Treatment Information

Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP)

Our bodies are naturally endowed with the ability to heal from injuries. PRP is a technique in the growing field of Orthobiologics, which uses the body’s own cells to accelerate healing and recovery. During the PRP procedure, a small amount (15 to 30 mLs) of the patient’s blood is drawn into a tube and then placed into a centrifuge. After several minutes, the plasma is separated from the blood cells, allowing a concentrated amount of platelets to be harvested. Platelets play a large role in the healing cycle within the human body by signaling many other cell types to come to the injured area, each of which contributes uniquely to the healing response. This procedure has a very wide range of indications for use.

Because the platelets are harvested from the patient’s own body, the procedure is all natural and uses your own healing cells instead of a synthetic medication. PRP has been shown to be effective in treating many conditions, including arthritis, tendonitis, tendon and ligament injury, cartilage defects, nerve disorders, and many more. It is even used for issues such as helping with wound healing or decreasing wrinkles or facial scarring.

Who is a candidate? Nearly everyone! There are very few contraindications to PRP therapy. It is typically not recommended in patients with active infection and certain types of cancer. Other possible contraindications include those on blood thinners, certain blood or bleeding disorders, and pregnancy. We will discuss the risk versus benefit of PRP during your appointment and determine if it is right for you!

Corticosteroid Injection

One of the more popular treatments in the field of orthopedics, corticosteroid (CS) injection, commonly referred to as “Cortisone” injection, has a wide range of uses. The use of CS therapy for musculoskeletal disorders began in the 1950s and continues to be widely used today. The reasons for it’s popularity are numerous and include:

• Wide array of indications and uses

• Lower cost than many therapies and readily available

• Safe and low side effect profile in a properly chosen patient

CS medications are derived from cortisone, a naturally occurring substance in the body. Cortisone is a potent anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and other symptoms of inflammation. It is by this mechanism that relief can be experienced with a CS injection. CS injections can be performed for most tendon or joint issues, including:

• Arthritis

• Tendonitis or bursitis of the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Trigger Finger

• Plantar Fasciitis

For some patients, a CS injection may be contraindicated. Some of these situations can include active infection, diabetes, and blood thinner use. However, an injection may still be an option. To determine if you may benefit from an injection, make an appointment to discuss with Dr. Poage!

Hyaluronic Acid Injection: “Gel Shot”

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a substance that is naturally occurring in the body, found to be present in the joints, eyes, skin and other locations. In the joints, it acts as a lubricating substance. HA injections were developed as an alternative to corticosteroid injections, and likewise have a different mechanism of action. HA injections act as a lubrication shot to the joint it is placed in, helping to replace the unhealthy joint fluid present in osteoarthritis with a new, clean fluid. HA injections are typically used when relief is not obtained from a steroid injection, or used alternatively with them if the relief does not last long enough between injections. In orthopedics, HA injection is indicated for arthritis or cartilage issues, since it is injected into a joint and not into soft tissue. However, forms of hyaluronic acid is used in many other fields for its natural benefits, including cosmetics and aesthetics.

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: OMT

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a form of manual medicine that evaluates for physical imbalances and misalignments within the body, and uses those findings to attempt to physically realign it. Many people refer to this treatment as an “adjusment.”

Osteopathic medicine is built on four core principles:

• The body is a unit.

• The body has the ability to heal itself.

• Structure and function are interrelated.

• Treatment is based on these principles.

Because of the relationship between structure (alignement) and function (ability to move, perform tasks, presence or absence of pain), it stands to reason that if structure is disrupted, then the result may be pain in the area and a reduction in normal range of motion or strength. The most common example of this is a rotation of the spine that results in limited mobility and pain. Typically, by manually adjusting the area, pain relief along with an increase in function is obtained. OMT may result in immediate relief, or sometimes the relief may be delayed by several days or even weeks as the body adjusts to being properly aligned again.