Exploring an Alternative Knee Replacement

Ready to relieve osteoarthritis' chronic pain and swelling surgery? You need an alternative knee replacement, whether you're simply not a surgical candidate, or prefer to delay a knee replacement due to your age. Of course, we can't cure your arthritis. But we can offer relief for pain, stiffness and swelling. And we can help keep you mobile and active, without going under the knife. Here's how.

Lifestyle Remedies for Knee Pain

When osteoarthritis knee pain is mild, you may find relief from noninvasive interventions. You can begin by losing weight, if necessary, to relieve pressure on the joints in your knee and to help prevent further damage to your cartilage.

You should also try to stay active, either through physical therapy or with low-impact exercises like walking or swimming. Finally, over-the-counter medications can help relieve inflammation and pain. But they may cause additional side effects, so be sure to clear this option with your healthcare provider.

Alternative Knee Replacement: Medical Interventions

If you want to temporarily relieve osteoarthritis knee pain without surgery, you may benefit from knee injections of cortisone or hyaluronic acid. These interventions can relieve inflammation and lubricate your joints to preserve mobility, but effects don't usually last more than a few months.

Luckily, there's an alternative knee replacement that offers at least a year of pain relief: genicular artery embolization, or GAE. This procedure relieves osteoarthritis knee pain by blocking blood flow to the joint. This reduces pain and inflammation, and slow arthritis progression, helping you delay knee replacement surgery.

Ready to see if GAE is the right alternative knee replacement for you? Patients with moderate to severe pain who are in good health, haven't found relief from non-invasive treatments, and are 40-80 years of age are considered good GAE candidates. Click here to request an appointment with the Georgia Knee Institute to discuss next steps!