Have you heard doctors tell you that you have “bone on bone” arthritis?  It’s likely then, that you have very little or no cartilage left in your joint to work as a shock absorber for the bone ends.  Osteoarthritis is the wearing down or loss of articular cartilage in a joint.  A joint is the junction or contact area between bones.  Articular cartilage in joints acts as a cushion between the bone ends to decrease stress and force across the contact areas between the bones.

The elbow is a hinge joint that consists of the articulation of 3 bones; the radius, ulna, and humerus.  Over time, the cartilage at the ends of the surfaces of these 3 bones can wear away.  Trauma can also speed up the process of wearing away articular cartilage in any joint.

Osteoarthritis symptoms can manifest as visible deformity, loss of motion, stiffness, and pain.  Interestingly though, not every person with osteoarthritis has pain.  Treatment recommendations depend on the severity of the arthritis, and how much it’s negatively impacting your life.  While surgery can be a great pain reliever for severe arthritis, there are less options available to help relieve joint pain from mild and mild/moderate arthritis.

Can platelet rich plasma (PRP) and Stem Cells help relieve my osteoarthritis elbow pain?

PRP injections have been shown in some studies to be an effective treatment modality to relieve osteoarthritic pain, especially in patients with mild to moderate arthritis.  Additionally, unlike cortisone, it doesn’t damage the articular cartilage you still have left in your joint.

Stem Cells are also found in the body.  At Michele Y. Yoon, M.D., PLLC, we often use adult stem cells isolated from each patient’s own bone marrow.  Stem cells have also been shown in studies to improve osteoarthritic pain in patients, even in cases of moderate/severe and severe arthritis.

At Michele Y. Yoon, M.D., PLLC, PRP and Stem Cell therapy procedures are safe and effective.  We utilize your own blood or bone marrow for the procedures, process and inject the desired cell type back into your injured area, and witness your own cells stimulate your body to heal and relieve pain.  All of this is done at the same procedural appointment in the office with very little risk.

If you’d like to pursue PRP or Stem Cell therapy treatments for your osteoarthritis pain, call (847) 957-4183 today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Michele Yoon.