Do you or someone you know has pain from arthritis or an injury? Is the pain still there despite trying things like medications, rest, therapies, steroid injections, or even surgery?
Orthobiologics can help heal your injury and alleviate your pain.
Dr. Barreto is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist with a subspecialty in Interventional Pain Management and Orthobiologics.
Orthobiologics includes treatments like Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Bone marrow cell therapy. (See below to learn more).
Prolotherapy is a treatment based on injections designed to strengthen ligaments and tendons.
A dextrose solution will be injected into the painful or injured ligaments, tendons, and joints (cartilage). Dextrose will “reboot” or “restart” the healing process in your body’s affected area.
Platelet Rich Plasma, also known as PRP, is a non-surgical treatment that utilizes your own platelets to help you heal from different musculoskeletal conditions and pain.
A solution made out of your platelets is injected into painful or injured joints, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Platelets will release growth factors and other chemicals, which ultimately lead to the healing and repair of the injured part.
Bone marrow cell therapy is the “contractors” of our bodies. They are capable of doing maintenance and repair when needed. The problem is that as we get older or if we suffer a severe injury, the quantity (and also the quality) of these cells is not enough to get the job done. The good news is that although the local bone marrow population in our tissues (joints, ligaments, tendons, etc.) decreases, there are a few areas where the concentration of stem cells remains high: bone marrow and fat cells.
Bone marrow cell therapy involves taking stem cells from the bone marrow or fat cells (or both, depending on severity and type of injury) and injecting them in the area of injury or pain. Stem cell therapy is typically reserved for severe injuries or for patients who have failed to respond to either Prolotherapy or PRP treatments.