July 27, 2021
Knee Pain Doctor
Prolotherapy is a regenerative medicine using your body’s own platelets (PRP) to naturally heal damaged tissues. As a knee pain doctor can explain, PRP therapy is a cutting-edge method to treat acute and chronic injuries. The concept behind Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy is that it separates the platelets of your own blood, and injects them into the treatment area thereby treating you naturally.
This therapy has been around for over two decades and is gaining in popularity for several reasons. Athletes find it favorable because this procedure can be performed in a short period of time in an outpatient setting. Anyone with chronic pain in your shoulder, back, neck or knee may benefit from PRP Therapy. PRP therapy has many applications, including:
- Tendon injuries, such as tennis elbow, achilles tendonitis
- Recurring sports injuries including a pulled hamstring or knee sprains
- Osteoarthritis
- Bulging discs
- Sciatica
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Hair prevention loss and regrowth
How is the injection process administered?
- A blood sample is taken
- The blood is place in a machine that spins the blood so fast that the components of the blood separate into red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets.
- The separated plasma is prepared for injection into the specified area
- In order to inject the PRP into just the right area, a doctor may use an ultrasound to determine the exact injection point.
One of the positive effects of using PRP to treat an injury or condition is that the recovery time from the PRP injection is minimal – most people can resume their normal activities without a lengthy recovery period. The amount of injections necessary will be determined by your physician’s treatment recommendations.
It may take a few weeks or even months, however, to experience the full results of the PRP injections. You may not have immediate relief of pain in the affected area because the injections are meant to heal – not to mask pain.
Athletes such as Kobe Bryant, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu and Peyton Manning have all received PRP as a safer and less invasive alternative to surgery. It does not affect their stamina or endurance. The long-term side effect risks are minimal. Patients are under local anesthesia. There isn’t a requirement of long-term rest or extensive rehab with this therapy.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy is intriguing because it is basically using parts of your own blood to naturally treat a condition. There is ongoing research being conducted but the bottom line is you should always be sure the doctor you choose is knowledgeable and experienced in this procedure. A doctor specializing in orthopedics has the expertise in degenerative bone disorders and arthritic joint conditions will understand exactly how PRP works and will design the treatment accordingly.