PRP Therapy for Back Pain

PRP Therapy for Back Pain: Provides Lasting Musculoskeletal Pain Relief.

Platelet therapy, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, is a revolutionary new treatment that relieves back pain by promoting long-lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions using the healing power of your own body. This rapidly emerging treatment is showing exciting success with osteoarthritis of the knee, shoulder, hip and spine, rotator cuff tears, chronic plantar fascitis, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, pelvic pain and instability, back and neck injuries, tennis elbow, ankle sprains, tendonitis, and ligament sprains. Our physicians were among the first in Woodstock to use PRP therapy for back pain and have helped many patients seeking pain relief. They can determine if this advanced, non-surgical treatment is right for you.

PRP therapy can relieve chronic back pain with an injection of the patient’s blood platelets. The concentrated platelets will promote the natural healing of damaged joints and soft tissues of your spine.

What’s A PRP Injection?

Plasma is the liquid part of your blood that is mostly made of water and protein. It lets red and white blood cells and platelets move through your bloodstream. Platelets are a type of blood cell that makes your blood clot. They also play a role in healing.

Doctors may use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on injuries or damage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and skin.

To collect plasma, a doctor draws blood from your body and uses a specialized machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood. Then the doctor numbs the area of your body being treated with PRP injections. Once numb, the doctor uses a needle to inject your plasma into the area of your body being treated.

For example, if you are being treated for a muscle injury, your doctor would inject plasma into several locations in that muscle. In some cases, doctors use ultrasound technology during injections to make sure they are targeting the right area. PRP injections usually take about 30 minutes, though it depends on the area you are targeting.

Once platelets are in the area that is being treated, they break down and release growth factors, which are compounds that help cells repair and renew. This is thought to trigger your body’s natural healing process.

How Is Our Approach to PRP Therapy Different?

The physicians and staff at Advanced Health Solutions – GA Spine & Disc have been specially trained to perform PRP therapy and stem cell procedures. We utilize state-of-the-art equipment to create the highest quality customized platelet concentrates for each patient.

For each case, we have a team of highly experienced lab technicians that can create the exact volume and concentration of platelets for each specific application. Furthermore, because we do it by hand, the platelets that are produced have far fewer red and white blood cells.

It has been shown that contamination of the platelets with red cells creates a more painful injection and also produces less stimulation of stem cells. We find that using a customized process, done by hand, results in more highly successful treatment and one that requires fewer sessions to accomplish its goals.

No question putting the right treatment on the right structure will create the best outcome. Our injections are done under either ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance. Certain structures are best imaged under fluoroscopy and others are best imaged with the ultrasound unit.

The best outcomes happen when the treatment solution is delivered to the injured structure using specific guidance techniques. Further, we believe that it is not enough just to treat the injury that showed up on the MRI.

We believe that true recovery can only happen when joint integrity and strength are restored. Therefore, we will do a comprehensive treatment of all the ligaments, tendons, and joint capsules of that joint as part of the treatment.

In this way, we think we can give the injured structure the best opportunity to fully recover. And that is how we offer high-quality and effective PRP therapy for back pain that delivers long-lasting relief.

How Does PRP Therapy Help?

The body’s first response to soft tissue injury is to deliver platelet cells. Packed with growth and healing factors, platelets initiate repair and attract the critical assistance of stem cells. PRP therapy’s natural healing process intensifies the body’s efforts by delivering a higher concentration of platelets.

To create PRP therapy, a small sample of your blood is drawn (just like a lab test sample) and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from the other components. These platelets have been further refined and concentrated depending on their specific use.

The concentrated platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is then injected into and around the point of injury, jump-starting and significantly strengthening the body’s natural healing signal. Because your blood is used, there is no risk of a transmissible infection and a very low risk of allergic reaction.

How Long Does It Take?

The procedure takes approximately about two hours, including preparation and recovery time. Performed safely in a medical office, PRP therapy for back pain relieves pain without the risks of surgery, general anesthesia, or hospital stays and without a prolonged recovery.

In fact, most people return to their jobs or usual activities right after the procedure.

How Often Should This Procedure Be Done?

In the beginning, enough treatments need to be done to maximize recovery. The precise number of treatment sessions varies with the area that was injured, the type of injury, and your ability to heal.

Generally, you can expect between one and 4 sessions. You may, however, gain considerable to complete relief after the first or second injection.

What Are the Expected Results?

Unlike a typical injection that is done for pain relief, PRP injections do not immediately remove pain. However, because the goal of PRP therapy is to actually heal you, the results are usually long-term, often permanent.

Initial improvement may be seen within a few weeks, gradually increasing as the healing progresses. Research studies and clinical practice have shown PRP therapy to be very effective at relieving pain and returning patients to their normal lives.

Both ultrasound and MRI images have shown definitive tissue repair after PRP therapy, confirming the healing process. The need for surgery can also be greatly reduced by treating injured tissues before the damage progresses and the condition is irreversible

There are many forms of back pain and many ways to treat pain that originates in the spine. From over-the-counter pain medications to surgery, choosing the right treatment approach can be challenging.

Spine Pain

Pain in the spine can result from acute injuries or degenerative conditions like arthritis. Whatever the cause, back pain can be annoying at best and debilitating at worst. While many patients will attempt to suffer through their back pain, this strategy typically only makes things worse.

Addressing the pain head-on and developing a treatment strategy is the best way to reduce pain in the long term.

PRP Injections for Back Pain

PRP Therapy is an innovative new treatment that uses the patient’s blood platelets to regenerate damaged tissues. The process is simple – a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient.

Then the platelet-rich plasma is separated out of that blood and injected back into the patient. These platelets immediately go to work repairing lost or damaged tissue. Best of all, PRP therapy for back pain is natural and relatively pain-free.

Spine surgery can be a good treatment option for people experiencing back pain, but all surgical procedures bring trauma to the patient. It is typically best to exhaust all other treatment approaches before deciding to go for the surgical option. That is why many patients are turning to PRP injections to relieve their back pain.

Before You Get PRP Injections

You will likely need to stop taking certain medications that thin your blood, like ibuprofen and aspirin, before you get PRP injections. You may also need to take a break from certain vitamins or supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Your doctor will tell you exactly what you need to do to prepare for these shots.

PRP doesn’t usually cause major side effects. But because it involves drawing blood, if your doctor recommends it – you will want to make sure you eat before the procedure. That will help you avoid feeling lightheaded when you get PRP injections.

After the shot, you should not wash the area that was treated for 48 hours. You might notice some soreness and bruising in the area that received injections. If you feel sharp or intense pain, let your doctor know immediately.

PRP injections may or may not be covered by your health insurance, so check your plan’s details. If you are getting it for cosmetic reasons — for example, PRP injections for hair loss — your insurance probably won’t cover it. Treatment can cost $250 to $1,500 a session, and you may need several sessions to see results.

You can’t get PRP injections if you have:

Abnormal platelet function or a low platelet count
Anemia
Cancer
An infection

Remember, you should only get PRP injections from a licensed doctor.

Stop Pain from Interfering with Your Life!

If you have sustained a spinal injury, or have a pre-existing spine condition that is causing you back pain, PRP injections may be a viable treatment option for you. The pain management physicians at Advanced Health Solutions – GA Spine & Disc have been treating patients with back pain for over twenty-five years.

Our team of doctors offers cutting-edge treatments for all types of pain conditions. Contact our Woodstock office today to schedule an appointment and see if you’re a good candidate for PRP therapy for back pain.