Orthobiologic injections are a type of regenerative medicine that may help promote healing in the body. Despite growing orthobiologic research and clinical use, there are still many misconceptions about orthobiologics. In this blog post, we will discuss what they are and their potential to help patients with musculoskeletal health issues.
What are orthobiologics?
The field of orthobiologics is a branch of the promising field of regenerative medicine, and it uses biological substances naturally produced by the body to potentially bring about faster healing and recovery for injured muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There is ongoing clinical research to discover where these procedures may help patients. Orthobiologics have been shown to be useful in the treatment of sports injuries, arthritis pain, and back pain.
Now that you know more about orthobiologics, here are four facts you may not have been aware of.
How the body heals itself
After an injury, a whole group of blood cells is rushed to that specific area by the body. With them, they carry all the materials necessary to bring about repairs and healing. This triggers a whole sequence of events that facilitates restoration of the injured body parts, so healing can take place. Orthobiologics are used to support, promote, and enhance the body’s own naturally occurring healing mechanisms.
The benefits of orthobiologics
Compared to surgery, orthobiologics is far less invasive, and that means there is virtually no recovery time needed by the patient. The whole process usually takes less than an hour, and it can be performed right in a physician's office. The procedure can also be performed on multiple locations in the body during the same session, for instance on both knees. Best of all, healing comes about by using the patient's own body substances to accelerate the process.
How a platelet-rich plasma procedure is performed
First, a small amount of your blood is drawn and then placed in a closed centrifuge system. This will separate the components of the blood so that concentrated platelets can be obtained. These platelets are then re-injected into the body at the site of injury. The platelets release growth factors and other biologically active things that trigger the body's own healing mechanisms.
The best candidates for orthobiologic treatment
Not everyone is suitable for orthobiologic treatment, so to find out if you're a good candidate, you should check with your physician or with an orthobiologics expert. Sometimes patients who have undergone other procedures unsuccessfully, like with NSAIDs or steroid injections, can be helped by orthobiologics. Patients who wish to avoid significant surgery on the injured body part are also generally good candidates to use orthobiologics to minimize their pain.
Dr. Don Buford of Texas Orthobiologics is the leading provider of orthobiologics in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and would be happy to discuss your treatment options with you. Contact us today to see if this cutting-edge therapy is right for you.
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