, since you can lean back and keep pressure off your back and hips. However, if you have arthritis in other areas of your body, you may prefer an upright bike, since biking in the recumbent position can be tougher on hip joints.
Regardless of your bike choice, you should start off with low-intensity cycling, proven to be as effective as high-intensity cycling for improving joint function and range of motion. If you’re new to the sport, ease your body into cycling by riding slowly on flat surfaces. Limit early sessions to no more than 10 minutes, allowing your body to adjust to this form of movement before training harder or for longer periods of time.
After finishing a cycle session, stretch gently and give your body time to recover. If you experience worsening joint pain after exercising, stop cycling and talk to your doctor to avoid injury or further joint damage. And if exercise has become too painful, or you need more knee pain relief, request a consultation request a consultation request a consultation at the Texas Knee Institute. Our interventional radiologists provide genicular artery embolization (learn more about What is GAE here). So, when you come in for a visit, we can help you decided if this minimally invasive knee osteoarthritis treatment is your best option for relief.
Is it safe to run with knee arthritis? Well, running with arthritic knees is still possible. But you have to take careful precautions. And you should follow these tips to stay active without causing joint damage.
Running with Arthritic Knees: Start Slow
When you have knee osteoarthritis, joint pain could be a common concern. However, when you start running, you’ll have to listen to your body and decide if the discomfort you may feel is mild and associated with exercise, or if it’s sharp, suggesting you’ve suffered an injury or are causing joint damage.
Also, in order to prevent damage, you should slowly ease your way into a new running workout. Begin by moving at a mild pace, and don’t try to go too far. Then, as you get used to running with arthritis, you should be able to run farther and faster. And, in the process, you may even experience some knee pain relief. (More on that below.)
Choose Your Shoes Wisely
Running with arthritis demands appropriate, supportive foot wear. Choose pairs with plenty of cushioning to reduce the impact on your knees. Get a professional, in-store fitting. And make sure to mention your knee osteoarthritis when asking for help selecting your running shoes.
Consider Cross-Training, Too
If you’re running with arthritic knees, that should not be your only form of exercise: cross training will also be important for your health. Be sure to incorporate weight bearing exercises to take pressure off your knee joints by strengthening the muscles that support them. And try to engage in other, low-impact, forms of exercise like cycling or swimming, to help your joints and muscles recover in between higher-intensity training sessions.
Cycling is also an excellent exercise choice because the pedaling motion can lubricate the joints, helping reduce pain and improve your range of motion. But swimming is also a great option, since working out in the water will take pressure off your joints entirely.
Knee Pain Relief in Dallas and Houston
Is running with arthritic knees becoming too difficult due to joint pain? Do you want to find relief without surgery? At the Texas Knee Institute, we offer genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally invasive procedure designed to relieve arthritis pain while delaying or avoiding knee replacement surgery.
But what is GAE, exactly? This procedure reduces knee pain caused by osteoarthritis because it targets inflammation in your synovium (joint lining). It is a procedure that doesn’t require general anesthesia or an overnight hospital stay, and comes with an easier recovery period when compared to surgery. Want to see if you’re a GAE candidate? Request a consultation [/ga-appt-link] with our specialists in Texas, and we’ll review your treatment options when you come into the office.
At the Texas Knee Institute, our interventional radiologists in Houston and Dallas ease arthritis pain in the knee by performing Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE.) This is a minimally invasive procedure that reduces both pain and inflammation by limiting the flow of blood to your knee’s synovial lining. But how effective is this non-surgical procedure at relieving your knee pain due to osteoarthritis? Well, the numbers are in, and they’re pretty promising!
Does GAE Ease Arthritis Pain in the Knee? Check out These Stats!
Interventional radiology is a relatively new field of medicine. As such, long term data on the efficacy of GAE for reducing the pain of knee osteoarthritis is somewhat limited. But the evidence we do have is very promising.
At the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting, researchers presented findings on how well GAE was able to ease arthritis pain one year after patients underwent the procedure. The study followed 40 adults between the ages of 40 and 80 who needed knee pain relief due to mild to moderate osteoarthritis. Here’s what they found.
