At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic, we acknowledge the importance of taking a history, performing a physical examination, and reviewing radiographic studies. We appreciate that MRI’s or x-rays alone rarely identify the source of pain. Many painful conditions such as facet dysfunction are not reliably detected on conventional radiographic studies.
Some health care facilities have recently advertised PRP treatments through radiology departments without the need for an initial evaluation. A prospective patient calls provide a brief history and secure an appointment. No initial examination is required nor is a complete history taken. The platelet-rich plasma is injected via guidance and the patient is subsequently discharged with no followup.
We find this treatment lacking on many counts. In medicine one size does not fit all. Not all conditions require the same PRP therapy. In contrast, an automated, bedside machine which can only produce one PRP product, a state of the art lab practice such as the Centeno-Schultz Clinic can customize platelet-rich therapy. Important factors in a patient’s history are taken into consideration at the Centeno-Schultz Clinic. We have blogged previously on how medications such as statins can complicate certain conditions such as tendonitis. Patients see their physician immediately after the injections to evaluate the immediate results and followup in clinic weeks thereafter to ensure clinical progress. It is this attention to detail that differentiates the Centeno-Schultz Clinic from others.