More than 50 million Americans suffer from arthritis, a chronic condition that causes joint pain, inflammation, and problems with mobility. Arthritis happens when joint surfaces become damaged from wear and tear, inflammation, and even abnormal immune responses, resulting in joint stiffness, friction, and more painful inflammation.
While doctors frequently prescribe oral pain medications to help manage arthritis symptoms, the drugs are often ineffective and can cause unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. Surgery may be useful for advanced arthritis, but as with any surgery, there are risks as well as a long recovery time.
The good news: Today, research shows that regenerative therapies such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and SmartChoice® stem cell therapy can offer an alternative, helping your body restore joints and relieve arthritis symptoms — without resorting to surgery or increasing doses of medication.
Sudha Challa, MD, and the team at Lenox Medical Clinic offer both PRP and SmartChoice as part of our pain management services to help patients with arthritis symptoms and improve their quality of life. In this post, we explain more about these drug-free regenerative therapies so you can decide if they deserve a place in your arthritis treatment plan.
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, a product derived from your own blood. PRP contains both plasma (the liquid part of blood) and platelets, blood components rich in special proteins that stimulate and promote natural healing.
During treatment, we process a sample of your blood to concentrate the platelets it contains. We then inject the resulting solution — PRP — into the damaged joint to trigger healing and repair.
SmartChoice uses a combination of PRP and stem cells extracted from your bone marrow or adipose (fatty) tissue. Stem cells are like blank slates, able to develop into different types of cells. Once injected into the joint, stem cells stimulate new, healthy tissue growth to help repair damaged joints.
Both PRP and SmartChoice are regenerative therapies, which means they work by promoting natural healing responses that help regenerate and repair damaged tissues. Specifically, these treatments stimulate the regrowth and repair of damaged cartilage, the tough, rubbery material that protects joint surfaces and supports smooth joint function.
Both therapies also improve circulation in the area, bringing oxygen, nutrients, and other substances that help speed healing and support joint structures. At the same time, these therapies stimulate the release of natural chemicals that help decrease inflammation and the pain and damage it can cause.
Regenerative therapy offers many benefits, beginning with improved joint function and reduced discomfort. Best of all, it achieves these benefits without surgery and without increasing your need for pain medications, so you won’t have to worry about long-term side effects like liver or kidney damage, gastrointestinal issues, or dependence concerns. There’s no prolonged period of recovery, either.
PRP and SmartChoice offer long-term results, and they can be repeated in the future if needed. And of course, because each therapy uses your own blood and stem cells, there’s no fear of rejection or allergic reaction, and each treatment is completely customizable for your needs.
Although these drug-free regenerative therapies can offer plenty of advantages, they’re not an ideal choice for everyone. To learn more about this treatment approach and how it might play a role in helping you manage your arthritis symptoms, request an appointment with Dr. Challa and the team at Lenox Medical Clinic in Chamblee and Johns Creek, Georgia, today.
