Knee Pain Doctor West Chester, PA
Knee issues plague millions of Americans. How health care professionals choose to treat these issues varies based upon both the type of knee issue and the willingness of the patient to venture beyond traditional treatments. Some patients are understandably hesitant to try non-surgical therapies that are unfamiliar. However, some of these therapies may drastically improve a patient’s quality of life.
Some cutting-edge clinics, including Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania, offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for osteoarthritis in the knee, which has been proven to be an effective treatment therapy for this condition. Clinical evidence indicates that PRP therapy used for knee osteoarthritis is more effective (in terms of both functional improvement and relief of pain) after following up with patients three, six and a year after treatment when compared with other types of injections such as corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and ozone. In addition, PRP therapy has little or no side effects as compared with other injection-type therapies. With that said, PRP injections are not a panacea. As a result, it is important to connect with a physician experienced in these therapies before committing to injections as a plan of action.
When PRP Does Not Work
When individuals claim that PRP did not work for them, the circumstances surrounding their treatment needs to be examined. As an experienced West Chester, PA knee pain doctor can attest, there are several reasons why the therapy may have been unsuccessful for a specific patient. These potential reasons include:
- The platelet-rich plasma injection was given for a degenerative condition
- Only one treatment was administered
- The injection was given in the wrong area
- Treatment was initially successful, then effects wore off as weeks progressed
Generally, a PRP injection at the proper site will work to repair damage; however, if the circumstances surrounding the reason the knee was unstable are not addressed, the PRP will not be able to sustain the repair.
PRP is not usually a one-time therapy. Studies have shown that there are significant improvements noticed by groups that have had multiple treatments, using more than one injection site for each treatment.
What Kind of Improvement can PRP Offer?
When PRP therapy is used on the knee, stem cells are attracted to the injection site by the introduction of the platelets to the area. The stem cells then multiply and actually create cartilage. PRP works to manage pain by lowering inflammation in the injured area of the knee.
When used in conjunction with other therapies and with multiple injections of PRP, significant improvements in pain management and advancement of osteoarthritis have been documented. Because the injections are comprised of your own platelets and plasma, side effects are minimal, recovery time is short, the procedure is relatively painless, and done properly can offer relief and possibility of cartilage regeneration. As the science of PRP and stem cell research advances, more information will be available that will fine-tune and enhance the possible benefits of using platelet-rich plasma therapy for knee conditions and injuries.