What Is PRP Therapy & How Is It Effective?
In our earlier blog posts, we’ve talked about Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) and how it’s effective against certain conditions. In spite of its many uses, there are many who are unaware of this wondrous new non-surgical treatment.
After all, a method that can completely heal lower back pain in difficult cases is something people should know about right?
In a study by the Regenerative SportsCare Institute:
“Subjects included a 54-year-old woman with severe, chronic low back pain, among others. After two years of failed therapies and pain, the female patient, having received PRP injections at the time of discography, reported near complete pain relief. At 2 years post-procedure, she continued to report sustained improvement in both pain and function. The results attest to the potential of intradiscal PRP to sustain long-term improvements in patients suffering from degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.”
PRP Therapy is nothing like older non-invasive treatment methods designed to provide temporary relief from the symptoms faced. On the contrary, it’s a long term solution as it resolves the actual cause underlying the symptoms! How is this done?
It’s a simple process of extracting a patient’s blood and then separating it by using a centrifuge. The resulting concentrated platelets are injected back into the patient’s body at the point where treatment is needed.
This injection often has to be administered with extreme precision and so often image guidance systems (x-ray, ultrasound, etc.) are used to ensure the required accuracy. The concentrated platelets include growth factors which activate and improve the efficiency of the body’s stem cells in the target area.
Advantages
So we’ve given you a brief overview of how PRP Treatments work and are administered; now let’s talk about the benefits of the treatment.
Quick Treatment, Quicker Recovery
Unlike physical therapy which is an ongoing process and surgery which can take hours and a subsequent long recovery time (in certain cases 1 or even 2 years!), PRP Treatment administration takes only 2 to 3 hours, with almost no downtime before patients can return to their lives. It also has long lasting results, provided the recommended number of treatments is opted for.
No Allergic Reactions
The introduction of foreign substances into the body runs the risk of an allergic reaction. But since the platelets used for the treatment are taken from the patient’s own body, there is virtually zero risk of anything going wrong. The regeneration itself is also the same process which would happen when the body suffers an injury. The body’s ability to heal itself decreases with age, PRP simply boosts this momentarily.
By now you must be convinced about the benefits PRP Therapy has to offer. If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain, get in touch with us by calling 708-966-8000. We offer PRP treatments in Chicago along with other non-invasive methods. Talk to our expert physicians and find out which of our treatments is suitable for you today!
