Among the many types of the new regenerative medicine therapies, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a promising treatment in many ways. In the field of orthopedics, chronic knee pain is one of the major ways in which patients have reported significant improvements in their condition after receiving PRP injection treatments.
Let’s talk about what PRP therapy is, what it is used to treat, and why it’s such an excellent option to help treat your joint pain.
What Is PRP Therapy?
Regenerative medicine, including PRP therapy, uses the patient’s own tissues and cells to promote the normal healing mechanisms of the body. Our blood platelets are what create scabs on the skin for healing, and they perform similar functions to heal injuries of all kinds throughout the body.
Therefore, the concept behind PRP therapy is to take your own platelets to perform your own healing. Whether you have an injury that requires healing – including a degenerative injury such as from arthritis – your platelets can be harnessed in PRP therapy to conduct their healing function.
How Does PRP Therapy Work?
At the doctor’s office, your orthopedic physician will first take a sample of your blood. The doctor will then spin the blood in a centrifuge in order to separate the platelet cells from the other blood cells – the white and red blood cells.
After the separation is complete, the doctor will extract the concentrated platelets from the rest of the blood cells. The physician will then take the platelet-rich plasma and inject it directly into the area of your body that is hurting or injured.
Why PRP Works for Your Own Body
The preparation and procedure of PRP therapy is therefore simple and relatively quick. Because it comprises your own cells, there is no chance that your body will reject the platelets; the only allergic-type reactions that patients have had is to other ancillary aspects of the procedure.
The other major benefit is that it is a minimally invasive treatment. Only an injection is involved – there are no incisions to heal after the procedure. You will only require a localized anesthetic in the areas of the injections (removal of blood and injection of the PRP therapy), so there is no recovery time afterward. You can go back to your regular schedule after you leave the doctor’s office.
Regenerative Medicine to Reduce Joint Pain
These minimally invasive technologies in regenerative medicine include PRP therapy, stem cells, viscosupplementation, and more to promote healing of injuries and to reduce joint pain. PRP has been reported by patients to improve their function, relieve pain, and increase range of motion.
With natural growth factors, PRP has shown to be beneficial in tissue regeneration and wound healing. PRP is therefore a logical step in the treatment of chronically inflamed tendons, ligaments, and joints with arthritis that have not responded to more traditional routes. It is also used to help treat patients who cannot have surgery or who have not responded well to surgery.
Regenerative Medicine Doctors in Palm Beach
PRP is quickly becoming a promising therapeutic approach for various treatments of pain and injury. The medical community continues to research platelet-rich plasma applications to see where it may work for various ailments.
If you have a troublesome joint or painful arthritis, contact our team today at Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches. Call us at (561) 733-5888 or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation.
