SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Joint Injection

How Long Do Joint Injections Last?

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Injection treatment is a great therapy that continues to work for months.

Aging, injury and just natural wear and tear will begin to degrade your muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and cartilage. This damage can be accelerated due to compound injuries, diet and diseases like cancer and diabetes. Luckily there is help in the form of joint injections. At SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach CA we offer HCT/P (Human Cellular Tissue Products)  as well as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections.

Today we’re going to cover what HCT/P and PRP injections are, what they can help treat and how long they last.

Joint Injections

As previously stated, joint injections at SOHMA come in the form of PRP and HCT/P injections. Though not all injuries and conditions can be treated with joint injections and sometimes surgery may be required.

PRP therapy processes the patient’s blood and separates the platelet-infused plasma from the red blood cells. After the platelet-rich plasma is separated, it is drawn from the vial and injected into the areas in need of healing support like muscle tissue, joints, or other soft tissues. PRP has also been used to help patients recover from surgery quicker, reducing recovery times by days or weeks.

HCT/P is a modern approach to healthcare that attempts the patient’s body to repair itself by regenerating and reconstructing its own tissues in order to regain some of its natural functions. HCT/P injections encourage the healing of damaged tissue. After the HCT/P is injected into the affected area, it will help in reducing further inflammation and stimulate your own tissue and cells to regenerate. Once a cell is damaged, it generates a signal that attracts the HCT/P. Over the following days the HCT/Ps may rejuvenate and replace damaged cells forming new tissue and helping relieve pain and regain mobility.

How Long for Joint Injections to Work?

Like many things in life, this isn’t a simple question to answer, as it depends on the injury and the patient’s reaction to the treatment.

Depending on the patient’s condition, PRP injections can begin to show noticeable results between 2 weeks for mild injuries or chronic pain and around 4 to 6 weeks for more serious injuries.

Much like PRP therapy, HCT/P injections also vary depending on the condition of the patient. Because the body is making new cells and tissue, some patients will notice results sooner than others.  Typical signs of improvement begin within 6 to 8 weeks after treatment begins, though it all depends what condition is being treated, if the patient is following treatment properly and how well the body responds to the HTC/P injections.

How Long Do Joint Injections Last?

Well, it depends. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t very simple. Every person’s body is unique and will respond differently to treatment. Though typically PRP injections continue to work for 6 to 9 months. Throughout that time the PRP will continue to help the body in healing soft tissue. If after the first PRP injection the results are satisfactory, and you feel relief from pain further treatment may not be necessary. Though it is not uncommon for patients to need multiple injections for best results.

When it comes to HCT/P, due to new tissue being created some patients will take longer to feel a significant reduction in pain, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that treatment isn’t working. When successful, HCT/P treatment has shown to reduce or eliminate pain long-term. Though it is possible for some patients to need more than one treatment of HCT/P. When a patient does not see any improvement to their condition after many months, repeating the treatment may be recommended. 

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Questions to Ask Before Getting an HCT/P Injection

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It’s important to ask your healthcare provider questions before receiving HCT/P injections.

Any procedure involving needles can be intimidating. That’s understandable, at SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach CA want our patients to recover and heal naturally. HCT/P injections help by letting your body repair damaged tissue or regenerate lost tissue. Helping relieve pain and return some mobility to your joints and body.

Today I want to go over what questions you should ask before getting HCT/P Injections. Join me as I clear up any misconceptions you may have towards this procedure.

What are HCT/P Injections Used for?

HCT/P injections are used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Some of the more common injuries treated with HCT/P injections include:

  • Arthritis
  • Trauma caused by injury
  • Ligament or muscle tear or strain
  • Muscle pain
  • Inflammation
  • Chronic joint pain

HCT/Ps heal many kinds of bone and soft tissue problems. In the injection site, growth factors become triggered. Over the following days or weeks, cells may grow, multiply and form new tissue.

How Long Does HCT/P Injections Last?

