Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is vastly becoming a popular form of treatment for many forms of arthritis and joint pain related conditions. It has been used for years in the dental, plastics, and wound care specialties. Many studies currently supporting demonstrate the efficacy and beneficial properties of PRP for the treatment of arthritis.
PRP for Knee Arthitis Knee pain due to arthritis is a very common and causes huge disability. Many patients struggle to get relief by taking anti-inflammatory medications. Sometimes a steroid injection can help in relieving pain, but these medications or unfortunately only short term and are not safe for everyone and have potential side effects. If these conservative treatments do not work and your pain still persists, then PRP therapy (platelet rich plasma therapy) may be an effective treatment option for you. PRP is commonly used today in sports medicine and various orthopedic conditions. Studies have proved its efficacy in relieving pain associated with an arthritic knee. There are currently many studies underway involving a large number of patients who have knee arthritis, but the treatment of PRP for arthritis is widely being performed. PRP has growth factors in the form of proteins that play a role in the natural process of healing, therefore injecting concentrated growth factors to the site of injury can indeed cause new cell growth and promote healing of damaged cartilage that is associated with arthritis and pain.
Procedure Before the procedure, you are encouraged to drink plenty of water. This method uses the patient’s own blood, approximately 20ml. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge and spun for approximately 8 minutes. After spinning, the centrifuge has separated the components of your blood. The platelet rich plasma that contains concentrated growth factors is then extracted this is then further concentrated and then will be injected into the area of injury in a very easy, simple to perfor procedure. This process takes a few minutes, but it actually increases the concentration of platelets by up to 5 times compared to your normal blood. After the procedure, a simple cover-up plaster is applied. Because there is no surgical incision involved in this treatment, you experience little or no pain immediately after the procedure. Since a local anesthetic is given, the area will be numb for two to four hours after the procedure. Following on you may resume normal activities, but you if normal activity is causing pain, you may have to rest. You may experience some mild discomfort 3-5 days after injection. This is normal because the PRP has begun the normal healing process. You will most likely notice an inflammatory response around this time frame. Post procedure Anti inflammatory medications are not to be taken for four to six weeks after the procedure since the objective of the treatment is to set off an inflammatory response to aid in healing. If pain persists, the area can be iced three to four times a day for 15 to 20 minutes. PRP treatment for knee arthritis has many advantages:
- It is an outpatient procedure
- No hospital is required
- You do not need to take time off work - - Does not require general anesthesia.
- In this treatment, you not only get temporary relief, but you also get healing of the condition since the tissue is regenerated.
This treatment may not work for someone who is older with total osteoarthritis. But it has the potential to do wonders for patients who have early arthritis, who have good knee alignment, or who have small arthritic areas. Many patients across the country have been treated with PRP and they have shown significant improvements in pain and ability to carry out most movements of their everyday lives.
PRP procedures are regularly performed here Dynamic Regenerative Medicine for A variety of different conditions with excellent results and outcomes.
To find out how platelet rich plasma therapy can help you please visit:
www.dynamicregenmedicine.co.uk or alternatively, email us at:
Info@dynamicregenmedicine.co.uk
01564 330773