There are many potential causes of low back pain, including age, poor posture, and injury — to name a few. Adding to the complexity of low back pain are genetics, lifestyle choices, and a person’s current health.
Thus, conventional treatments such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicine, and even surgery come up short when treating back pain in the long run. For this reason, many are turning to the non-surgical alternative of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
The process begins by drawing a small amount of a patient’s blood. The blood is then placed into a centrifuge machine where it is spun at high speeds until the red blood cells and platelets are separated.
The concentrated platelets are rich in proteins and growth factors that are then injected into the injured or damaged muscle, joint, or disc in the low back. Precise placement of the injections is guaranteed with advanced fluoroscopy or ultrasonic guidance. The source of a patient’s back pain and the severity of damage determine how many injections are received over time. Even so, there is typically a significant reduction in pain after just one to two PRP injections.
STEM CELL TREATMENTS FOR SI JOINT PAIN
Connecting the sacrum to the pelvis, the sacroiliac (SI) joint is a critical weight bearing and shock-absorbing joint that is supported by surrounding ligaments. The joint allows for a small amount of movement within its structure to establish a walking pattern or normal movement.
Since the SI joint is critical to transmit upper body movements and provide stability within the spine when it becomes injured, inflamed, or unstable, individuals can experience incredible pain and loss of mobility.
In fact, inflammation of the SI joint is one major cause of lower back pain, as well as pain in the hip, groin, buttocks, and down the back of the leg.
Providing significant results for SI joint dysfunction, facet joint pain, and arthritis in the lower back, stem cell treatments using platelet-rich plasma concentrates a patient’s blood platelets before injecting them back into the injured or damaged area. Containing valuable proteins or “growth factors,” the tissues, cartilage, tendons, and/or ligaments are encouraged to regenerate and heal themselves naturally.
PLATELET-RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS
Though not a new phenomenon, PRP treatments have since become a key player in wound healing and improving injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and other degenerative conditions. By taking a small portion of an individual’s blood, isolating the activated platelets, and injecting them into abnormal, damaged tissue, the concentration of growth factors promotes reparative cell formation.
As a result, PRP therapies have reduced pain for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and disorders, including arthritis and osteoarthritis.
At Modern Aesthetica in Santa Monica, Dr. Daniel Moghadam is a leading physician that administers PRP therapy for low back pain due to arthritis, facet joint syndrome, sacroiliac (SI) dysfunction, and more.
Unlike steroids and other painkillers, PRP therapies heal the underlying cause of back pain for complete recovery, improved function, and no pain. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Moghadam, contact Modern Aesthetica today.
