If you suffer from joint pain that makes movement excruciating, if not impossible, it is possible that you are suffering from osteoarthritis. While traditional treatments have focused on medication or invasive surgical procedures to address arthritis pain, other methods now allow for new possibilities in healing.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints, causing intense pain and stiffness.Some people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints, but the most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis.
As we age, the cartilage that protects the joints becomes work and torn or breaks down, losing its ability to provide the necessary cushioning for the bones within the joint. Once the bones have begun to grind against one another, the inflammation, pain, and stiffness known as osteoarthritis sets in.
This type of arthritis is most commonly found in the spine, hands, knees, and hips, so daily activities can become difficult if not impossible.
New Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis
Apart from recommendations to exercise, lose weight, and go on medication to treat osteoarthritis, there are now options that use the body’s own healing factors to address the causes of the pain rather than just the symptoms.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is an effective treatment that involves removing blood from the patient and spinning it in a centrifuge to create a concentrated solution of platelets. The solution is then injected into the patient’s body in the areas requiring treatment.
The platelets are the foundational cells for the healing factors within the body, communicating with the damaged tissue on a cellular level to begin the healing process. The platelets release several growth factors that communicate with the cells on a biochemical level to trigger the processes of renewal that occur as our tissues heal.
Because the platelets act to reduce inflammation and promote the healing process of the damaged tissues, they end up addressing the actual problems involved in osteoarthritis rather than just the symptoms themselves.
Because the PRP therapy works on the damaged tissue rather than masking the pain. It allows the circumstances creating the osteoarthritis by allowing the cartilage to have time free from pressure to restore its position and for the tissue itself to replace the damage with healthy cells.
The body can then have the opportunity to produce new cartilage and have increased blood flow to the areas, promoting healthy restoration of the joint.
PRP therapy, in conjunction with prescribed lifestyle adjustments, can bring real relief to patients who have long suffered from osteoarthritis. If you would like to see if this approach is right for you, please make an appointment as soon as possible.