I did have at total of 6 injections of Synvisc and orthovisc. Products are about the same result wise. Orthovisc is not made from avian biological components, but Synvisc is.
Both were 1 shot every week for 3 weeks. I think now that they can be a one-shot thing. If I read correctly a few months back. And my injections were about 10 years ago (or maybe less).
My experience: it depends. Some were very painful during injection, while other I barely felt a thing. It was the same surgeon/ortho who did them. Like he said, even if they do numb the exterior knee, the inside is not and it is not easy to get the needle away from structure inside as they don't "see" through. They tell you to relax and not to contract the leg! sure!!! But I did find out during my last xrays (a year ago) that we should never feel pain during injection. At least from the xray tech who did my test and the ortho who read it. They do numb the inside of it at that hospital.
Did it help? Synvisc seemed to do miracle after 1st injection. Went back about a year after for another set and it was Orthovisc. I did not see anymore difference. And at the time, the "drug" was about $300 for the 3 tubes. Oh. And I had been told to tell the surgeon to use the smallest possible needle to inject. It takes longer to get the fluid in but not as painful. Don't be stressed by the length of needle either. It does not go all the way in!!!! I'm not afraid of those but at the sight Yikkkkes!
I'm thinking of asking my PT to refer me to her friend ortho so I can get more injections. I think it's time. I went Monday night to get my personal training program done and I had to push myself on lunges, squats, etc to test my fitness level. Well, I could barely make it up the bedroom stairs that night, and I'm ok now and it is Thursday. All this with some Aleve, etc. So my trainer (who's a PT working under my own PT and also a Kine) wants me to limit the drops when I do squats, lunges, etc. So maybe I could try it again too for those injections and see if it could help.
I do remember that for 1 month, I was not allowed to do exercises to give time to fluid to work in the knee. So if injection is once a week for 3 weeks, be ready to be limited in exercises. Unless things have changed since then.
Good luck and let us know if you are going and if it is working.