Although various treatments in Regenerative Medicine have been used in medicinal practices at least as far back as the early 1930s, it wasn’t until later that the magic of PRP was further valued! There are several things that seperate PRP and stem cell treatments. Compared to standard prolotherapy treatments, which use substances such as glucose or saline to increase an inflammatory response and then healing (such as in the case of dextrose prolotherapy), PRP prolotherapy uses your body’s own natural stem cells and growth factors and in my clinical option has better clinical outcomes.
PRR has been called the “modern” version of dextrose prolotherapy, which used the use of sugar. In PRP treatment, patients are given injections of autologous (from yourself) centrifuged blood with high platelet concentration as opposed to substances foreign to their body.
Although they use different substances to initiate A local inflammatory response, PRP stimulates musculoskeletal healing in basically the same manner as dextrose prolotherapy or other common types. However, it is far more natural. One thing we know is that the body heals itself through having a good blood supply. Generally what happens with chronic conditions is bloodflow is somewhat impeded. What can be more useful than taking the good stuff out of the blood and injecting it right where it is needed?!
Some studies have found similar results from prolotherapy and PRP depending on the condition being treated, but others have found that PRP is better suited in some cases (such as for tendonitis or osteoarthritis).
One important factor that sets PRP apart from other prolotherapy treatments is that it provides natural growth factors, which dextrose treatments do not. These have been found to have significant healing effects.
In prolotherapy treatment, is it the injection itself that causes the irritation and the needle microtrauma, that helps start the repair process? We know and understand that PRP speeds this up by providing more growth factors that recruits stem cells.
When the body has stopped recognizing that an area is damaged and needs healing, PRP may be more appropriate.
Recent advances in PRP show that treatment can now help chronic conditions that have been unresponsive to other care. Some research has shown that PRP is likely a better option over dextrose prolotherapy specifically in the case of tendon sheath or muscular injuries, due to how it helps treat fibro-osseous junctions (enthesis). Stem Cell PRP vs. Other “Standard” PRP Treatments: While most PRP treatments rely on using your body’s own growth factors along with stem cells, more advanced stem cell treatments can also be performed, but these can be very expensive and very invasive. Stem cells are very unique in the sense that they can automatically transform into the type of cells the body needs to heal itself.
For example, if you were to tear a ligament in your knee, it would be possible to inject stem cells into the knee in order to repair the tissue damage.
My overall view is that platelet rich plasma treatment is simply to be formed, non-invasive and relatively inexpensive. Alongside this, it also is completely safe and is associated with minimal downtime. Alongside having fantastic clinical outcomes.
Click on the link below to find out more on how treatments in regenerative medicine, specifically platelet rich plasma can help you.
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