Do you experience chronic joint pain in your knees, hips, back, elbows, etc.? Do you have joint, ligament or tendon injuries? Do you have osteoarthritis? Has your orthopedic doctor recommended joint replacement or other surgery? If so, before you reach for the Ibuprofen, get a steroid injection, or schedule a surgery, consider Regenerative Injection Therapy.
Regenerative Injection Therapy is an umbrella term that includes Prolotherapy, Prolozone, and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). All of which are all available at Anatara Medicine. These types of injections are similar to each other in that they support tissue repair and healing, and involve injecting damaged or injured joints, ligaments, tendons, etc., without steroids like cortisone. They differ in their mechanism of actions and strength (I.E. PRP is regarded as being stronger than Prolozone therapy).
Regenerative therapies are different than steroid injections as they support tissue healing, repair and growth instead of simply reducing inflammation and pain, temporarily. Regenerative therapies also do not share the common short-term and long-term side effects of steroid injections.
PROLOZONE
Prolozone therapy combines prolotherapy and ozone therapy for an additive therapeutic effect. Prolozone supports tissue repair and healing by increasing oxygen delivery to damaged tissues, improving circulation, and stimulating local tissue growth factors. These growth factors include platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-b1 (TGFB1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, Prolozone is effective for reducing pain and increasing mobility, and stability of joints.
PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP)
Platelet Rich Plasma, also known as PRP, is another form of Regenerative Injection Therapy and is regarded as being stronger than Prolotherapy or Prolozone therapy. Unlike Prolotherapy and Prolozone, PRP involves using one’s own blood to stimulate repair of injured tissues and growth of new tissues. After a simple blood draw, the patient’s blood is prepped using a specific PRP kit then spun in a centrifuge to condense platelets. The plasma rich in platelets is then removed and injected into the patient.
In addition to being critical for blood clotting, platelets contain growth factors that are essential for tissue repair and to stimulate tissue growth. For an additive therapeutic effect, we combine ozone injections with PRP injections.
An impressive body of evidence supports the use of PRP in the treatment of numerous types of musculoskeletal injury including osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, and shoulder, chronic elbow pain, rotator cuff injury, cartilage damage, etc. (See below for a list of research studies on PRP).
In addition to the research showing positive effects of PRP, many professional athletes have used PRP to treat their musculoskeletal injuries including Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, David Ortiz, and Troy Polamalu.
Regenerative Injection Therapies can be used to address a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. See below for a list of commonly treated conditions.
CONDITONS COMMONLY TREATED WITH REGENERATIVE INJECTION THERAPY
- Acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain
- Chronic back and neck pain
- Ligament and joint injuries
- Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow
- Frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injuries
- Arthritis and osteoarthritis
- And more…
A QUICK WORD ABOUT OZONE THERAPY…
Ozone therapy is a novel and safe alternative therapy that utilizes medical grade oxygen/ozone gas created by an advanced medical device in a medical office. Ozone therapy is typically used for its tissue regenerative, immune-supportive, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and anti-aging properties. The effects of Ozone therapy are proven, safe, and with minimal or no side effects.
Ozone therapy is scientifically valid with hundreds of published research papers supporting its mechanisms of action, biological effects, effectiveness and safety. It is used by medical doctors and naturopathic doctors worldwide due to numerous therapeutic properties and efficacy.
Ozone therapy has many clinical applications and methods of administration, depending on the health condition to be addressed. In addition to being used for injection therapy, ozone is used intravenously, rectally, vaginally, nasally and orally.
DOES IT HURT?
Like any injection, there is a small amount of initial pain with insertion of the needle but this subsides shortly after. Our doctor’s also use a cold spray prior to the injection to reduce this pain. Patients may experience a dull ache or sensation fullness in the joint for 6-24 hours after the injection. Patients typically return to work the same day or the day after, and are able to resume gentle to mild exercise 1-2 days after the injection.
HOW MANY INJECTIONS DO I NEED?
The number of treatment varies with the severity of your condition, age and overall health status. The Doctors at Anatara Medicine will perform a thorough evaluation and decide the most appropriate number of treatments. We recommend patients plan on receiving at least 3 injections before assessing therapeutic effect and patient response. Patients typically notice a difference in pain and mobility after the first injection.
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS FOR PROLOZONE?
The Doctors at Anatara Medicine have received advanced training in Regenerative Injection Therapy and have been trained in Prolozone Therapy by Frank Shallenberger, M.D., who is the innovator and inventor of the Prolozone technique.
FOR ANOTHER ARTICLE FROM ANATARA MEDICINE ON REGENERATIVE INJECTIONS CLICK HERE.
