4 Unexpected Causes of Knee Pain
Knee pain can turn your daily life upside down. You might not expect it to result from these common causes, but understanding the cause can help ensure proper treatment.
Over one in four adults in the United States lives with chronic joint pain, which can detract from your moods and ability to go about your daily life normally.
If you’re bothered by lingering or severe joint pain, or wish to heal more efficiently from a surgical procedure, you may want to consider PRP therapy. This natural treatment uses elements of your own blood and injections to increase healing, making it both safe and minimally invasive.
Our expert surgical team at Northland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri, is pleased to offer PRP therapy for many different joint conditions.
Here’s a closer look at this treatment, including how it might support your own tissue healing.
During PRP therapy, a small vial of your own blood is drawn. Our team processes that blood in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets, which contain special proteins called growth factors. Those growth factors play important roles in healing by stimulating the production of new, healthy cells. Your treatment ends with the injection of the PRP into tissue in the treatment area.
PRP therapy can treat a broad range of chronic pain and joint conditions. At Northland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we use it to accelerate healing for:
We may also recommend PRP therapy to support your recovery from a surgery, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction or rotator cuff repair.
Because PRP therapy uses substances in your own blood, it’s generally very safe and well tolerated. While it doesn’t bring surgery-related risks, such as severe scarring or infection, you might notice mild and temporary side effects, such as bruising or soreness at the injection site.
Results from PRP therapy develop gradually, becoming the most apparent after several weeks for joint tissues. And while one or two treatments may suffice, many people benefit most from a series of PRP injections spread out over time.
And while PRP therapy affects people differently, one study showed that the treatment effectively treats arthritic knee pain about 60% of the time. PRP therapy may also reduce your joint pain and stiffness enough that you can rely less on other treatments, such as oral medication. It may also make physical therapy more doable and, as a result, more effective.
To learn more about PRP therapy for tissue healing or to get the care you need, call Northland Orthopedic & Sports Medicine or request a virtual appointment through our website today.
