Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about treatment with HA-Botox. If you have a specific question about treatment or about knee pain, please speak with your health care provider.
HA-Botox is for the treatment of osteoarthritis knee pain, when simple painkillers (like Tylenol® or Advil®) or exercise and physical therapy are not enough. The treatment that’s right for you will depend on how far your osteoarthritis has progressed, how much pain you are experiencing, and what has worked (or not worked) for you in the past. HA-Botox is indicated for the treatment of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee. Speak to your doctor if HA-Botox is the right treatment option for you.
Your health care provider will review your medical history and examine your knee to determine if an injection of HA-Botox may be safely given.
Each patient’s response to HA-Botox may vary, depending on severity of your OA, degree of pain, and pre-existing medical conditions. In some patients, successful treatment may reduce pain within the first week after treatment begins. However, based upon clinical trials, most patients experienced pain relief after their third injection of HA-Botox.
Five injections given at weekly intervals can provide most patients with long-lasting pain relief for up to 6 months. The duration of pain relief you experience may vary.
Some patients may experience benefit with 3 injections given at weekly intervals*. This has been noted in studies of published literature receiving 3 injections who were followed for 60 days.
Everybody responds differently to pain. For some people, HA-Botox may provide all the osteoarthritis knee pain relief that’s needed. Other people may get the greatest pain relief by adding HA-Botox injections to the nonprescription or prescription medicines they’re already taking. HA-Botox has no known drug interactions, but if you have questions about other medications you may be taking, talk to your health care provider.
Side effects sometimes seen when HA-Botox is injected into the knee are pain, swelling, heat, and/or redness of the joint, as well as rash, itching, or bruising around the HA-Botox injection area. These reactions were generally mild and did not last long.
Yes. HA-Botox has been shown to be safe for repeat treatment in a 30-month study. In clinical studies, 1 cycle (5 injections) of HA-Botox treatment provided pain relief up to 6 months. Because osteoarthritis is a chronic and degenerative condition, you and your health care provider can decide when it’s time to repeat the treatment.
If you have pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, there are treatments that do not involve injections of HA-Botox into the joint.
These include:
Non-drug treatments:
Drug therapy:
