Hyaluronic Acid Injections

What Are They?

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Hyaluronic acid injections have been used for several years to manage joint pain, particularly in osteoarthritis and following joint-related surgery. The injection contains components naturally found in healthy joint fluid, which help lubricate the joint and improve movement, potentially reducing pain and stiffness. More recently Ostenil has developed a product called "ostenil Tendon" which is used to treat tendon injuries such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis and patella tendonitis. 

 

Are They Available on the NHS?

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Currently, hyaluronic acid injections are not licensed for routine use on the NHS. This is mainly due to the high cost of the medication and clinical trials showing outcomes that are comparable to corticosteroid injections, which are significantly more affordable—often over 30 times cheaper. That said, there is some evidence suggesting hyaluronic acid may provide longer-lasting relief, especially at the six-month mark, when compared to steroids. However, the validity and strength of these studies remain under debate.

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What Are the benefits

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Hyaluronic acid injections are very safe when compared to other injections such as steroid injections. Their is no risk of rupturing the tendons with Hyaluronic acid injections which adds a significant benefit. It also means that we can inject the tendons or joints immediately as the risks involved are minimal.

 

Because Hyaluronic acid injections are safe you can have as many as you want. This is a significant limitation with steroid injections due to the risks involved. 

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What Are the Risks?

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One of the advantages of hyaluronic acid injections is their low risk of long-term side effects. Because the substance mimics the natural components of joint fluid, there is no strict limit on the number of injections you can receive over time—unlike corticosteroids, which require careful monitoring due to potential systemic effects.

Potential risks include:

• Infection (as with any injection procedure)

• injection soreness, which typically resolves within a few days Efficacy and safety of intraarticular hyaluronic acid and corticosteroid for knee osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis - PubMed​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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