Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a non-invasive treatment option for many conditions, especially orthopedic diseases and injuries. The procedure involves injecting your own plasma near the affected area to encourage the body to help heal itself. There are many conditions that may benefit from PRP stem cell therapy.

Arthritis

There are multiple types of arthritis with the most common being osteoarthritis (OA). OA is often a byproduct of the natural degeneration that comes with aging, but other factors can encourage OA to occur and accelerate the process, such as excess weight, injuries, and conditions that affect biomechanics. When your biomechanics are altered, there may be extra stress on specific joints or the wrong part of the joint might bear more weight, causing damage. All forms of arthritis can cause damage, pain, and swelling, which are all indicative of inflammation within and around the joint. PRP is useful to reduce joint inflammation, thereby reducing many of the symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and limited range of motion.

Bursitis And Tendonitis

Bursitis and tendonitis occur when the bursae or tendons, respectively, become inflamed. Chronic degenerative forms of arthritis can cause these conditions or it may occur as an isolated problem. Sometimes the underlying problem is tightness in muscles that ultimately creates stress on bursae or tendons, leading to inflammation. Both conditions can cause pain and limit the motion of the joint. Since bursae help cushion the areas where tendons meet bone, inflammation can lead to friction. Both inflamed bursae and tendons can cause the joint to lock since the inflammation prohibits smooth flexion and extension of the joint.

Injuries

Injuries can result in a wide range of orthopedic concerns, such as broken bones, meniscus tears, and more commonly, ligament damage. For example, cruciate ligament damage in athletes is a common injury since there are several ligaments responsible for knee stability, such as the anterior, medial, and lateral cruciate ligaments. Damage, or in severe cases, a complete severing of the anterior cruciate ligament can be the most serious and even career-ending for some athletes. Some of the soft tissues in the musculoskeletal system have little or no ability to regenerate. PRP may help some milder tears heal better if the tear is located in an area with good blood flow. Some ligament injuries will never heal and require replacement by transplanting tissue from elsewhere in the body to serve as the new ligament. PRP may be helpful in these instances to speed healing after surgery.

PRP is a novel technology that can have significant therapeutic benefits for orthopedic conditions or injuries. Since the plasma is made from your own blood, there is less risk associated with trying the treatment to determine if PRP would help.

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