Affecting individuals of all ages, knee pain is a common complaint and may be the result of a ligament or meniscal injury, mechanical problems within the knee, tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, or another type of degenerative knee condition. Even so, when individuals experience pain, including swelling, stiffness and instability of the knee, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a non-traditional, yet effective technique to reduce pain and improve mobility by using a patient’s own blood platelets.
Under the theory that injecting growth factors from blood into a damaged area will cause new tissues to form, PRP treatments begin by extracting a small sample of a patient’s blood. The blood is then placed into a centrifuge where it is separated into red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets.
The platelet-rich plasma is then reinjected into the area of pain or injury to accelerate healing. Proteins and growth factors within the PRP call to attention the body’s natural healing mechanisms, which significantly reduce pain and amplifies the formation of regenerative cells.
STEM CELL TREATMENTS FOR KNEE PAIN RELIEF
Conventional options for treating knee pain rely upon activity modification, pain relievers, steroid injections, arthroscopic surgery, or perhaps total knee joint replacement. However, regenerative therapies emphasize the power of the body’s own stem cells to heal and repair damaged and diseased tissues, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
Adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate themselves into other cells. Yet, age and the severity of an injury affect the number of stem cells that “report” to an area of damage. To combat this concern, stem cells are extracted from specific areas of the body — bone marrow, fat tissue, or blood — so they can be isolated and reintroduced in high quantities to the exact areas of pain and injury.
PLATELET-RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS
Knee pain, injuries and degenerative conditions involve a complex structure of bone, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and blood vessels. In addition, age and lifestyle play a role in the severity of knee damage and pain. Even so, PRP treatment remains a safe and effective alternative for intensifying the body’s healing and reparative mechanisms.
Specifically, meniscus tear repair has responded quickly to the presence of PRP when injected into the injury site, which speaks to the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in treating conditions that would have previously required more invasive means.
At Modern Aesthetica in Santa Monica, Dr. Daniel Moghadam believes that unlike steroids and traditional painkillers that only help to soothe pain temporarily, PRP therapy addresses the root of the problem for a full and complete recovery and enhanced mobility.
Taking an individualized approach, Dr. Moghadam administers PRP treatments as part of a commitment to restorative care that optimizes health and wellness. To learn more about PRP therapy, contact Modern Aesthetica today.