Like many procedures, longevity of the treatment is dependent on the patient, and severity of the condition or injury. It has been shown that using HCT/P can result in lasting pain relief of arthritis for over 6 months up to several years. Due to every patient’s reaction to treatment being different it is difficult to put an accurate result however, results show to be positive from the majority of patients.

How Many Treatments Will I Need with HCT/P?

Depending on how fast a patient heals and the severity of the injury it is possible that only one treatment will be needed to relieve pain and recover from injury. If several months go without any noticeable improvements, your primary care provider may consider repeating the treatment. In order to further aid healthy tissue growth. During consultation they should be able to communicate what to expect in regards to your injury.

How Long Before HCT/P Begin to Show Effect?

Because the body is beginning to start making new tissue with the HCT/P injections, it will take some time for treatment to start working. Some patients have described a dramatic reduction in pain levels in a few as a couple months. Other patients have reported to experience improvement within the first months. Each patient responds differently to treatment, depending on their body.

What are the Side Effects of HCT/P Injections?

Side effects are not common, after application there may be some discomfort. In the area of the injection site there may be increased sensitivity. In some cases, especially ones involving nerve damage, an increase in nerve sensation can be seen as a side effect. 

The doctor may advise to refrain from heavy activity for a couple of days after administration of HCT/P injections. Usually this is the length of time needed for recovery after the procedure.

Do HCT/P Injections Hurt?

Being injections, HCT/P injections will hurt to a certain extent. Usually for only a few seconds. Depending on the area being injected it will vary on the level of discomfort. HCT/P injections much like any other injections will have a level of pain due to the needle piercing the soft tissue. For the most part, the injections are no more painful than any other joint or soft tissue injection.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Joint Injections for Knee Injuries

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Joint injections in knees can help increase recovery from injury and even improve ailments without surgery.

Your knees are some of the most important joints in your body. We use them to walk, run and jump. Keeping your knees healthy is one of the best ways to maintain mobility. Unfortunately as we age the risk of injuring our knees becomes greater. Knee injuries go farther than just a simple sprain where you can recover with some rest. 

In today’s article we’re going to go over what joint injections we offer at SOHMA of Long Beach CA, and what they can do to help you recover from knee injuries.

Knee Injuries that Joint Injections can Treat

Let me preface this by saying that joint injections do not treat all injuries. If there is a fracture or a severe tear you may require surgery however, post surgery joint injections have been shown to help recovery times. PRP therapy has been used by doctors to help patients heal faster after surgical procedures. It has been shown to shorten recovery times by days, in some cases even weeks.

Your knees are a major joint in the body, making it a common area to sustain injury. Some of the more common injuries that have been treated with HCTPs or PRP include:

  • Arthritis
  • Trauma
  • Ligament or Muscle Tear
  • Ligament or Muscle Strain
  • Muscle Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Chronic Knee Pain

Relatively minor accidents can result in knee injury. For older adults a slip or fall can cause life altering fractures or dislocation.

What are Joint Injections?

Starting off with the basics, joint injections are as the name suggests, they are injections that are used to help in recovery from joint conditions. At SOHMA we offer both Human Cellular Tissue Products (HCTPs) or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). HCTP injections can aid the body in healing damage on its own without the need for surgeries. Tissue can be regrown to its former strength and recover the functions in highly used areas of the body such the spine, hips, shoulder, knees and other major joints. In PRP therapy, blood is drawn from the patient into a vial and separated in a centrifuge. Once separated, we draw the PRP from the vail and use it in the treatment. Meaning its the patient’s own platelets being used in areas that need healing support like  muscles and joints.

Long Term Effects of Knee Injuries

As stated previously there are many different types of injuries one can sustain in the knees. Depending on the type of injury sustained, as well as how long the patient went without treatment, long term effects can vary. If left untreated, knee injuries can lead to many mobility problems, pain, and early onset of arthritis.

