Synvisc or cortisone for knee arthritis?

Mild to moderate knee arthritis can be treated with several different medications, including a few medications that can be injected into the knee joint. The two most common types of injections are Synvisc (also sold under the name Hyalgan) and cortisone.

Both medications have shown some effectiveness in studies. While neither will reverse the effects of arthritis, they can help to alleviate symptoms and provide long periods of pain relief. Determineing which type of injection is best for you can be a tough question.

Many doctors prefer to try cortisone first because it is very safe (few side-effects), requires only one shot, and costs about 100 times less than the Synvisc. However, Synvisc may be reasonable if cortisone did not solve your knee pain problem. Unfortunately, Synvisc does require a series of weekly injections, and the injections can be quite expensive.

For more information about Synvisc and cortisone injections, read through the following:

• Synvisc
• Cortisone