We live in an age where we’ve become used to having instant solutions for every problem.
Information about every topic is literally only a few clicks or taps away, on devices stored in our pockets.
We can even heat entire meals from frozen in only a minute or two using a microwave.
Unfortunately, though, not everything has an instant option.
Tennis elbow, for example, can take up to 2 years to heal, according to the NHS, and there aren’t many options for speeding up the process. The common advice for this type of injury is to rest it, stop doing the activity that causes the injury, and let it heal on its own.
This strategy does work, and it is estimated that up to 90% of patients make a full recovery within one year.
One year is a long time to wait though, and the recovery can often be quite painful, so it should be no surprise that researchers have continued to look for better options.
MSK Doctors, a private specialist clinic in Lincoln, offers a safe, non-invasive treatment option that concentrates and relocates beneficial substances already inside of your body, to increase your natural healing abilities.
Visit https://www.mskdoctors.com/services/non-surgical/prp to learn more about how the treatment works, or to schedule an appointment with a specialist.
The non-surgical treatment uses your own blood to create a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) which is then injected into your elbow, where it can work directly on the injury. By altering the composition of the PRP, the medical team can concentrate your body’s naturally beneficial growth factors, such as cytokines, and then redirect them to the injured area.
What this means is that a specialist will take a small sample of your blood, and then run it through a centrifuge or other processes that will separate the most beneficial substances from it. This “enriched” sample can then be injected directly into the injured area, to provide additional resources that will help to improve your body’s natural healing.
Experts believe that there are currently more than 5000 different techniques for producing PRP, with each generating unique combinations and concentrations. Though some clinics may offer generic PRP treatments, the MSK Doctors team believes that every patient’s recovery can be optimised by using a highly individualised treatment plan.
While PRP is not a rapid cure for tennis elbow, research has shown that it can provide you with significant improvements over time. One double-blind study which measured patient pain responses found that while short-term results were comparable with or without the treatment, after several months, the patients who had received PRP showed significant improvement over the control group (1).
The medical team employs a variety of different methods for preparing PRP, which will be contingent on the nature of your injury, and the exact combination may also vary from patient to patient. Though PRP injections are becoming a popular treatment for tennis elbow, they can also help a range of other conditions, such as osteoarthritis, shoulder injuries, and damaged ligaments.
MSK Doctors is a private clinic in Lincoln, UK, that specialises in treating musculoskeletal conditions and offering highly personalised treatment plans. The clinic offers a self-referral option that allows you to schedule your own appointments without a referral from your GP, and it has a no-wait-list policy that allows you to book a near-immediate appointment.
A spokesperson for the clinic explained, “Effective treatment with PRP requires a solid understanding of the biology of the condition. Although it is true to claim that PRP can treat a number of conditions, the devil is in the details when it comes to preparing the solution.”
It’s too bad there is no magic cure for tennis elbow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give your body a little help.
MSK Doctors can help you with a personalised treatment plan designed for you specifically, using your body’s own natural resources, to help you recover faster, and with less pain.
Visit https://www.mskdoctors.com to schedule an appointment right now, or to learn more about your treatment options.
(1) Mishra et al. Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma for chronic tennis elbow: a double-blind, prospective, multicenter, randomised controlled trial of 230 patients. Am J Sports Med. 2014 Feb;42(2):463-71. DOI: 10.1177/0363546513494359. Epub 2013 Jul 3. PMID: 23825183.
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