Today I’m writing the article I wish I could have read BEFORE I had PRP therapy for joint pain!
All I could find was boring medical sites which only talk about the procedure itself, and not what patients experience.
But before I begin – what is PRP therapy?
What is PRP Therapy for Joint Pain?
PRP stands for “platelet rich plasma”, and the procedure involves having your own blood drawn, spinning it to separate out the plasma (which is packed with healing goodness), and then having it injected into the problem area.
It’s a relatively new treatment and a bit controversial . However the research is promising, though not so much when it comes to wrist pain from arthritis … but at least the side effects are minimal because it’s your own blood which is used.
I’ve had a lot of trouble with “sore wrists” over the last two to three years and was eventually diagnosed with osteo arthritis of the triscaphe articulations in both hands, and at the carpometacarpal joint (the base?) of my left thumb (you can find out more in my previous post, “The Pain of Mousework“).
Even with a diagnosis finally in place, and knowing that PRP was probably the next step, I faffed around and (like us women tend to do!) just got on with things as much as I could, despite almost constant pain.
Until the day the husbear and I sat down and had a good chat, and I realised: It was never going to get better. That was a sobering thought as it was already limiting me in so many ways.
Traditionally, an ultrasound-guided cortisone injection has been used to mask pain. I had that about ten years ago when I had bursitis in my shoulder and it didn’t work so I wasn’t keen to go down that path.
Enter: PRP therapy for joint pain. The theory is that your own platelets help to regenerate the cartilage which has worn away, thus reducing pain.
I booked me an appointment!
My Experience of PRP Injections
So here are some notes on what it’s REALLY like to have PRP therapy for joint pain … and the verdict: it’s not for sissies!
- I was given a local anaesthetic before the PRP injections. But what they DON’T tell you is that a local only numbs so far … PRP for joint pain means injecting down to the problem area, the bone. IT FRICKEN HURT!
- On the left hand, the injection must have hit a nerve (despite the doctor using an ultrasound to guide him) … OUCH. As a result I have experienced some numbness and tingling in that area especially in the early days though it’s mostly passed now.
- I thought I’d only need a couple of days to recover, mostly to rest my hands. WRONG. I can best compare it to my recovery time from an open biopsy on my breast last year, which required a general anaesthetic – and that’s what I blamed it on last time. But this time? I think it’s caused by the fact that your body is dealing with physical trauma.
- I felt under the weather for about a week and had to take more time off work than I’d anticipated. My symptoms included:
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- nausea and loss of appetite;
- sleepiness;
- brain fog;
- headache.
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- My hands at the base of each thumb (the injection site) were a little bruised and swollen for a few days afterwards. I was encouraged to use them “normally” straight away but at the same time to try to rest them from the things that would usually cause pain (ie computer work, jigsaws, chopping vegetables, heavy lifting).
- The actual “pain” afterwards wasn’t bad at all – it reminded me of when I had my hysterectomy, everyone was like, “Oh you poor thing it must hurt much!” and I was like, “Um actually it was a lot worse BEFORE”!
- I don’t know if this is related … and maybe it’s TMI (too much information) …. but a day or two after, my poop was pale!!
As I write this, it’s been nearly three weeks since my treatment – still too soon to really gauge if it’s worked, but I am seeing some promising signs. My hands and wrists are certainly nowhere near as sore as they used to be, and although I tried to give them a rest the first few days it’s pretty much back to everyday life now.
Looking to the future – I will most likely need PRP therapy again, from what I’ve read it lasts about 9 to 12 months. Given how much it knocked me around I’m hoping it lasts for as long as possible!
PS Reading through this, I can’t believe I’m an “old” lady with arthritis. When did that happen?! And if you have arthritis what have you found that’s helpful for reducing the pain?
