Autologous Blood Injections (ABI)

 

Conditions that may be suitable to treat with ABI:

• Chronic (long standing) lumbar pain
• Achilles tendonitis/enthesitis/paratendonitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Tennis elbow
• Golfers elbow
• Shin splints

 

ABI is another form of prolotherapy (‘Proliferation therapy’), where platelets within the blood initiate an inflammatory and repair response. This is a less expensive option than PRP and is ideal for chronic tendon inflammation (tennis/golfers elbow, achilles tendonitis, patella tendonitis etc), plantar fasciitis and chronic lumbar pain.

 

ABI cannot be injected into a joint or bursa so, unlike PRP, it is not suitable for use with early stage osteoarthritis, bursitis or other forms of joint inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis etc). PRP may be better suited to these conditions.

 

Like PRP, injections have to be repeated two or three times, (each injection is performed 2-4 weeks apart), and results can take 8-12 weeks to reach maximal effect.

 

ABI costs $45 per treatment (in addition to your consultation fee). This fee is not rebated by Medicare.