Stem cell and PRP Therapy: What do they mean and what do they do?

Over the last several years, stem cell therapy and PRP (platelet rich plasma) therapy have become mainstream in their use for recovery from injury and management of osteoarthritis amongst other uses. Most orthopedists and pain management specialists are advising the use of this treatment with positive results. Unfortunately, the cost is high ($800-$1200/treatment) and not covered by insurance. However, these procedures do seem to work well for most people and can expedite the healing process.

So, what is stem cell therapy exactly? Stem cells are used to help diseased, injured, or dysfunctional tissue repair itself. Stem cells are unspecialized cells in the body that can divide and renew themselves and can differentiate into other types of cells. This means that they can replicate more cells like themselves or become other cells such as muscle, blood or brain cells and repair and fix damaged tissues. Stem cells do two things that no other cells can do: they continuously renew and divide to make exact replicas of themselves.

There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. In humans, you will find adult stem cells in the brain, blood, skin, and bone marrow and these are most commonly used for injuries and osteoarthritis. Stem cell therapy can use stem cells from various sources, including bone, tendon, skin, and umbilical cord. One type of stem cell that is often used is mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are adult stem cells that are versatile and have fewer ethical concerns than embryonic or fetal stem cells. Stem cells can be injected into joints, muscle, and tendon injuries and to help with mild to moderate osteoarthritis.

So, what is PRP exactly? Plasma is the liquid portion of whole blood. It is composed largely of water and proteins, and it provides a medium for red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to circulate through the body. Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are blood cells that cause blood clots, as well as other necessary growth and healing functions. The activation of the concentrated platelets in platelet-rich plasma releases growth factors that stimulate and increase the number of reparative cells your body produces. This significantly enhances the body’s natural healing process.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is produced from a person’s own blood. It is the concentration of one type of blood cell (platelets), which is critical for blood clotting. This concentration is injected to an injured or diseased part of a person’s body to accelerate the healing of damaged tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones and joints. A key advantage of PRP injections is that they can reduce the need for opioids, or even over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. In fact, use of anti-inflammatories should usually be ceased at the time of PRP treatment, because the platelet-rich plasma optimizes the initial inflammatory response involved with healing. (https://www.hss.edu/condition-list_prp-injections.asp)