A decrease in range of motion of the knees can make you unable to bend the knee fully or completely straighten the knee out. When you lose mobility in your knees the decreased mobility makes running nearly impossible and walking becomes difficult and puts you at risk of further injury due to loss of balance. Sitting and standing from chairs can also become uncomfortable and difficult.

Arthritis usually is thought of as something that affects older adults. Due to it being associated with aging and natural wear and tear. Injury suffered at a young age has been shown to increase the risk of early onset osteoarthritis. Sport related injuries like ACL or meniscus tears are often associated with a form of post-traumatic form of osteoarthritis.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

3 Reasons To Consider Joint Injections

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There are millions of Americans suffering from joint related pains every day, whether it is caused by tendonitis, arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps you have a nagging knee, ankle or shoulder injury. If the pain you are suffering is becoming more frequent or more intense you may need to look into getting Joint Injections.

What are Joint Injections?

At SOHMA integrative medicine in Long Beach CA, we use Cellular Regenerative Therapy, as well as Platelet Rich Plasma. This unique approach to repairing the human body aims to regenerate and replace damaged tissue and restore your body’s health and natural functions.

What is Platelet Rich Plasma and Cellular Regenerative Therapy?

Blood is first drawn from the patient, following this the plasma is separated from the red blood cells.This process does not remove platelets leaving a concentrated platelet rich plasma behind to be injected back into the patient joints where the Platelet Rich Plasma can help in reducing pain, inflammation, improve joint function and in some cases halt or slow down the damage to the joint. Cellular Regenerative Therapy is also used as a treatment for repairing and regenerating damaged tissue. Also known as Human Cellular Tissue Products (HCTP), these injections support the body’s healing without the need for surgeries or the use of modern pharmaceuticals.In today’s article I’m going to give 3 reasons as to why you should consider joint injections to aid with your pain and recovery.

Aging

Growing old is normal, but with it comes natural wear and tear. Slowly our bodies begin to break down, we lose muscle mass, our tendons and ligaments become less flexible, loss of bone density, and cartilage within joints wears away. These changes can cause a number of problems for our bodies including arthritis which limits the range of motion of your joints as well as causing swelling, stiffness and pain especially in your hands and feet.

Joint Injections can be used to slow the wearing down done to the cartilage in your joints caused by aging. By reducing the swelling in the affected area Joint Injections can aid in regaining some mobility to your limbs. Depending on the severity, Joint Injections may not be able to reverse all the damage done to the soft tissue, though Platelet Rich Plasma Injections and Cellular Regenerative Therapy have been shown to aid in relieving pain. Do not ignore your symptoms, beginning treatment as soon as possible can help in mitigating long term effects.

Injury

Accidents and injuries can leave long term damage to your body, causing lingering discomfort and pain. Many times these can damage soft tissue. Chronic injuries which are injuries caused by overuse of a joint or muscle group can develop slowly and over time. If these are not treated in a timely manner they can result in pain, inflammation, and discomfort for years or in some cases permanently.

Due to the nature of some injuries, a full recovery may not be possible, especially if the injury is left untreated for an extended period of time. However, Joint Injections can be used to reduce swelling and pain giving you relief. 

For more serious injuries you may require more than just Joint Injections for your recovery. Feel free to ask the helpful staff at SOHMA about complementary treatments such as Chiropractic Care or Massage Therapy which combined with Joint Injections can be used as a more well rounded treatment.

Post Surgery Recovery

Sometimes after all alternative treatments are exhausted you may ultimately require surgery. Not only are surgeries expensive, recovery time from these procedures can be days, weeks or months. Many of us don’t have that kind of luxury.

Joint Injections have been used  to help patients heal from surgeries more swiftly. By increasing the level of Platelets or Human Cellular Tissue Products in the affected area, inflammation can be reduced and tissue can be regrown and repaired. This can greatly reduce the necessary time needed for recovery and shorter recovery periods means getting back to your normal life sooner.

The goal is to return you back to a pain free lifestyle the most natural way possible.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.