Opioids are an effective way to treat chronic pain, but these medications also carry risks for health issues and addiction.
Experienced pain management physician Steven Grossinger, DO, provides alternatives to opioids to manage chronic pain conditions. He specializes in regenerative medicine therapies that not only relieve persistent pain, but also help your body heal from the inside out.
Opioids are a class of medications that interact with the opioid receptors in your brain. These medications are made from the poppy plant and include morphine, fentanyl, and oxycodone.
When used correctly under the supervision of a doctor, opioids are an effective way to relieve persistent pain from injuries, degenerative diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions. However, these drugs are only meant for short-term use because of their risks.
Misusing or abusing opioids can lead to dependence, addiction, overdose, and premature death. To avoid these complications, Dr. Grossinger can determine if you’re a candidate for treatment with regenerative medicine therapies such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Platelet-rich plasma is a substance found naturally in your body and is responsible for the regeneration of your cells. When used in treatment for pain, PRP stimulates your body to produce new, healthy cells.
The PRP we use in treatment comes from your own blood. Dr. Grossinger prepares it in a centrifuge to separate the PRP from other blood materials. The remaining high concentration of platelets is what he injects into your injured or diseased tissues.
Over time, as new cells grow, they replace those damaged by injury or disease, essentially healing your body from the inside out.
Since PRP therapy addresses the underlying cause of your symptoms, you can find long-term pain relief and reduce your reliance on opioids and other pain-relieving medications.
While it can take several weeks for new cells to develop, PRP therapy can provide significant pain relief and improve the overall health of your musculoskeletal system.
While PRP may not be right for everyone, Dr. Grossinger has successfully used it to treat ligament tears, muscle strains, and tendon tears that cause:
In addition to reducing your dependence on opioids and other medications, PRP therapy can also lessen the likelihood that you need surgery as part of your treatment.
To find out if you’re a candidate for PRP therapy, we offer on-site diagnostic testing technologies to identify the root cause of your pain. Dr. Grossinger also reviews your medical history to determine if treatment with PRP is right for you.
If your condition isn’t treatable with PRP, you may be a candidate for injections of stem cells.
Stem cells come from the bone marrow and fatty tissue in your own body. They have the unique ability to regenerate into any type of cell, including bone, nerve, muscle, and tendon cells.
Dr. Grossinger may recommend stem cell therapy to treat fractures, arthritis, spine injuries, and other causes of chronic pain or disability.
To learn more about the benefits of PRP and other regenerative medicine therapies, call the office of Steven Grossinger, DO, in Wilmington, Delaware, or Springfield, Pennsylvania, or book your consultation online today.
