Gloria goes to Taara Clinic for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
As we get older osteoarthritis in the knees is a common degenerative joint condition. The cartilage cushioning the bones in the knee joint wears down over time and once it’s gone it’s gone. Previously there was little to be done for this condition. Corticosteroid injections provide temporary pain relief but only for a limited number of times as their repeated use can:further weaken the cartilage over time.
So as the condition progresses, bone begins to rub against bone, causing increased discomfort and loss of joint function. Treatment at this stage will most likely be joint replacement surgery. Therefore PRP treatment offers hope as it can regenerate damaged cartilage in knees if the condition is caught early enough.
Treatment typically involves harvesting platelet and plasma from the patient’s own body (autologous treatment). These cells are then processed to separate them from the red blood cells and then injected directly into the area that needs healing. The goal is for these PRP cells to reduce inflammation, repair damaged tissue, and even grow entirely new healthy cells to replace diseased ones.
So if this is something that we’re pretty much all in danger of suffering from once we pass the age of 40 why don’t we all just routinely have this done was a question I put to Dr Patrick of the Taara Clinic? I often put questions to Dr Patrick because I have a natural journalistic interest and also because unlike many other doctors I have found he always answers me in good, concise English. In a nutshell what he explained to me was that if you randomly go ahead and inject into a knee that doesn’t need treatment it can lead to damage, inflammation and do more harm than good.
Was I experiencing pain problems with my knees? Well the answer to this was in this country I hardly ever notice it but whenever I’m back in the UK I do. Reasons – possibly the cold, damp weather – although I am rather intrigued to research the difference between a humid climate and a damp climate – perhaps another article at a later date? More likely though,it could have more to do with stairs. I do more walking when in the UK and seem to have to go up and down more stairs than when here in Pattaya where I nearly always find myself taking the lift (elevator) or escalators.
So Dr Patrick examined me
and found that I had the start of osteoarthritis in both knees. He could tell this when he examined and maneuvered my knees and we both heard the clicking sound they made when he did. He therefore prescribed a set of 4 treatments.
Now I have to tell you that I used to have a morbid fear of needles but from the extraction of my blood to the injection of the PRP into my knee the procedure was pretty painless. Dr Patrick and his team all know their stuff in terms of making the procedure as pleasant and pain free as possible. For about 24 hours after the injections I had to rest up a little as my legs just felt a little “tight” but after that I could walk as normal. After the 3rd treatment Dr Patrick was pleased to find that there was no more clicking in my knees.
