If you have knee osteoarthritis and would prefer to avoid surgery, the options form a series of steps: weight management and physical therapy, pain-relief medication, joint injections (a steroid or hyaluronic acid), cooled radiofrequency ablation of the nerves around the knee (Cooled RFA), and genicular artery embolization (GAE), a catheter-based procedure with no surgical incision. Each option suits a different kind of knee, and our physicians always assess you first. Results vary by individual.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Step 1 is never skipped. Weight management and strengthening the muscles around the knee continue even after you move on to a higher step.
- Joint injections act on symptoms. They do not restore worn cartilage, and how long they help varies widely from person to person.
- GAE is a catheter-based procedure that uses a small needle and catheter, with no surgical incision. It is considered for people who have completed first-line care but still have pain that disrupts daily life, and who have not reached the stage where joint replacement is recommended.
- Knee replacement surgery is still the right answer for some people, particularly in late-stage osteoarthritis with significant structural damage.
- Prices on this page are starting prices. Your actual price depends on your physician's assessment.
Where is your knee right now?
Before comparing treatments, check which of these statements apply to you, because the answer changes where you should start.
- Knee pain when you rise from a chair, climb stairs, or walk further than usual
- Stiffness in the morning or after sitting for a long time that eases once you start moving
- A grinding or crackling sound in the joint, sometimes without pain
- Swelling that comes and goes, especially after heavy use
- Pain that wakes you at night, or a walking distance that is clearly shorter than it was a year ago
If several of these apply and self-care has not helped, that is the point to have our physicians assess your knee, not the point to look for an injection or an operation on your own.
Six options compared
| Option | How it works | Who it suits | How long the effect lasts | Limitations | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Medication + physical therapy | Weight management, strengthening the muscles around the knee, and adjusting the activities that trigger symptoms, together with pain-relief or anti-inflammatory medication as your physician considers appropriate | Everyone with knee osteoarthritis, at any stage | The benefit continues for as long as you keep it up. It is not a course that ends once it is finished | It takes several weeks before you notice a difference · Medication must be checked against your individual situation, such as kidney disease, stomach conditions, and the medicines you already take | Assessed by a physician |
| 2. Steroid injection into the joint | A physician injects an anti-inflammatory medicine into the joint space | Flare-ups when the joint is swollen and inflamed to the point that physical therapy is not possible | Usually short-term relief, and the duration varies by individual | Does not change the structure of the joint · The number of injections per year is limited and must be set by your physician | Starting from THB 15,000 |
| 3. Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection | Hyaluronic acid, a natural component of joint fluid, is returned to the joint space to increase viscosity and lubrication | People who have completed step 1 and still have pain and stiffness, but who have not reached the stage where surgery is recommended | Varies widely by individual, and some people notice no change after the injection | Does not restore worn cartilage or stop the disease from progressing · International professional bodies disagree on its role | Starting from THB 15,000 |
| 4. Cooled radiofrequency ablation of the nerves around the knee (Cooled RFA) | A small needle is placed at the small nerves around the knee under image guidance, and controlled heat is used to reduce pain signals. There is no surgical incision. It is usually tested first with a diagnostic nerve block | People who still have ongoing pain despite step 1 and medication, and whose pain eased clearly after a diagnostic block of the nerves around the knee | Varies by individual, often lasting months rather than years, and it can be repeated if it helped before | Does not repair cartilage or the joint structure · Your physician first checks that the pain is not coming mainly from the hip or the back | Starting from THB 280,000 |
| 5. GAE (genicular artery embolization) | A small catheter is passed through a blood vessel to reduce the blood supply to the inflamed joint lining. There is no surgical incision, and most patients go home the same day | People who have completed steps 1 to 3 and still have symptoms that disrupt daily life, who have not reached the stage where joint replacement is recommended, and who pass an individual assessment | Varies by individual | Treats pain and does not repair the joint structure · Suitable for some people only, and your blood vessels and imaging must be assessed first | Starting from THB 129,000 |
| 6. Knee replacement surgery | The damaged joint surfaces are replaced with an artificial joint in an operating room under anesthesia | Late-stage knee osteoarthritis with significant structural damage, when other options are no longer enough | Because it corrects the structure, it is the option in this group whose effect lasts the longest | The longest recovery of all the options above, with surgical risks that must be weighed for each individual | Starting from THB 350,000 |
All prices are starting prices. The actual price for each case depends on your physician's assessment, and you always receive a written quotation before you decide.
Steroid injections and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections share the same starting price, that of an intra-articular joint injection.
At YOUNIFY Clinic, we do not recommend PRP or stem cell injections for knee osteoarthritis, in line with the 2026 American College of Rheumatology guideline, which strongly recommends against both in knee and hip osteoarthritis.
