Autologous Blood Therapy - Medical Experts

Autologous blood therapy is a form of alternative medicine. It involves drawing blood from the patient’s own body and then re-injecting it. Depending on the method used, a small amount of blood may be drawn from a vein. The patient’s own blood may remain unchanged; separation of the blood’s components is not part of this form of autologous blood therapy.

The treatment method is based on the idea that the injection can stimulate the immune system or the body’s own self-healing powers. This assumed reaction is not a proven treatment success. Whether symptoms can be alleviated must be investigated separately for each condition.

Variants involving ozone, UV light or added substances are other forms of autohaemotherapy. Such additives are not included in every standard injection.

The range of applications is broad, but its effectiveness has not been generally proven. Conventional autohaemotherapy has been studied, amongst other things, for infections and skin conditions. No general recommendation can be derived from the results.

• Chronic urticaria: No statistically significant benefit was observed compared with a placebo.
• Atopic dermatitis: A small study produced conflicting results.
• Allergies: Autologous blood therapy is offered, but its benefits have not been proven.
• General immune stimulation: There is no evidence that it specifically strengthens the immune system.
• Tendon irritation and migraine: The treatment is also offered for these conditions; however, no conclusions can be drawn regarding its effectiveness.

Before making a decision, you should enquire about the expected benefits and possible risks. You should also ask for an explanation of proven alternatives. Autologous blood therapy should not replace effective treatment for a diagnosed condition without medical assessment.

PRP and ACP are not the same as traditional autologous blood injections. PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. ACP stands for autologous conditioned plasma, i.e. the body’s own conditioned plasma. Both terms refer to processed blood plasma.

For PRP or ACP therapy using autologous plasma, blood is centrifuged. The centrifuge separates the plasma from other blood components, including red blood cells. The platelet-rich plasma contains blood platelets – medically known as thrombocytes – and can be injected, for example, into a knee joint.

Anyone looking for orthopaedic autologous blood therapy for osteoarthritis, joint problems or sports injuries may be referring to a procedure using processed plasma. The terms ‘PRP therapy’ and ‘PRP treatment’ refer here to the procedure using processed plasma. They describe a different approach to the traditional autologous blood therapy used for immune stimulation.

Statements regarding growth factors, cartilage or regenerative effects in tissue cannot therefore be applied to unprocessed autologous blood. This also applies to terms such as ‘platelet-rich plasma’ or ‘autologous conditioned plasma’.

The results of studies on conventional intramuscular autologous blood therapy are contradictory. Due to the varying nature of the studies, a systematic review was unable to calculate an overall treatment success rate. Five randomised studies showed no efficacy; the conditions investigated included respiratory tract infections and urticaria.

For chronic spontaneous urticaria, a meta-analysis evaluated eight clinical trials involving a total of 529 patients, including four randomised trials. Autologous blood and serum injections were not statistically significantly superior to a placebo.

In a small study on atopic dermatitis, the skin findings assessed by doctors improved. However, there was no clear difference in the symptoms as assessed by the patients themselves. Larger studies would be needed to verify this result.

No benefit was observed for the common cold either. After the start of treatment, the illness lasted seven days under both autologous blood therapy and placebo. Autologous blood therapy therefore did not shorten the duration of the illness.

Before the session, it should be clarified which condition is to be treated and what effects can realistically be expected. This information should also cover possible risks and established alternatives. The skin must be disinfected before blood is drawn and before the injection.

1. The puncture site on the arm vein is disinfected. The recommended contact time for the disinfectant must be observed.
2. Blood is then drawn from a vein.
3. With the traditional method, the blood drawn is left untreated.
4. The blood is then reinjected, for example into the gluteal muscle.

No surgery is required for this. It is not possible to give a general indication of how much blood is drawn or whether the injection is painful.

In a small study on atopic dermatitis, treatment was administered once a week for five weeks. This study protocol does not constitute a general recommendation.

A study on chronic urticaria involved weekly injections of the patient’s own blood, serum or a placebo over ten weeks. This does not establish a standard duration either. It is not possible to reliably predict when any potential effect might occur, given the unclear efficacy of the treatment.

A bruise may develop during blood collection. In a small study on atopic dermatitis, six people reported mild, temporary adverse events following autologous blood treatment and seven following placebo treatment. These figures do not allow for a reliable estimate of rare side effects.

Careful hygiene is essential during both blood collection and re-injection. The skin must be disinfected before each puncture. The recommended contact time for the disinfectant must be observed. Ask at the surgery how blood collection, temporary storage and injection are organised in a hygienic manner.

After venous blood collection, apply gentle pressure to the puncture site with a clean pad. If it continues to bleed, you should maintain the pressure.

Proven alternatives depend on the underlying condition. The appropriate treatment therefore depends on the diagnosis.

Alternative autohaemotherapy treatments are generally not included in the catalogue of compulsory services covered by statutory health insurance schemes. People with statutory health insurance must therefore pay for the treatment themselves.

There is no standard price per session for conventional injections for immune stimulation. As a special case, the IGeL-Monitor generally quotes 5 to 12 euros for a single treatment for tendon irritation. This amount cannot be applied to other areas of application.

For those with private health insurance, reimbursement depends on the terms of the policy. Privately insured patients should submit a cost estimate in advance and clarify whether the costs will be covered.

When choosing a practice, you should ensure that the blood collection and subsequent injection are carried out hygienically. Before each puncture, the skin must be disinfected, allowing sufficient time for the disinfectant to take effect.

The following questions are useful for the initial consultation:

• What specific benefits do you expect this treatment to have for my condition?
• What other proven treatments are available as alternatives?
• How are the blood collection and injection carried out hygienically?
• What will be the total cost for all scheduled appointments?

You can find specialists in autohaemotherapy at the end of this text.