More and more people who suffer from osteoarthritis, back pain, neck pain, and other painful regions are turning to platelet-rich plasma to treat their pain. Although it’s been used for more than three decades for tendinosis, it’s gained popularity recently for its efficacy in the treatment of a variety of pain conditions.

In this procedure, the provider draws a small sample of blood from your arm — it’s similar to a routine blood draw in a lab. He places that blood into a centrifuge, which spins it at a high speed to isolate the platelets from other components in your blood, like the red and white blood cells. Once it’s ready, he injects the concentrated solution into your painful joint.

Those platelets secrete growth factors that boost cell division, prompt your tissues to regenerate, and speed up the healing process. Studies show that PRP for knee osteoarthritis often stops the progression of the disease and reduces pain.