How Effective is PRP for Knee arthritis? How long does it take to work?
The most common form of joint arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA) and it mostly affects your knee joints and hip joints. Osteoarthritis affects the functionality of the knee joint causing knee pain and as it progresses it may lead to severe disability. The condition occurs as the cartilage that acts as a cushion between the bony ends begins to wear away. In other words, it is a wear and tear condition of the knee joint that frequently necessitates knee replacement surgery.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is categorized into various stages, ranging from the normal, healthy knee all the way up to stage 4 or severe arthritis. During the winter, this condition can become worsened and patients may experience knee pain, swelling and difficulty walking. Obese patients, especially women in their 50s, usually experience knee pain due to osteoarthritis.
Dr Ajay Tiwari, Orthopaedic surgeon and Specialist in joint replacement at Deccan Hospitals, Hyderabad explains PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy for knee arthritis. PRP is a revolutionary procedure that plays a prominent role in preserving the knee joint when knee osteoarthritis is in its first or second stage. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a new kind of pain-relieving procedure that involves injecting platelets that are extracted from the blood of the patient into the damaged tendon or cartilage, to rebuild them.
In addition to relieving pain, it also speeds up the healing process. A centrifuge is used to separate the platelets from the blood drawn from the patient. These platelets are then administered through an injection into the affected region of the knee joint. Stem cell therapies and PRP injections, which are minimally invasive, are making remarkable strides for restoring the degenerated tissues and relieving pain in many orthopaedic conditions. With its better healing processes and ability to rebuild tissue, PRP is a reliable way to prevent knee damage.
How does it work?
Growth factors are present in your blood platelets. The belief of scientists is that when these PRP growth factors, which are derived from your own blood, are injected into a damaged area, new cells will form. This is how the tissue will repair itself.
Thus, PRP may be able to assist in reversing tissue damage.
But there is no clinical evidence to support using this PRP treatment to treat knee OA and the results of studies are also been conflicting.
There are some studies proving the benefits of PRP, while some others claim it is ineffective.
In 2017, a study was conducted with 1,423 knee osteoarthritis patients and the results indicated that PRP might be an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis pain.
How effective is PRP for OA?
Research on PRP is ongoing, and so only a few experts recommend this procedure currently. To find out if PRP injections are right for you consult Dr. Ajay Kumar Tiwari, an expert orthopaedic surgeon for PRP treatment in Hyderabad.
It is recommended to receive PRP treatment in the early stages of osteoarthritis. This treatment is highly effective if knee arthritis is in an early or moderate stage. Knee osteoarthritis can be treated in many ways. However, with PRP, results are visible after some time, but they last much longer.
What happens during the procedure?
A small quantity of blood will be drawn from your body by your doctor. After that, the blood sample will be placed in a centrifuge to separate the blood components and plasma containing concentrated platelets is obtained. There may be differences in the concentration of the various components at this point, depending on the method used.
After obtaining the PRP solution, the surgeon would numb the area and inject the solution deep into the knee joint space. An ultrasound can also be used to guide the injection to the right spot.
You can go home after you have rested for a while. You may experience some pain and stiffness in the joint after taking the injection.
The procedure is a safe, effective, and affordable alternative treatment to knee surgery. It can also help rebuild the torn meniscus and other ligaments. It is also effective in reducing the pain and swelling in shoulder joints. Basically, it helps the patient avoid the need for surgery, including joint replacements. To know more details, call +91 98499 82203 and schedule an appointment.
