PRP: The “Super Lube” for Your Joints
Just like a machine requires regular maintenance, your joints need regular care. Daily physical activities, participation in sports, and working out all take a toll on the lining of your joints. Inflammation can set in and pain starts to linger. Unfortunately, mainstream treatment options are not great. You pop pain pills, cut down your activity levels, or learn to live with your pain. If you seek orthopedic advice, you’ll most likely be offered a cortisone or steroid injection. All of these options negatively impact your quality of life and leave your joints weaker. There is a much better alternative called platelet rich plasma or PRP. Many athletes go this route. Platelets are cells found in your own blood. Platelets house ten powerful anti-inflammatory factors within them. How does PRP treatments work? When injected into your joints, platelets clean up the inflammation and help relieve pain while keeping your joints healthy. The process of making PRP is very simple. You undergo a simple blood draw followed by a quick spin of your blood to concentrate your platelets. Your platelets are then injected back into your joints or where the source of pain is. What are the benefits of PRP? Published evidence in a head-to-head comparison shows PRP to be much superior to cortisone/steroid and hyaluronic acid/gel injections. More importantly, there aren’t side effects. Also, pain relief with PRP lasts longer—up to six months to a year. What is recovery like? Recovery is quick, with little downtime. If your PRP is made well, one single injection is all you may need. More importantly, with PRP your joint becomes healthier instead of getting weaker. Tap into the power of your own cells! PRP is no gimmick. It is backed by several peer-reviewed publications. Do yourself a favor and tap into the power of your own cells to heal your body. No wonder PRP is called the super lube for your joints!