Is PRP and electromagnetic therapy actually effective? Take a look at the X-ray changes in a 74-year-old woman after treatment.

 

Last March, Dr. Huang shared the case of a 73-year-old woman with lower back pain accompanied by leg numbness.
Her X-rays revealed lumbar scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and stenosis (in fact, her cervical spine also had problems).

Following Dr. Huang’s recommendations, she underwent several sessions of PRP injections along with high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) therapy.

Due to work commitments requiring her to frequently stay in the United States, her treatment schedule was irregular.
Her last PRP injection was in August 2025; then she returned to the U.S.
She didn’t come back until this April.

The first thing she did upon returning was to visit Dr. Huang for maintenance of her spine and other joints.
(She also has rotator cuff tears in the shoulder and degenerative knee joints, both treated by Dr. Huang.)

The patient reported that during her time abroad, she experienced almost no lower back pain, with only occasional mild leg numbness.

Dr. Huang arranged a follow-up spinal X-ray at Chung Shan Hospital, which showed clear improvement compared to previous images:

• The degree of scoliosis was significantly reduced (Figure 1)
• Spondylolisthesis and foraminal stenosis also showed improvement (Figure 2)
• 
  

With objective X-ray evidence to support the results, the patient gained greater confidence in the treatment and chose to continue PRP therapy.

She joked that every time she sees me, she feels both happy and scared—
happy because her problems can be treated,
but scared because it means more injections😅 (she is very afraid of needles).

So each time, she opts for a larger-volume PRP injection (Figure 3),
which allows her to reduce the number of visits 😆

Many people ask: Do PRP and electromagnetic therapies actually work?
Many patients also wonder: Can degenerated or damaged structures be “reversed” or “repaired”—even just a little?

The answer is realistic—
not everyone experiences dramatic results.

However, with the right physician, proper indications, good patient compliance, and sufficient treatment dosage,
these therapies can indeed change the course of a disease.

This 74-year-old patient did not undergo intensive treatment
and even spent more than half a year abroad.

Yet with appropriate regenerative therapy combined with electromagnetic treatment,
the X-rays still provided an answer:

Degeneration does not have to be a one-way decline.

What we can do
is not only slow it down, but sometimes even improve it.

This is what Dr. Huang has always aimed to do:
use scientific methods to restore the body as much as possible.

PRP and electromagnetic therapies are not miracle cures,
but they can shift a future that once seemed destined to worsen.

As for fear of injections?
Of course she’s afraid 😆
Yet she keeps coming back.

Because compared to the injections,
she understands something even more important:

Some pain
doesn’t have to be endured for a lifetime.

Previous report:
https://uroprolo.blogspot.com/2025/03/ultrasound-guided-prolotherapy-for.html

 

肌腱撕裂傷打PRP真的比較好嗎？來看看國際運動醫學期刊的研究

 

l  肌腱撕裂傷的挑戰

 

肌腱撕裂傷是一種常見的運動傷害，

特別是在運動員和體力勞動者中。

傳統治療方法包括物理治療、消炎藥物和類固醇注射，

但這些方法可能效果有限，

且類固醇長期使用可能導致副作用。

 

l  什麼是PRP (Platelet-rich plasma)？

 

PRP (Platelet-rich plasma)是富含血小板的血漿（PRP），

從患者自身血液中提取並濃縮的血小板，

這些血小板富含多種生長因子，

可以促進組織修復和再生。

PRP治療在運動醫學和骨復健領域越來越受歡迎，

尤其在治療肌腱撕裂傷方面顯示出顯著效果。

 

l  PRP治療真的比較好嗎？

 

2021年一項發表在Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine （IF:2.4）的研究比較了PRP和傳統類固醇注射對部分肩膀肌腱撕裂（主要是肩胛棘上肌Supraspinatus）的疼痛緩解和功能改善效果。

這項隨機對照試驗共納入了32名患者，分別接受了PRP或類固醇注射。

 

研究結果─

短期效果（治療後1個月）：

兩組在疼痛（VAS評分）和肩膀功能（OSS評分）方面皆顯著改善，

但兩組之間的改善程度沒有顯著差異。

 

