PRP Therapy For Joint Pain

The current research and PRP therapy bring attention toward this new method of treatment, especially toward the joint pain osteoarthritis and tendonitis. The innovative therapeutic technique of natural healing in the body makes this a really interesting opportunity to those people with chronic joint problems. 

PRP therapy is the administration of platelet concentrate. The latter is an extract from blood from a patient. Platelets are fragments of cells; they are important in blood clotting but also in healing. These fragments contain growth factors that are essential for tissue repair and regeneration. Steps in the process of PRP therapy typically include the following:

• Blood Draw: A doctor obtains a small volume of blood from the patient.
• Centrifugation: Blood is placed in a centrifuge, which spins the blood at high speed, breaking it into its constituents, thus separating platelets and plasma from other types of blood cells.
• Intra Joint injection of concentrated PRP into the affected joint or area.

This technique intends to boost the in vivo natural healing of the human body by delivering into an injured or degenerating area.

How Does PRP Therapy Work?

The principal function of growth factors in PRP is to enhance healing. Activated by its presence within a compromised joint, they stimulate mechanisms dealing with cellular repair, augment blood flow, and reduce the level of inflammation. Some of the most important growth factors present within PRP include:

• PDGF: Promotes cell growth and division
• TGF-beta: Tissue repair and regeneration regulator.
• Insulin-like Growth Factor: This helps stimulate cell growth and development.

These natural components were incorporated in PRP therapy in order to resurface the abused tissues, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.

Conditions that Respond to PRP Therapy

In addition to alleviating the plight of arthritic patients to a certain extent, PRP therapy also proved quite useful in curing other conditions that were associated with joints. Such conditions included:

• Osteoarthritis: This is the degenerative arthritis condition characterized by the degradation of cartilage.
• Tendonitis: It is characterized by inflammation of the tendons, mostly resulting from repeated motion or overuse.
• Ligament Injuries: Ligament damage that may result from injuries or other forms of traumas that may take place in sports, or any other form.

To date, such case reports of patients who still experience chronic pain or whose movement is restricted by such conditions even after treatment with PRP are some examples of the positive outcome of the treatment.

Advantages of PRP Therapy

Compared to the usual conventional kinds of treatment;

• Minimally Invasive: The procedure is primarily an injection, which is generally accepted to have a quicker recovery process compared to surgery.
• Naturally Healing: Since the treatment employs the patient's own blood, the chances of reacting to it or catching a disease from it are almost nil.
• Less Pain: There is an overall suggestion that most patients suffer less pain and better function after this procedure.
• Long lasting effects: Some reports have indicated that the advantageous effects of PRP may last even months or years after the procedure.

For example, certainly one primary reason that patients may be attracted to PRP therapy is if they have an alternative to surgery or, generally for those who wish to avoid the long-term need for pain medications.

Conclusion

PRP therapy is just the latest discovery for joint pain relief treatment. It is one of the less invasive treatments to patients afflicted with chronic conditions involving the joints. Dr. Rajesh Malhotra is best joint replacement surgeon who uses a newly discovered approach on his patients, helping them regain the very basic services of mobility to improve their quality of life. Currently, studies are on-going and would continue to uncover new importance for PRP therapy in orthopedic care.