One in every four Americans is living with arthritis. Arthritis is the medical term for joint inflammation, and it can make your joints stiff, swollen, and intensely painful.
Of the more than 100 different types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common. Nicknamed “wear-and-tear arthritis,” it develops when your joints wear down with years of use. It gets more common as you get older, and about half of Americans over age 65 have osteoarthritis.
Arthritis can seriously limit your mobility and restrict your quality of life. And unfortunately, finding effective treatment isn’t easy.
That’s why our team at Cascade Orthopaedics in Bonney Lake and Auburn, Washington, offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for arthritis. PRP uses your body’s natural healing abilities, and it’s a game-changer for many of our patients suffering from arthritis pain.
Every joint in your body contains bones, cartilage, and joint fluid that work together to give your body motion. Cartilage is a slick material that reduces friction between your bones, and fluid lubricates your joints to keep them moving smoothly.
But if you have arthritis, your joints don’t work quite as they should. Cartilage deteriorates over time, and older joints don’t produce as much fluid as they once did. Instead of moving smoothly, your bones begin to grind against each other. Pain, stiffness, and inflammation are often the result.
Conservative treatments for arthritis usually include rest, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. Many people find that these methods offer temporary relief from arthritis pain, but they aren’t always enough for lasting pain management.
Our orthopaedic specialists understand how frustrating it is to live with chronic joint pain. If you have arthritis, we’re here to develop an individualized treatment plan that makes a real difference in your life.
PRP therapy offers an alternative solution when conservative methods aren’t enough to manage your pain. As a regenerative therapy, it taps into your body’s natural ability to heal itself. It doesn’t mask symptoms, but instead, addresses them at their source.
When we inject PRP into arthritic joints, it can:
PRP is derived from a sample of your blood. It contains a high concentration of platelets and growth factors, which are essential in your body’s tissue repair and healing processes. PRP naturally attracts oxygen, collagen, and other healing elements to damaged tissue, accelerating healing from within your body.
Using your PRP solution, we make a series of injections around your most painful joints. Your session takes just a few minutes, and PRP starts working right away to stimulate healthy cell growth, rebuild cartilage, and increase joint fluid.
You can expect to start noticing results within a few weeks, since it takes some time for healthy new cells to grow. While each person is different, many of our patients find that PRP therapy offers relief from arthritis pain lasting several months at a time.
Don’t let arthritis pain keep you from the active life you want. Contact us to find out if PRP therapy could be right for you.