Joint pains affect the function of the joint and can make it getting through the day really tough. Joint pain may be a symptom of many ailments, including some viral infections, the most common cause being arthritis. Whether it is your knee, shoulder, hip or elbow,fingers or toes, joint pain can be debilitating.
There are more than 100 forms of arthritis – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout being the most common types.
Did you know that surgery is not always the necessary treatment for joint pains?
Yeah, you read that right.
Regenerating a tissue to restore function is a breakthrough in the treatment of joint pain.
The emerging field of regenerative medicine includes procedures that helps your body heal itself by the use of – platelet rich plasma (PRP), Bone marrow aspirate concentrate ( BMAC), growth factor concentrate (GFC) and laser.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) :
Blood is drawn from a patient and centrifugated, which is essentially a process of separating the solution into three layers – the platelet poor plasma on the top, the platelet rich plasma in the middle, and the red blood cells on the bottom. PRP can stimulate the formation of the extracellular matrix and improves the metabolic balance simultaneously helping in the tissue healing process.
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) :
Bone marrow tissue is harvested from the patient and concentrated under sterile conditions. BMAC is rich in platelets and white blood cells, which contributes to its anti-inflammatory profile. Several studies have shown the combined use of BMAC and PRP injected 1-to-2-month apart, to be beneficial in healing the damaged tissue.
Growth Factor Concentrate (GFC) :
This is the last in non-surgical interventions for knee pain. It is a highly concentrated preparation made from patient’s own blood. By comparison, GFC provides a markedly higher concentration of growth factors compared to PRP, which are the actual agents in tissue repair.
Laser :
Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been introduced as an alternative treatment for knee pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, etc. When laser is applied to the affected area, tissues absorb the light. This is followed by blood gushing to the area which promotes healing.
To know more about the viable treatment options for your condition, speak to the concerned specialist. Looking for relief? Consult with our experienced pain management doctor now.