What each option can really do
Step 1 is the foundation, not a step you complete and then stop. Losing weight and building stronger thigh muscles genuinely change the load that passes through the knee with every step. People who skip this step and go straight to an injection or a procedure often find that their symptoms return sooner than they should, because the mechanical cause is still there.
Joint injections buy time. The most underrated benefit of an injection is the period of lower pain that lets you return to walking and physical therapy. That window is the real value to make the most of, not a time to rest the joint.
GAE serves the middle group. These are people for whom first-line care is no longer enough, but whose joint is not yet damaged to the point where replacement is recommended, or who have health reasons that make major surgery unsuitable for now. Our physicians look at your symptoms, imaging, and a vascular assessment before telling you whether your knee is suitable.
Surgery is not a failure. Once the joint structure is damaged beyond a certain point, postponing surgery again and again can lead to muscle loss and poorer balance, which makes recovery harder. Our physicians will tell you plainly when you reach that point.
When we say a procedure is not right yet
- Step 1 has not yet been done consistently for an appropriate length of time
- There is a skin infection where the needle would go, or an untreated infection elsewhere in the body
- A blood clotting disorder, or blood thinners that have not yet been adjusted on your physician's advice
- Your imaging and your symptoms do not match, so the source of the pain is not yet clear
- Expectations do not yet match what the procedure can do, for example expecting the cartilage to grow back
Warning signs that should not wait
Most knee pain is not an emergency, but the following symptoms need prompt medical attention.
- A red, hot, swollen knee together with a fever
- Severe pain immediately after an injury, or being unable to put any weight on the leg
- A knee that locks so that you cannot straighten or bend it
- Numbness or weakness in the leg that is getting worse
- Unexplained weight loss together with joint pain
Related starting prices
| Item | Starting price (THB) |
|---|---|
| Joint injection (intra-articular) | 15,000 |
| Cooled radiofrequency ablation of the nerves around the knee (Cooled RFA) | 280,000 |
| GAE, genicular artery embolization | 129,000 |
| Knee replacement surgery | 350,000 |
All items are starting prices. The actual price is assessed by our physicians after your examination and a review of your imaging.
Questions people search for most
Can knee osteoarthritis really be treated without surgery?
Yes, in the sense that pain and function can improve without a joint replacement. It does not mean that a worn joint will return to how it was. The goals of non-surgical care are to ease symptoms, slow the progression of the disease, and help you walk and live more fully. Results vary by individual.
Knee injection or surgery: which should come first?
As a rule, you start with the less invasive option, so for most people an injection comes before surgery. However, if your imaging shows late-stage damage and your walking is severely limited, our physicians may recommend considering surgery from the outset so that you do not lose time.
How is GAE different from a knee injection?
An injection places medicine directly into the joint space. GAE passes a small catheter through a blood vessel to reduce the blood supply to the inflamed joint lining, so the two work through different mechanisms. GAE is usually considered when injections are no longer enough, and your blood vessels must be assessed first.
Do I need to stop exercising if I have knee osteoarthritis?
You should not stop, but you may need to change the type of exercise. Walking, cycling, swimming, and strengthening the muscles around the knee are what osteoarthritis guidelines around the world recommend doing regularly. What should be adjusted are activities that repeatedly jar the joint, and any amount that exceeds what the joint can handle at that time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to stay in the hospital?
Joint injections are done as an outpatient procedure. With GAE, most patients go home the same day. Our physicians will explain the details for your case beforehand.
Will I need the treatment again?
Joint injections can usually be repeated at intervals set by your physician. With GAE, how long the effect lasts varies by individual, and some people may consider repeating it or moving to another option, based on your physician's assessment.
Am I too old for these treatments?
Age alone is not the deciding factor. Our physicians look at the condition of your joint, your medical conditions, the medicines you take, and your goals for daily life.
Does insurance cover it?
It depends on your policy and on your individual indication. Our physicians and staff can prepare a treatment summary for you to submit to your insurer, but approval is the insurer's own decision. We recommend checking with your insurer before your appointment.
What does the quoted price include?
The prices shown are starting prices. What is included is set out in a written quotation before you decide.
References
- OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis (Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2019)
- Genicular Artery Embolization for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Interim Analysis of a Prospective Study (Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2020)
- 2026 Update of the American College of Rheumatology Recommendations for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee, Hip, and Hand (American College of Rheumatology, 2026)
Medical Note
This article is for general information and does not replace medical examination, diagnosis, or treatment. If symptoms are severe, changing quickly, or urgent, seek medical care promptly.
Individual results may vary. Please consult a doctor before treatment.
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