PRP JOINT TREATMENTS

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the International Cellular Medicine Society have determined the following about joint pain:

• Osteoarthritis pain affects daily activities of those who have it
• Conservative joint replacement treatments have either failed to produce significant beneficial results or been eliminated from practice
  • Physical therapy to strengthen joint muscles has not proven effective
  • The patient is sensitive to anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, or find NSAIDs do not provide adequate pain relief over time
  • Joint aspirations are either not appropriate for the patient or do not usually provide adequate pain relief
  • Steroid injections have are not beneficial for joint health in the long term

The following has been determined about PRP joint treatments:

• Platelet-rich plasma injections are not typically recommended for the most severe cases of osteoarthritis.
• Platelet-rich plasma injections help the joint if the arthritis has caused less than 75% damage on x-rays.
• Patients need to supplement PRP with exercise and weight loss for most effective treatment

The first step of PRP Joint treatments is to consult with the doctor to determine if the treatment is right for you. In PRP, blood is drawn from patient’s vein and centrifuged using an advanced and efficient Emcyte centrifuge  which produces 7-9 times the concentration of platelets that a normal centrifuge can produce. These platelets are combined  with a small concentration of red blood cells and injected into the joint . This process can be repeated every 4 weeks.  Patients may experience mild pain after injecting PRP , but this can be controlled by applying cold compresses and taking Tylenol as needed.  We recommend that patients not take NSAIDs after treatments.  Joint improvements can take 12 weeks, and patients may need treatment once a year to maintain the joint and to prevent degeneration.