If you have joint pain, your doctor might have suggested surgery. But fortunately, this isn’t always necessary. Often, problems related to the joints can be treated with regenerative medicine, which is much gentler and less invasive. At Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA, regenerative joint therapy is usually administered in the form of an injection.
There are many options, including prolotherapy, ozone and prolozone, platelet-rich plasma, and ozone clot matrix. If you have an acute injury or a degenerative joint disease, we might suggest one or several of these methods. In some cases, the treatment is complete after a few sessions, but other patients return annually to keep their joints in good condition.
What Is Regenerative Joint Therapy?
Regenerative medicine is a comparatively new branch of medicine that aims to enhance and stimulate the body’s own healing process. It aims to help the injured area produce growth factors and speed up the production of new, healthy cells. Sometimes, substances from your own blood are used, but at other times, external substances such as anesthetics or vitamins are administered.
Regenerative treatment works well for people who have an acute injury, but it can also treat chronic conditions like arthritis. It is a great alternative to surgery because the method is gentle, and it doesn’t require incisions, stays at the hospital, or lengthy recovery periods. Instead, you simply come to the clinic, get your injection, and leave within one hour.
Regenerative Injections
The most successful Regenerative Joint Therapy target the specific area that is injured. Therefore, this type of medicine is often administered in the form of an injection. Here at the clinic, we offer a wide range of options, including prolotherapy, ozone and prolozone, platelet-rich plasma, and ozone clot matrix. We can either use one treatment at a time, or we can combine them to multiply their effect.
When you come to your initial consultation, we will analyze your joint problem and let you know what would be best. We will always suggest regenerative injections instead of other options like cortisone injections because the former don’t just relieve pain but also address the underlying issue. Your treatment will increase the concentration of collagen in your joint, strengthen the tissues, and help your joint to repair more quickly.
Prolotherapy
The term “prolo” means to proliferate. The aim of this treatment is to increase the amount of collagen, which is a structural protein that plays a crucial role in the function of your joints. During prolotherapy, you are injected with a mixture of a local anesthetic such as lidocaine or procaine, a simple sugar, and vitamins like B12. Together, these substances create a controlled inflammatory response that triggers the body’s repair mechanism.
More blood will flow to the area, and the natural healing process will be sped up. Usually, patients will need around three injections, but this depends on the severity of the injury and the initial response to the treatment. If you’ve had an acute injury, three sessions might be enough to heal your tissues. However, if you have an ongoing condition like arthritis, you might need to come back to the clinic once a year for a maintenance appointment.
Ozone and Prolozone
Ozone is the reactive form of the molecule oxygen, and it can release growth factors that regenerate tissue, control inflammation, enhance the immune system, and get rid of scars. On its own, this substance is effective, but it works even better when combined with a proliferative agent, for example, vitamins and amino acids, which serve to enhance and support the effects of the ozone.
The ozone and prolozone injection is most often used to treat long-term conditions like arthritis and rheumatism. After the prolozone is injected, it irritates the tissue and stimulates circulation, which helps to heal the damaged cells and create new cells more quickly. The injections are repeated every 1-2 weeks until the patient’s symptoms improve. At that point, treatment can be stopped, although maintenance injections might be required at a later date.
Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelet-rich plasma, also called PRP, is a substance that comes from the patient’s own blood. During this therapy, the blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to extract the beneficial platelets and plasma. The resulting substance is then injected into the affected joints. The platelets, which are small blood cells, will release growth factors that stimulate the production of new, healthy cells.
PRP therapy has been used on athletes for decades and it is now available to anyone who is suffering from an injury or degenerative condition and would like to speed up the healing process. You might start with three to four sessions, each a week or two apart. If necessary, more treatments can be added. Because the platelets require some time to do their job, you might have to wait for several weeks until you get the results you desire.
Ozone Clot Matrix
PRP is highly effective, but it only remains in the tissue for around 24 hours at a time. Therefore, the effects are less strong than they could be if the concentration of platelets were higher for longer.
To solve this problem, a stable fibrin matrix has been developed which can hold the regenerative substances in your tissue for up to 14 days. The ozone clot matrix can be used on anyone with musculoskeletal pain, whether it is degenerative or caused by an injury.
Are Regenerative Injections Right for You?
For most people, regenerative joint therapy is highly effective. It can help your body to heal itself and therefore provide permanent relief. However, we will evaluate your injury when you first contact us, so we can make sure that this method is right for you. We might suggest alternatives to patients who have very mild pain, those with allergies, or those who are suffering from a severe medical condition and are therefore not eligible.
Your Condition Is Limiting Your Quality of Life
If you’ve only just developed joint pain or you have a minor injury, you might not need an injection. Instead, you can start by avoiding any movements that cause pain, resting for several days or weeks, icing your joint, and, if appropriate, elevating it. After two to three weeks, you should visit your doctor again if your pain persists.
We will suggest regenerative injections to people whose quality of life is diminished due to their joint injury or degenerative condition. For instance, you might be a good candidate if you can no longer participate in activities you used to enjoy, you can’t perform well at your job anymore, or you have trouble performing daily tasks around the house.
You Are in Good General Health
Before you can be treated, we have to make sure that the substances we use won’t cause you any problems. If you have any allergies, you should let us know during your initial consultation, since this could affect your eligibility for some of our regenerative treatments. Similarly, people with serious illnesses such as acute heart disease or cancer have to ask their doctor whether regenerative medicine is right for them.
Despite these restrictions, almost everyone is a good candidate for one of the above-named injections. They are minimally invasive, so there are no incisions necessary, and you won’t have to undergo general anesthesia. What’s more, many of the substances either come from your own blood or are completely natural, so an allergic reaction or rejection is unlikely.
How to Support the Healing Process
Getting regenerative injections will be much more effective if you support the healing process by following all your doctor’s instructions and leading a healthy lifestyle. To keep your body functioning well, drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet that contains fresh fruit and vegetables. Once you’re back on your feet, you should do at least two to three hours of moderate exercise per week.
People who are avid athletes should avoid jumping straight back in after their joint has healed. Instead, they should increase their exercise levels slowly to give the body some time to adjust and prevent a recurrence of the accident. A proper warm-up routine can also lower the risk of another injury.
Give Your Joints a Chance to Heal
Regenerative joint therapy is usually administered in the form of an injection, and it aims to speed up the healing process by encouraging the patient’s tissues to multiply more quickly. There are various options, and they can either be used on their own or in combination. Get in touch with us at Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA and book your initial consultation to find out which regenerative method is suitable for you.
