In a recent segment appearing on ABC World News, George Stephanopoulos reported, \”There is a revolutionary new treatment for the wear and tear on joints that can come with exercise after 50.\” The treatment is \”a cutting edge procedure known as platelet rich plasma injection therapy, or PRP, being used to treat conditions like tennis elbow, tendinitis, even arthritis.\” In this procedure, doctors draw a patient\’s blood, then centrifuge it to \”separate out the healing agents from the blood. Doctors then take that part of the blood and inject it into the patient\’s achy joint or muscle, hoping to grow healthy tissue.\” While PRP \”doesn\’t work for\” every patient, \”most patients are back to their activity within one to two weeks of the treatment.\”

The problem with this report is that it didn’t convey the really important mistakes people should avoid when seeking out this kind of treatment.

Mistake #1: Not knowing exactly what PRP is. Most people take the same simplistic approach that Mr Stephanopoulos made when describing PRP. It’s not just centrifuging out a patient’s blood and injecting it in. PRP is a specially filtered part of blood that contains many more platelets than normal, roughly 4-7 times the normal number of platelets. In order to obtain a pure and effective sample, it’s important to use a special collection system that prevents platelets from activating too soon and discharging their valuable healing factors before the reach the patients.

Mistake #2: Not having the right diagnosis. There are some conditions that PRP can work well with and others where it’s ineffective. For example, chronic tendon problems, ligament issues, bursitis, and even some types of arthritis will respond to this treatment. However, unless an MRI or detailed diagnostic ultrasound study has been done, it’s difficult or even impossible to really know what the diagnosis is and what the extent of the problem is. Without that knowledge, the treatment will fail.

Mistake #3: Expecting too much. Like any other treatment, PRP is not 100 per cent successful. Depending on the center, success rates can vary widely. Also, it may take more than one treatment.

Mistake # 4: Not locating the right physician. The science of regenerative medicine, unfortunately, has attracted some unscrupulous practitioners who’ve decided to jump onto the “PRP bandwagon.” Without having the proper training, a doctor can do more harm than good. Make sure the physician is experienced with PRP. For example at the Arthritis Treatment Center, we have been using PRP since 2006 for a variety of connective tissue problems. Many doctors just “shoot it in.” Wrong! PRP, when administered correctly is preceded by fenestration, a technique that depends on a highly trained physician “peppering” the area to be treated with tiny holes before slowly infusing the PRP. This is all done using ultrasound guidance.

Mistake #5: Not following the proper protocol. A good center will have a standard protocol they will go over with the patient. Standard operating procedures are critical to the success of any procedure. The protocol will dictate what a patient needs to do both before as well as after the procedure.

Mistake # 6: Taking medicines and supplements that will destroy the effectiveness of the procedure. This is a common and unfortunate problem that all too often occurs and is responsible for many failures.

Mistake # 7: Not getting the proper instruction in physical therapy following the procedure. Almost every patient needs physical therapy after a PRP procedure. This is to ensure that proper stretching and strengthening techniques are given to the patient. When this is done properly, the chances for success rise dramatically.

Mistake # 8: Looking for the cheapest price. Like anything in life, you get what you pay for. Do you want to take your chances with someone who attended a weekend course and has started doing PRP? Or do you want somebody skilled who has paid his dues in order to learn the proper method so you can get the best result possible?

Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a board-certified rheumatologist and nationally known arthritis authority and expert. For more info: Arthritis Treatment and Arthritis Treatment Center

Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a board-certified rheumatologist and nationally known arthritis authority and expert. For more info: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com/arthritis-treatment.html Arthritis Treatment and Arthritis Treatment Center

Author Bio: Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a board-certified rheumatologist and nationally known arthritis authority and expert. For more info: Arthritis Treatment and Arthritis Treatment Center

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: arthritis treatment, platelet-rich plasma, PRP,