If you have chronic knee pain, you may have heard about platelet-rich plasma treatment or PRP. The treatment involves separating your blood in a centrifuge and removing platelets from it. The platelets are then combined with plasma to create a special fluid that is injected into the joint.

PRP is different from other treatments because it targets your pain by using proteins in your blood. There are a few things you should know about PRP before you decide whether it is the right treatment for you.

What Is PRP?

PRP is a treatment designed to lessen the pain experienced by people with osteoarthritis. A technician will give it to you in the form of a shot. Some PRP injections have been approved by the FDA and others have not. At this point, the treatments are considered experimental. 

A PRP injection is actually made from your own blood platelets. Blood platelets are simply blood cells that enable the blood to clot. When combined with plasma and injected into your knee, they can help the joint heal faster.

What Kinds of Knee Pain Do You Treat?

PRP therapy is good for all different kinds of knee pain. It can help people who have jumper’s knees from participating in athletic activities and individuals who have been in accidents. It can also help people who have pain because they have just had surgery. It has been shown to help people who have osteoarthritis as well.

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Arthritis occurs when the joints swell. When a person gets older, the protective cartilage that covers their joints wears down. This is known as osteoarthritis and is the most common form of arthritis seen in the knee. 

If you think PRP sounds like it may be right for you, you should consult your physician. Moving without pain is something people often take for granted until they cannot do it anymore.