Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)

SYMPTOMS

Do you feel pain in a joint as you move it?
Does it get worse as the day advances?
Do you feel you cannot move it anymore?
You could suffer from Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), or degenerative osteoarthritis. DJD is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving the degradation of the joints by erosion of the articular cartilage.

TREATMENTS

• Intra-Articular Joint Steroid Injection:
  A hypodermic needle is usually driven under the guidance of ultrasound into the joint in order to
  remove inflammatory fluid causing distention of the joint capsule, followed by injection of anti-
  inflammatory medication to lower the inflammatory reaction caused by degeneration of cartilage.
• Intra-Articular Joint Hyaluronic Acid Injection:
  A hypodermic needle is usually driven under the guidance of ultrasound into the joint in order to
  inject hyaluronic acid (Synvisc®) medication to increase the viscosity lost by the reaction caused
  by degeneration of cartilage.
• Intra-Articular Joint Plasma Rich Platelets (PRP) Injection:
  A hypodermic needle is driven, usually under the guidance of ultrasound into the joint in order to
  inject Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) taken from the own patient 15 minutes prior. PRP contains and
  releases several growth factors that stimulate the healing of bone and soft tissue, as well as increase
  precursor cells from tissue that is injured. Since the plasma used is from the same patient, there
  are no allergic or rejection reactions. Several professional athletes like pro golfer Tiger Woods,
  NFL Hines Ward, NBL Alex Rodriguez, NBA Kobe Bryant, and pro tennis player Rafael Nadal
  among others have had several treatments of PRP and swear by it.