Chronic pain is a serious problem in the United States, especially joint pain due to arthritis.
Reports show that over 54 million Americans have joint pain from arthritis, and that doesn’t even include the millions more living with joint pain from other diseases or injury. What this data tells us is that joint pain is extremely common. Experts also predict these figures will continue increasing as our population ages.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest problems with joint pain is that too many treatments only address the symptoms instead of the underlying cause. But we have good news. That’s changing, thanks to regenerative medicine — an approach that aims to repair and rebuild damaged tissues inside your body, including your joints.
At Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas, our team understands the exhaustion and frustration that comes with joint pain and how it can limit your life in significant ways. We have numerous medical pain relief strategies. And, whenever possible, we prefer to help your connective tissues rebuild and repair for long-lasting relief.
One form of regenerative medicine used for joint pain is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
PRP relies on healing elements in your blood, which contains several components, including:
You may have heard of platelets, which clot your blood so that you stop bleeding when injured. But, their work doesn’t end there. Once they stop the blood flow, your platelets release growth factors at the site of the damage to trigger repair and healing.
Your growth factors activate cellular growth and healing by sending out specific signals, calling upon your body’s natural healing resources, like proteins and stem cells.
Since your platelets start this crucial call-to-action, they play an essential role in how well — and how quickly — you heal.
The goal behind PRP therapy is to harness the potency of your platelets so they can help heal damaged connective tissues, including those causing joint pain.
PRP starts with a blood draw. Then, a centrifuge separates and concentrates your platelets, we mix them back in with your plasma, and inject them into your damaged tissue.
This approach creates the ultimate healing environment so your joints can heal properly on a cellular level.
Whether you have joint pain because of a degenerative disease like arthritis or due to an injury, PRP therapy can provide equally effective results.
You may benefit from a series of treatments, spaced to allow time for your body to initiate healing and continue the rebuilding and repair process.
You can expect to notice gradual changes when progressing through PRP therapy and to regain pain-free mobility. You can also achieve even better outcomes when you combine PRP therapy with other medical pain relief and physical medicine treatments, like physical therapy that strengthens the damaged joint through specialized exercises.
Curious to learn more about PRP or other joint pain treatments? Contact any of the four Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas office nearest you in Texas to set up an appointment today.
