Answers

The best way to know if you are a candidate for APS, PRP, or BMAC and Lipogem injections for the elbow or hand is to contact Beyond Biologics™ to arrange a consultation. Generally, there are no age or activity-level restrictions on patients seeking APS, PRP, or BMAC and Lipogem injections. Beyond Biologics™ regularly consults patients about their options to treat their elbow and hand pain with regenerative medicine. Patients often come to Beyond Biologics™ after having been recommended surgery or joint replacements by other doctors.

Beyond Biologics™ utilizes both PRP and BMAC and Lipogem injections to treat elbow and hand pain injuries and APS to treat elbow osteoarthritis. For arthritis of the thumb, a recent study showed that PRP injection worked better than traditional cortisone to treat thumb arthritis. Depending on your condition, a combination of therapies be recommended. All of the regenerative therapies offered deliver highly concentrated healing factors directly to the site of injury using precise ultrasound guidance, naturally stimulating the reparative processes of your body, enhancing functionality and reducing the pain associated with injury.

Serious risks or complications following elbow or hand pain injections are extremely rare. As APS, PRP, and BMAC and Lipogem injections are non-surgical procedures, patients need not worry about the risks that come with operations, such as anesthesia, blood clots, added pain during recovery, and more.

The side effects of elbow or hand pain injections align with what one might expect, with the most common effect being elbow pain for 24-28 hours after the injection, or swelling and bruising at the injection site. In the vast majority of cases, this discomfort is quick to subside. In fact, many Beyond Biologics™ patients go to work or continue on with their day immediately following an injection. Severe complications, such as those a patient might experience after surgery, are very rare.

Many patients report being pain free following the elbow or hand pain injection, and patients have also reported using less pain medication and gaining greater joint motion. Overall, patients get back to regular daily activities with greater speed and ease than they otherwise would with surgery or other traditional treatments. It is often advised that patients perform stretching and strengthening exercises after the injections as part of a home exercise program. Gentle stretching for the muscles around the injected area can usually be started immediately after the injection; however, strengthening exercises should not begin immediately, as the tissues require healing time after the injection before being heavily stressed.

For athletes, sport-specific exercises such as throwing or simulated sport drills will be gradually encouraged as soon as possible. Others may require a home exercise plan before returning to a full occupational workload or activities such as gardening or housecleaning. For athletes and non-athletes alike, your Beyond Biologics™ provider will discuss the most appropriate return-to-sport or activity plan for you after a APS, PRP, or BMAC and Lipogem injections and will advise you on the acceptable level of activity at each stage of your rehabilitation process.

Most Beyond Biologics™ patients are able to return to work or continue on with their day following the elbow or hand pain injection. Patients generally notice improvement 2 to 6 weeks after their treatment. However, there are factors that can affect the treatment’s efficacy such as the type and site of injury or pain. There are a number of clinical studies showing that the results of effective regenerative therapy for the elbow or hand can last for years.

In general, patients do not report significant pain following an elbow or hand pain injection such as APS, PRP, or BMAC and Lipogems. As one might expect with any injection procedure, patients may experience swelling, stiffness, or mild to moderate discomfort that lasts a few hours after the injection. Such mild discomfort is normal, however, and the affected area will begin to heal almost right away.

Following the elbow or hand pain injection, Beyond Biologics™ generally keeps patients under observation for up to 30 minutes. Patients may experience slight discomfort in the area of the injection that can last for a few days or up to a week. Although it can seem like the injury actually feels worse than it did before the treatment, it is important to remember that there is a good reason for that— the injection triggered an inflammatory response that is quite normal.

Once the patient returns home, it is typical to ice the injected area for pain relief or to limit activities as much as needed. Generally, Tylenol is suggested for pain relief. Ibuprofin or other anti-inflammatories are not advised, as the treatment is designed to trigger an inflammatory response and those medicines will thwart that. Some providers will recommend avoiding heavy or repetitive physical activity with the treated body part for up to a week to allow the healing to occur.

Many insurance plans do not cover regenerative therapies such as APS, PRP, or BMAC and Lipogem injections for elbow or hand pain. Unfortunately, this means that patients often pay for treatment out-of-pocket. Though the out-of-pocket expenses are not ideal, injection therapies cost vastly less than the surgical alternative. To get an idea of what your treatment would cost, it is best to contact Beyond Biologics™ directly.