INTERERSTED IN REGENERATIVE INJECTION THERAPY?
Contact Anatara Medicine at https://anataramedicine.com/contact-us/ or 415-345-0099.
SELECTED RESEARCH
Gobbi A, Lad D, Karnatzikos G. The effects of repeated intra-articular PRP injections on clinical outcomes of early osteoarthritis of the knee. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2014 Apr 20.
Abrams GD, Frank RM, Fortier LA, Cole BJ. Platelet-rich Plasma for Articular Cartilage Repair. Sports Med Arthrosc. 2013 Dec;21(4):213-9. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0b013e3182999740.
Filardo G, Kon E, Roffi A, Di Matteo B, Merli ML, Marcacci M. Platelet-rich plasma: why intra-articular? A systematic review of preclinical studies and clinical evidence on PRP for joint degeneration. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013 Nov 26.
Halpern B, Chaudhury S, Rodeo SA, Hayter C, Bogner E, Potter HG, Nguyen J. Clinical and MRI outcomes after platelet-rich plasma treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Clin J Sport Med. 2013 May;23(3):238-9.
Vetrano M, Castorina A, Vulpiani MC, Baldini R, Pavan A, Ferretti A. Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Focused Shock Waves in the Treatment of Jumper’s Knee in Athletes.Am J Sports Med. 2013 Feb 13.
Martinelli N, Marinozzi A, Carnì S, Trovato U, Bianchi A, Denaro V. Platelet-rich plasma injections for chronic plantar fasciitis. Int Orthop. 2012 Dec 19.
Wasterlain AS, Braun HJ, Harris AH, Kim HJ, Dragoo JL. The Systemic Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection. Am J Sports Med. 2012 Dec 4.
Gobbi A, Karnatzikos G, Mahajan V and Malchira S. Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment in Symptomatic Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis Preliminary Results in a Group of Active Patients. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach 2012 4: 162
Monto RR. Platelet-Rich Rich Plasma is More Effective than Cortisone for Chronic Severe Plantar Fasciitis. Paper presented at: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 2012 February 7-11; San Francisco, USA.
Sánchez M, Guadilla J, Fiz N, Andia I. Ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2012 Jan;51(1):144-50. Epub 2011 Nov 10.
Filardo G, Kon E, Pereira Ruiz MT, Vaccaro F, Guitaldi R, Di Martino A, Cenacchi A, Fornasari PM, Marcacci M. Platelet-rich plasma intra-articular injections for cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis: single- versus double-spinning approach. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011 Dec 28. [Epub ahead of print]
Kon E, Mandelbaum B, Buda R, Filardo G, Delcogliano M, Timoncini A, Fornasari PM, Giannini S, Marcacci M. Arthroscopy. Platelet-rich plasma intra-articular injection versus hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation as treatments for cartilage pathology: from early degeneration to osteoarthritis. 2011 Nov;27(11):1490-501. Epub 2011 Aug 10.
Filardo G, Kon E, Buda R, Timoncini A, Di Martino A, Cenacchi A, Fornasari PM, Giannini S, Marcacci M. Platelet-rich plasma intra-articular knee injections for the treatment of degenerative cartilage lesions and osteoarthritis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011 Apr;19(4):528-35. Epub 2010 Aug 26.
Gosens T, Peerbooms JC, van Laar W, den Oudsten BL. Ongoing Positive Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Corticosteroid Injection in Lateral Epicondylitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial With 2-year Follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2011 Jun;39(6):1200-8.
Wang-Saegusa A, Cugat R, Ares O, Seijas R, Cuscó X, Garcia-Balletbó M. Infiltration of plasma rich in growth factors for osteoarthritis of the knee short-term effects on function and quality of life. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2011 Mar;131(3):311-7. Epub 2010 Aug 17.
Kon E, Buda R, Filardo G, Di Martino A, Timoncini A, Cenacchi A, Fornasari PM, Giannini S, Marcacci M. Platelet-rich plasma: intra-articular knee injections produced favorable results on degenerative cartilage lesions. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010 Apr;18(4):472-9. Epub 2009 Oct 17.
Peerbooms JC, Sluimer J, Bruijn DJ, Gosens T. Positive effect of an autologous platelet concentrate in lateral epicondylitis in a double-blind randomized controlled trial: platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroid injection with a 1-year follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2010 Feb;38(2):255-62.
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Peerbooms, J. C., Sluimer, J., Bruijn, D. J., Gosens, T. Positive Effect of an Autologous Platelet Concentrate in Lateral Epicondylitis in a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial: Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Corticosteroid Injection With a 1-Year Follow-up. Am J Sports Med 38: 255-262
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