How to Manage Your Joint Pain with PRP

New injuries, old injuries, sports injuries, ruptured tendons, and arthritis can cause persistent joint pain that may be difficult to manage with medication alone. PRP therapy can help.

Regenerative medicine has become a valuable tool for doctors dealing with injuries, osteoarthritis, and other causes of joint pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, in particular, has become a popular option; because it uses your own blood, your body will readily accept the cells. Targeted PRP injections can improve joint function and mobility.

At Regenerative MedSpa of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia, our team of body wellness and anti-aging specialists can provide PRP joint injections to help reduce inflammation, alleviate discomfort, and speed the healing process.

How PRP therapy works

Your blood consists of four basic components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide through the body, white blood cells detect foreign molecules and deal with potential infections, and platelets clot wounds and promote healing. All of these cells are suspended in plasma, the liquid medium that flows through your veins.

Platelet-rich plasma is made by isolating the platelets from the rest of your blood. When spun in a centrifuge, these cells separate and become concentrated within the plasma. This makes it easy for Dr. Grochowska to harvest them to use as a bioidentical healing serum.

It usually takes less than an hour to complete a PRP injection appointment. Dr. Grochowska will draw a sample of your blood, and centrifuge it to extract the PRP. You relax comfortably until she returns to complete the injection. After a few minutes of monitoring, you’ll be free to go on about your day with no further downtime.

Managing joint pain with PRP

Joint pain is difficult to treat because blood flow to the bone, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage is limited. Pain and inflammation mean that your body is aware of the injury, but can’t do much to heal it, especially in cases involving arthritis.

There are many different types of injections meant to relieve joint pain, including corticosteroids and anesthetics. However, these fail to treat the source of the pain. PRP is different.

Platelets respond to injuries by calling growth factors to the area, which relieves inflammation and promotes healing. At Regenerative Medspa of Buckhead, we use injections of PRP to deliver platelet-rich plasma directly into the joint space.

Your body recognizes the cells as your own and begins using them to repair damaged tissue. While this won’t cure ongoing arthritis or chronic injuries, it can help you manage joint pain with fewer injections and side effects.

We also offer other forms of regenerative medicine, including exosomes and Wharton’s Jelly. To learn more, call 404-816-8557, or request an appointment online.