長期效果（治療後6個月）：

PRP組在疼痛和功能改善方面仍持續改善，

但類固醇組則持平。

兩組相比，

PRP組在疼痛和功能改善方面明顯優於類固醇組。

具體數據顯示，

PRP組的疼痛(VAS, visual analog scale)評分和功能(OSS, Oxford Shoulder Score)評分都顯著降低，

表明患者的疼痛減少和功能提升更為顯著。

安全性：

兩組患者在研究期間均未出現任何併發症，顯示出PRP和類固醇治療的安全性。

 

研究結論─

使用皮質類固醇或PRP注射皆可在 1 個月時使肩胛棘上肌部分撕裂患者的疼痛得到類似的減輕並改善功能。

然而，

在 6 個月的追蹤中，

PRP 顯示出優於皮質類固醇的益處。

 

黃醫師總結：

l  為什麼選擇PRP？

1.    長期療效：與類固醇相比，PRP在長期的疼痛緩解和功能改善方面效果更好。

2.    自然成份：PRP來自於患者自身的血液，減少了排斥反應和過敏風險。

3.    促進修復：PRP中的生長因子能有效促進肌腱和其他組織的修復和再生。

l  PRP治療適合您嗎？ 

對於肌腱撕裂的患者，

PRP注射是有效且安全的治療選擇。

它不僅能在短期內緩解疼痛，

還能長期促進功能恢復，

改善生活品質。

對於想尋求長期效果和降低副作用風險的患者。

PRP無疑是最適合的治療。

 

 

【參考文獻: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34485587/】

 

 

Is PRP Really Better for Tendon Tears? A Look at Research from the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

 

l  The Challenge of Tendon Tears

Tendon tears are common sports injuries, especially among athletes and manual laborers. Traditional treatments include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and corticosteroid injections. However, these methods often have limited effectiveness, and long-term use of corticosteroids can lead to side effects.

 

l  What is PRP (Platelet-rich plasma)?

PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) is a treatment that uses the patient’s own blood to extract and concentrate platelets. These platelets are rich in growth factors that promote tissue repair and regeneration. PRP therapy is becoming increasingly popular in sports medicine and orthopaedics, showing significant results in treating tendon tears.

 

l  Is PRP Treatment Really Better?

A 2021 study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine (IF: 2.4) compared the effects of PRP and traditional corticosteroid injections on partial shoulder tendon tears (primarily the supraspinatus tendon). This randomized controlled trial included 32 patients who received either PRP or corticosteroid injections.

 

Study Results:

Short-term Effects (1 month post-treatment):

Both groups showed significant improvements in pain (VAS scores) and shoulder function (OSS scores).

There was no significant difference in the level of improvement between the two groups.

Long-term Effects (6 months post-treatment):

1.    The PRP group continued to show improvements in pain and function, while the corticosteroid group did not.

2.    Compared to the corticosteroid group, the PRP group had significantly better pain relief and functional improvement.

3.    Specifically, the PRP group’s VAS (visual analog scale) scores and OSS (Oxford Shoulder Score) scores significantly decreased, indicating greater pain reduction and functional enhancement.

Safety:

⁃       No complications were reported in either group during the study period, demonstrating the safety of both PRP and corticosteroid treatments.

Study Conclusion:

•      Both corticosteroid and PRP injections provided similar pain relief and functional improvement at 1 month for patients with partial supraspinatus tears.

•      However, PRP showed superior benefits over corticosteroids in the 6-month follow-up.

 

Dr. Huang's Summary: 

l  Why Choose PRP?

•      Long-term Efficacy: PRP offers better long-term pain relief and functional improvement compared to corticosteroids.

•      Natural Components: PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood, reducing the risk of rejection and allergic reactions.

•      Promotes Healing: The growth factors in PRP effectively promote the repair and regeneration of tendons and other tissues.

 

l  Does PRP Treatment Suit You?

For patients with tendon tears, PRP injections are an effective and safe treatment option. They not only provide short-term pain relief but also promote long-term functional recovery and improve the quality of life. For those seeking long-term benefits and lower risks of side effects, PRP is undoubtedly the best treatment choice.

[References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34485587/