The following is a patient experience that was submitted to us from a Twitter follower.
Exercise, a concept I began to embrace when I got into my early teenage years. When I enrolled into high school, I immediately got into competitive sports. I played football in the fall, wrestled in the Winter, and played Lacrosse in the Spring. I was not one of the best athletes however, I enjoyed keeping great shape through rigorous cardio and weight training.
When I got into college, it proved more challenging to implement disciplined workout routine that would could accommodate my student schedule. When I graduated from college, I decided to get back into shape by working out at my local gym and playing pickup football on the weekends in the park. The routine was working. I enjoyed being active again however, something changed.
Around winter of 2013, I begin to feel a pain in my hip. I completely dismissed the pain and thought over time, it would just go away. “It’s just a minor injury. Nothing to worry about. It will heal.” That self monologue played over in my over and over. The pain never went away. It continued to get worse and I began to develop stiffness so bad that even lifting my left leg proved to be an everyday challenge.
After a year and a half, I began to accept that fact that this was pain was not going to go away. I knew I needed to treat this issue so I took charge and began to shop around for conservative treatments that would dramatically mitigate my pain and stiffness.
I first saw an osteopathic physician whose manipulation treatment would keep the symptoms on the sidelines for a temporary period of time. After seven months post my osteopathic consult, the pain would return. At this juncture of my road to recovery, Ibecame discouraged. I wanted to give up and just accept the fact that this was going to be the way of life for me.
It wasn’t until this year that my Mom had finally convinced me to meet a physician whose focus on musculoskeletal recovery and regenerative medicine. During the first consult with this particular provider, he would test my range of motion, and then he would screen my hip via Ultrasound.
After these tests, he voiced his concern because a high volume of arthritis was present in the left side of my hip. For a 29 year old, that can be a bit concerning. He would suggest to have additional imaging through X-ray and MRI. Upon completing both examinations, the radiologist dictated that severe degenerative osteoarthritis with impingement was present in my left. There it was. I got my answer to why I felt this pain. The real question became what do I do now?
I would visit the regenerative medicine clinic once more. This time, I would be introduced to one of the PAs on staff. She would suggest that an injection with super concentrated platelet rich plasma has benefited their patients greatly because of the healing properties that can be attributed. I was convinced. I figured after all the pain that I had endured for almost three years, what did I have to lose?
The day of my injection, I felt extremely nervous because I came to the realization that I would have a needle administered in my left hip. It’s not that I do not do well with needles, I was just concerned that I would be in a great deal of pain from this procedure.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. When I was checked into the clinic, I was met by a welcoming and caring staff that made me feel immediately comfortable in my surroundings. I as given oral versed to keep my nerves calm.
Upon taking the versed, I was met by one of the nurses who would have my blood drawn to be concentrated in one of their designated centrifuges. I would then be taken back to be met by the provider who performed my first consult at the clinic. I would lie down on the table with the needles filled with concentrated PRP that were adjacent to me
“This is it. The moment of truth” I told myself. While I was having this monologue, the procedure was already done. That was it? I’m done? I didn’t feel anything! Now all I had to do was play the waiting game to see improvement.
After a few days post the procedure, I felt dramatic improvement. The pain was almost nonexistent. I also found out that I could do something that I couldn’t do for the last two and a half years, I could lift my leg. Within weeks, I would continue improve and I would begin my regimen of physical therapy.
Today, I can tell you that I feel like a new person. PRP therapy has given me the ability to take my life back and given me a second chance to feel normal again. For those that are thinking of choosing a conservative approach to treating a particular injury, I would highly recommend PRP therapy.
However, I would also do the research and shop around for a qualified physician with an accredited background in this field of medicine. I’m thankful for every non pain filled day PRP has given me and hope it will continue to benefit others as it has for me.
