CHRONIC KNEE PAIN
FROM OSTEOARTHRITIS
Understanding Chronic Knee Pain
The Advantage Vascular Way.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease where the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. While often called bone-on-bone pain, the actual source of chronic pain is often synovitis—the inflammation of the joint lining.
As the cartilage thins, the body attempts to heal itself by growing new, abnormal blood vessels and nerve endings in the synovium. Called neovascularization, this process creates a hypervascular environment where the knee is essentially re-wired to send constant pain signals to the brain. This creates the chronic inflammation and stabbing pain that makes walking Dallas’s Katy Trail or shopping at NorthPark Center a challenge.
Signs You May Need Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment
Morning Stiffness
Difficulty in moving for the first 30 minutes after waking.
Activity-Triggered Pain
Sharp aches after 18 holes of golf, climbing stairs or a long walk.
Grating Sensation
A popping or crunching feeling during movement.
Tenderness
The joint feels sore when applying light pressure.
Shot Cycle
If cortisone shots aren't lasting, it's time to treat the blood vessels, not just the joint.
Loss of Flexibility
Inability to move the knee through its full range of motion.
What Are The Treatment Options For
Chronic Knee Pain?
Conservative Treatment
Most patients start here. These methods focus on stretching the tissue and reducing strain on the knee.
Physical Therapy: Strengthening the quads and hamstrings to support the joint.
Weight Loss: Every pound lost removes four pounds of pressure from the knee.
NSAIDs: Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen.
Injections
When basic stretching isn't enough, doctors may suggest:
Corticosteroid Injections: Powerful anti-inflammatories delivered directly to the knee that provide temporary (6–12 weeks) relief.
Hyaluronic Acid Shots: Lubricates the joint; results vary and are often temporary.
As an alternative Osteoarthritis treatment, Genicular Artery Embolization, sits between shots and surgery.
Targets the blood vessels feeding the inflammation, rather than the joint itself.
Starves the inflammation and quiets the hyperactive pain nerves.
A 1-hour outpatient procedure with a 2-day recovery, providing relief that lasts for years rather than weeks.
Surgery
Surgery is generally reserved for patients who have exhausted all other options.
Arthroscopy: Cleaning out "loose bodies" (mixed clinical success for OA).
Osteotomy: Realigning the bone to shift weight off the damaged side.
Total Knee Replacement (TKR): Surgically removing the joint and replacing it.
Is GAE Right For You?
GAE is specifically designed for patients who have moderate-to-severe pain but are either:
Not ready for major surgery (want to delay it as long as possible).
Not responding to shots or PT anymore.
Are at high-risk for surgery due to other health conditions.
Why Choose Advantage Vascular in Dallas?
We serve the entire DFW Metroplex: From Plano and Frisco to Highland Park and Fort Worth.
Pinhole Precision: No incisions, no stitches, and no general anesthesia.
True Outpatient Care: Performed in our state-of-the-art Dallas clinic; you’re home in hours.
Before you schedule your Total Knee Replacement, get a second option.
Before you schedule a Total Knee Replacement at a Dallas surgery center, get a second option and see if your pain is actually caused by hypervascularity.
The GAE specialists at Advantage Vascular provide a non-surgical second opinion that could save you months of recovery. Call (972)483-5714 to request an appointment today.