To begin with, one year after having GAE, patients enjoyed a 63% decrease in their personal pain scores. Moreover, their WOMAC osteoarthritis index scores had decreased by 60% at the one-year, post-procedural mark. (The WOMAC, or Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, evaluates progression of hip and knee osteoarthritis by assessing stiffness, pain and ability to function physically on a daily basis. A lower score reflects improved mobility due to reduced pain and stiffness.)
Even better? None of the patients included in the study experienced major side effects. And the few who did, the adverse events were minor and mostly self-resolving. Plus, in light of the fact that the procedure was a technical success for 100% of the participants, lead study author Siddharth A. Padia, MD, FSIR says that, with GAE, interventional radiologists now have “the potential to completely disrupt and change the way patients are treated with knee osteoarthritis.”
How to Find Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Relief in Houston and Dallas
Want to ease arthritis pain without subjecting yourself to an invasive procedure like knee replacement surgery? Genicular Artery Embolization at the Texas Knee Institute could be the procedure you’ve been waiting for. And, to find out if that’s the case, simply click here to request a consultation click here to request a consultation click here to request a consultation with our experts.
If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis knee pain, you may be exploring treatment options, and choosing between genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery. But what’s involved in each of these procedures? And how can you choose the best option for your needs? Here’s what you need to know.
Knee Replacement for Osteoarthritis Pain
When you choose knee replacement surgery, your doctor will remove damaged bone and cartilage from your kneecap and some surrounding structures, replacing it with an implanted artificial joint. Constructed from plastic or metal, the replacement joint is designed to replicate the movements of your natural knee joint.
Due to the invasive nature of the procedure, you’ll need to go under general or regional anesthesia during the surgery, which typically lasts between one to two hours. Afterward, the incision site will be closed with staples or sutures, and your wound will be dressed carefully. During your recovery period, you’ll have to follow wound care instructions as well as all other post-operative directions from your doctor.
Genicular Artery Embolization
How does genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery compare in terms of what to expect during your procedure? Unlike surgery, genicular artery embolization (GAE) is a minimally invasive procedure designed to reduce knee osteoarthritis pain by decreasing the volume of blood flow that reaches the lining of your knee. Also lasting between one and two hours, GAE is an outpatient procedure performed with mild sedation rather than general anesthesia. During the procedure, our interventional radiologists insert a small catheter into your artery, guiding it to areas of inflammation with the help of X-ray imaging. Once in position, we inject tiny particles through that catheter; these block blood flow and reduce inflammation, providing osteoarthritis knee pain relief in the weeks and months following your procedure.
Genicular Artery Embolization Vs. Knee Replacement: What to Expect from the Recovery
If you undergo a knee replacement, you’ll likely need to stay in the hospital for up to three days afterward. And, your full recovery could last between 6 months and a year, though you’ll be able to return to your normal activities about six weeks after surgery. The initial healing period is likely to be painful, and many patients require physical therapy following their surgery.
In contrast, a genicular artery embolization recovery is far shorter. Most patients go home on the same day as their procedure, resuming light activities as early as one week afterward. Some discomfort is normal in the first few days following GAE, however you could start to experience knee pain relief as soon as two weeks after the procedure, with results continuing to improve from there.
Choosing the Best Treatment for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain
If you’re considering genicular artery embolization vs knee surgery to relieve your arthritis pain, here are some things to consider. If you choose knee replacement surgery, you should experience lasting relief. But you will also need to stay in the hospital and go through a more intense period of rehabilitation—along with a higher potential for complications. Plus, you must be physically healthy enough to undergo an invasive surgical procedure.
However, if you choose GAE at the Texas Knee Institute, you can enjoy months or years of knee pain relief and improved mobility without undergoing surgery or dealing with hospital stays. The risk for complications is minimal, and you can undergo GAE several times in order to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery. Ready to see if you’re a candidate for GAE in Texas? Click here to request a consultation Click here to request a consultation Click here to request a consultation
