Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions, with 50.2 million adults reporting daily pain. Not surprisingly, chronic pain can take a toll on your physical health, mental well-being, and even your work performance. Back pain is a major contribution to missed work days, and that doesn’t even account for other types of chronic pain like headaches or arthritis.
Regardless of what type of chronic pain you have, it can quickly zap your quality of life. That’s why we’re so focused on helping you find relief.
Here at Beverly Hills Migraine & Pain Management Institute, Dr. Benjamin Taimoorazy, our triple-board-certified pain management specialist, creates multidisciplinary, personalized treatment plans 一 and that includes platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections 一 in a concierge-style practice.
Below, we take a closer look at how PRP injections can ease chronic pain.
PRP therapy is a type of regenerative medicine 一 a branch of medicine that aims to heal damaged tissues and restore functionality to your musculoskeletal system 一 and works by helping your body heal from the inside out through high concentrations of growth factors.
First, let’s review the components of your blood. Your blood contains red and white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body; white blood cells support healthy immune function; plasma is the liquid in which all blood cells and nutrients flow through your blood vessels, and platelets are the small cells that contain healing growth factors and proteins.
Platelets, also known as thrombocytes, are the key to the pain-relieving properties of PRP therapy.
Platelets “activate” when your body signals damage and change shape to support healing, stop bleeding, and promote repair. This triggers the platelets to change into their “active form” in a process called platelet activation. The more platelets you have, the more healing benefits you can recieve, and that’s where PRP therapy comes into the picture.
To create your PRP serum, Dr. Taimoorazy first takes a blood sample. Then, your blood is placed into a centrifuge to separate the platelets. This allows our team to create concentrated serums that are rich in platelets.
Because the serum is based on your own blood, the injections are typically handled well and there’s little chance of allergic reaction because there are no synthetic medications used.
Before you receive your PRP injection, we numb the treatment site. We may also use ultrasound imaging to guide the placement of the PRP serum precisely. Once the imaging confirms the correct treatment location, we inject the serum at the source of your pain.
PRP therapy is ideal for musculoskeletal pain. This includes pain related to joint, tendon, ligament, and muscle issues. You might consider PRP injections if you have:
PRP injections aren’t for everyone, including those with anemia or cancer. That being said, we prioritize individualized comprehensive pain management, and part of that includes recommending the right treatment for you. If you’re dealing with chronic pain, we can help.
To get started with a consultation, call us at 424-302-0289 to learn more about PRP injections and chronic pain management. You can also request an appointment online.
