Platelet rich plasma, or PRP, uses your body’s own natural healing abilities to help regenerate damaged tissues, heal and injury and relieve pain. The thought behind this treatment is that if it naturally occurs in the body, there should be a way to target this healing option directly into a source of pain – and there is! PRP therapy uses two special types of cells, platelets and stem cells, that are responsible for healing and repair.
Platelets are a type of blood cell, also called thrombocytes, and have high concentrations of growth factors and a connective tissue called fibrinogen, both involved in wound healing. Stem cells are found in high concentrations in tissues such as the adipose tissue (fat) and bone marrow. They have the ability to transform into any type of cell. Additionally, stem cells also release exosomes, which are tiny sacs that contain a variety of biochemicals that activate healing activities in nearby cells. Using this amazing combination of natural regenerative ability, the body can continuously repair damaged and diseased tissues.
When PRP is injected into the knee for joint pain, it can help promote healing and reduce inflammation.
All thanks to your own blood! The first step is to extract a small amount of blood from the body, adipose, bone marrow, or plasma, which is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the blood at high speeds, which causes the platelets to separate from the red blood cells. The end result, which is platelet-rich plasma, is collected and then injected into and around the knee, kickstarting and significantly strengthening the body’s natural healing signal.
While regenerative therapy results vary from person to person, most patients experience complete pain relief after a few weeks that can last anywhere from six to nine months. When considering that an injury without any pain management could take months or years to heal, PRP is a great way to kickstart the healing process. Overall, PRP injections offer patients a wonderful alternative to more invasive and man-made treatment options, all while comfortable reducing inflammation and promoting healing.
Almost anything that needs healing! If a person suffers from an injury or has developed a disease, the body naturally sends cells to the area to heal the problem. Almost like an internal Band-Aid. However, sometimes the body itself needs help during the healing process, especially if the injured area has a poor blood supply, your injury is severe, or you have a chronic condition that requires constant healing and maintenance. This is where PRP is a benefit. PRP offers the body a boost in the healing process, reducing inflammation and fast-tracking the healing process so the area of concern/pain can heal as quickly and completely as possible.
While PRP can treat a multitude of conditions, below are the most common knee conditions treated with PRP:
While regenerative therapy options are available for all patients dealing with chronic pain, pain relief can be different for each patient.
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PRP is beneficial for people who are experiencing arthritis or pain in the knee joint. For these patients, PRP can help alleviate discomfort and improve knee function and mobility. PRP is also a great option for patients who prefer to avoid partial or complete knee replacement, as well as those who have tried conservative treatment options such as rest, medication, and physical therapy, but to no avail.
Due to the fact that PRP is a regenerative medicine, there are a host of benefits, which include:
PRP therapy is one of the most cutting edge pain management approaches available for patients who are experiencing chronic pain. It not only significantly enhances the healing process for most musculoskeletal injuries and other soft tissue damages, it also offers patients suffering from osteoarthritis an option to reverse joint damage and eliminate disease progression.
There are some minimal risks to platelet rich plasma therapy, but they are very minimal. Risks include swelling, bruising, redness and pain at the injection site, as well as skin irritation. While very rare, an additional and more severe risk includes nerve damage. The main benefit to PRP injections is that the material being injected is not a foreign object, so the body won’t attack it. All platelets and stem cells are injected directly into the area of pain, giving the body a boost in healing power.
If you think you might benefit from platelet rich plasma (PRP), would like more information, or would like to know if you’re a candidate, the Texas Pain Care team would love to hear from you. Our pain management specialists in the Houston, Sugarland and Missouri City areas are experts in regenerative therapy options and will help to recommend and administer treatment that you feel comfortable with, and that helps you to enjoy a pain-free life.
If you’re experiencing pain in your upper extremities but have yet to find relief from either conservative methods or unsuccessful pain management treatments, there is thankfully another option. Stellate ganglion blocks have proven to be a successful method for helping patients finally find pain relief, as well as offer greater insight into why they are experiencing pain in the first place.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants are an increasingly popular option for patients who suffer from debilitating chronic pain who have yet to find any relief. If your pain has caused you to shy away from your favorite activities, miss out on certain life events, avoided situations that require too much standing or sitting, or your quality of life and ideal exercise regimen have suffered, then it’s a great time to talk to your Texas Pain Care specialist in Sugar Land, Missouri City, or Houston about the benefits of spinal cord stimulation.
Our knees endure a lot of use and abuse on a daily basis. If you are experiencing chronic pain in one or both knees, a Genicular Nerve Block for Knee Pain Treatment could help you get back on your feet.
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