Have you heard of the revolutionary new “cold therapy” for pain called iovera°? It completely changes the way we handle knee pain for chronic pain patients or those undergoing or soon to undergo knee surgery.
What is iovera°?
The iovera° injection is a form of cryotherapy, literally a way that can help “freeze away the pain.” Just as ice acts as a temporary “nerve block”, minimizing swelling and blocking pain signals to the brain by numbing the signaling nerves, iovera° precisely targets nerves in your knee, preventing them from triggering the pain response and mitigating pain for up to several months at a time.
How is iovera° administered?
Dr. Strasburger does the injection using a handheld device guided by imagery of your knee in a simple, safe, in-office procedure. He typically does several injections that “freeze” the nerves in your knee responsible for pain signals. The nerve then takes some weeks to regenerate, giving you long-lasting relief.
The procedure starts with ultrasound imaging to identify the exact nerves sending pain signals to the brain. We’ll carefully mark the skin above and below the knee, just over the nerves we are going to treat. A little lidocaine is used to numb the area, and a cooling spray applied just before each injection.
The iovera° device is primed with CO2, and has three tiny needles that penetrate the skin and surround the nerve to “freeze” it. You’ll feel a mild prick or sting, similar to acupuncture. A tingling sensation may shoot down the nerve as the ice crystal forms, and then your pain should be gone.
What is iovera° used for?
At Strasburger Orthopaedics, we use iovera° for several different purposes.
Chronic pain management
If you have chronic knee pain that has been resistant to other types of treatment, iovera° can provide long spells of relief without the need to resort to oral medications. It’s a great solution for those looking for a holistic, non-opioid pain management solution.
Bridge pain management
If you’re waiting for knee surgery and are in a lot of pain, iovera° is the perfect bridge treatment to get you to your surgery date and beyond. Dr. Strasburger can administer iovera° and your knee pain will subside, letting you maintain until your surgery is finally complete.
Post-operative pain management
When you have knee replacement surgery or other types of knee surgery, the recovery can be lengthy and your joint pain needs to be appropriately managed. By administering iovera° before your surgery, Dr. Strasburger proactively treats your pain. You can benefit from highly effective relief in the weeks of recovery after your procedure, without worrying about oral meds causing gastric upset or interfering with mental clarity.
Could iovera° be right for you?
Contact us to see if you are a candidate for iovera° treatment, either as a bridge while you wait for a knee surgery date, an option for post-surgical relief, or as a stand-alone, long-lasting pain management option for chronic knee pain.