Patients experiencing chronic joint pain, arthritis, tendon injuries, and other orthopedic conditions now have expanded treatment options available locally through Northern Montana Health Care’s Interventional Pain Management department, headed by Dr. Michelle Donaldson.
Rather than relying solely on traditional pain-relieving medications to manage symptoms, Dr. Donaldson focuses on identifying and treating the underlying causes of orthopedic pain through interventional, non-surgical therapies designed to support healing and improve long-term function.
One of these regenerative treatment options is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, a procedure that uses components of a patient’s own blood to help stimulate the body’s natural healing response.
Dr. Donaldson explained that the goal of PRP therapy is to support recovery at the source of the injury or degeneration. “By injecting PRP, we are hoping to jump start the body’s own healing capacity, and we find great success in using that for treatment of arthritic joints, for joints with soft tissue injuries and for tendon tearing and degeneration,” she said.
During the procedure, a small sample of the patient’s blood is drawn and processed in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate platelets and growth factors. This platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the affected area, where it may help reduce inflammation, promote tissue repair, and support the healing process.
Orthopedic conditions may result from acute injuries or from gradual degeneration over time, as the body’s natural healing processes slow with age. PRP therapy may be considered in either type of case as part of a broader treatment plan. While cortisone injections remain a commonly used option to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, regenerative treatments like PRP offer an alternative approach that focuses on supporting the body’s ability to heal, rather than only addressing symptoms.
Dr. Donaldson brings extensive expertise in sports medicine and orthopedic care to Northern Montana Health Care. She is fellowship-trained in the advanced treatment of arthritis and sports-related injuries involving the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle, and is specialty certified in sports medicine.
Her experience includes serving as team physician for both the U.S. Olympic Ski and Snowboard Team and the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Eventing Team. During her residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, she also worked on research involving platelet-rich plasma, contributing to the growing body of knowledge supporting its clinical use, and has authored and presented multiple papers on the topic.
PRP therapy is not appropriate for every condition and is typically most effective when used alongside other therapies as part of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan. Because it is considered experimental by many insurance providers, PRP is generally not covered by insurance and is offered as a private-pay service, with treatment costs typically around $750 per point injected.
Patients interested in learning whether PRP therapy or other interventional pain management options may be appropriate for their condition can contact Northern Montana Health Care Specialty Medical Center at 406-265-7831 to schedule a consultation.