PRP, which stands for platelet-rich plasma, is an innovative therapy for treating osteoarthritis, other forms of joint pain, and other musculoskeletal issues. Made from your own blood, PRP uses your body’s natural healing processes to accelerate cell regeneration and growth. This accelerated cell regeneration helps relieve pain and inflammation and improve joint function.
At Orange Orthopaedic Associates, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon James M. Lee Jr., MD, and our team have extensive experience using this popular and innovative procedure to help treat painful joint conditions like arthritis and tendinitis.
PRP is growing in popularity because more studies are showing it to be a safe and effective way to treat inflammation and relieve pain. During a PRP procedure, we draw blood and then spin it in a centrifuge.
The centrifuge separates the plasma, which is rich in platelets, proteins, and growth factors, from the other parts of your blood. Dr. Lee then takes this concentrated plasma and injects it into the area in your body with the problem or damaged joint.
This plasma helps accelerate the body’s healing process. It’s been proven to reduce inflammation and help repair soft tissues, and may even help regrow cartilage and bone.
Severe joint pain is so common that it affects about 15 million people in the United States. Many conditions can lead to joint pain, with one of the most widespread being osteoarthritis. If you have severe joint pain, you know how it can interfere with your sleep, daily activities, and quality of life.
Traditional treatment options include:
We start with conservative treatments. For some, over-the-counter medication in combination with physical therapy does the trick. But if you haven’t gotten relief from the pain, you now have more nonsurgical options than just cortisone injections, which provide only temporary relief, and opioids, which are addictive.
We recommend PRP because rather than mask the symptoms, it works to heal your joint pain. It’s an effective, natural, long-lasting way to reduce inflammation and pain. PRP uses your blood, so the treatment has few side effects and can be used more frequently than cortisone injections. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site.
For more information on PRP and how it can help you, call us at Orange Orthopaedic Associates in West Orange and Bayonne, New Jersey, for a consultation. You can also book an appointment through this website.
