Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that gradually wears away the protective joint cartilage. It is the most common form of arthritis and has no cure till date. However, several conservative and interventional pain management methods can help to reduce pain and delay progression.
Treatment options include physical therapy, prescription pain medications, steroid injections, or joint replacement surgery. But regenerative medicine has given us a new treatment called platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy which may help to delay the need for surgery in moderate arthritis cases.
PRP therapy uses the patient’s own blood for its healing properties. The patient blood sample is drawn and filtered. Platelets are then concentrated. Platelets produce a high concentration of essential growth factors which initiate a natural healing response. The extraction and injection, both, are relatively painless. The growth factors can repair the degenerative cartilage, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
Patients need to undergo treatments for about 4 to 6 weeks. The basic aim of PRP is to assist repair and build up damaged and worn out tissues.
Since the platelets are extracted from the patient’s own blood, there are virtually no risks of infection and rejection.
If you are experiencing knee pain due to osteoarthritis and don’t want it to prevent you from living a healthy, active life, ask your orthopedic doctor about PRP therapy.
