The Future of Rejuvenation Medicine
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
Try PRP therapy and you will be amazed at the positives it can have for your medical and aesthetic issues. Platelet Rich Plasma results in faster healing, lower inflammation levels, and pain relief and doctors are increasingly finding new applications for PRP.
FAST HEALING
DECREASES
PAIN
REJUVENATION
PRP Treatment
Hearing all that hype about PRP treatment and how celebrities are using the plasma treatment, you’re probably curious to know what it is all about. Are you wondering if it is actually effective? Before you pass off PRP therapy as just another fad, know that the treatment has the capability to help you with a whole range of medical and aesthetic issues. And, yes, it works! Not just on celebrities but common everyday folk too. Read ahead for all the information you’re looking for.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy for Pain
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP therapy) is the latest treatment that many professional athletes receive in order to heal and return to playing sooner. It is non-surgical, with quicker healing times and has been showing promising results for many conditions such as plantar fasciitis, tendonosis, muscle, ligament and tendon strains, sprains and tears (Rotator Cuff, Patella, ACL etc), that have failed other conservative treatment.
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PRP is "platelet-rich plasma". This is also known as autologous blood concentrate APC. Platelets are a specialized type of blood cell that are involved with injury healing. With PRP, a concentrated platelet solution is injected into the injured area to stimulate healing
Although still not covered by insurance, this procedure is an affordable procedure to the public. Because this procedure has been proven to be effective and save thousands of dollars on potential surgeries, Medicare was going to sign this procedure into law as a covered benefit. Due to the political uncertainties, however, this has not happened in the past 5 years when this was initially proposed. However, insurance companies have realized PRP’s benefits and cost saving potential, many countries internationally cover this procedure. PRP is a well established, trusted therapy to heal patients and get you back to your activities.
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PRP Treatments are effective for:
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Labrum injuries
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Ligaments
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Muscle Tears
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Osteoarthritis
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Tendons
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Most common conditions treated:
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Achilles tendonitis
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Ankle tendon/Ligament tears and pain
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Elbow Injuries
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Hip Pain
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Knee pain
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Plantar Facsititis
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Rotator Cuff injuries
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Should Pain
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Trochanteric Bursitis and Gluteus Medius Tendonitis
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Wrist injuries and pain
How does it work?
Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is blood plasma with concentrated platelets. The concentrated platelets found in PRP contain huge reservoirs of bioactive proteins, including growth factors that are vital to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration. These bioactive proteins initiate connective tissue healing: bone, tendon and ligament regeneration and repair, promote development of new blood vessels, and stimulate the wound healing process.
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PRP works by recreating and stimulating the body's natural healing process. In order to benefit from these natural healing proteins the platelets must first be concentrated. To prepare PRP, a small amount of blood is taken from the patient. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins and automatically produces the PRP. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500%.
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When PRP is injected into the damaged area, it stimulates the tendon or ligament, causing mild inflammation that triggers the healing cascade. As a result new collagen begins to develop. As this collagen matures it begins to shrink causing the tightening and strengthening of the tendons or ligaments of the damaged area.
How is PRP done?
Doctors extract the PRP serum from your blood. They harvest a small sample and then run it through a centrifugal device. The spinning motion separates the blood into different components with the red blood cells settling at the bottom. Above this layer is the PRP serum that doctors may spin for a second time or inject after processing. They may only add natural agents during the PRP preparation process to stop the serum from clotting before injecting. These agents also help to minimize any possible discomfort.
Is PRP painful?
Patients usually tolerate the injection well. However, there can be soreness after the injection due to the PRP-induced inflammatory response. You can expect swelling and soreness during the first 48 hours post injection and are given pain medication to help alleviate the discomfort.
How quickly does PRP work?
Most patients see some improvement within 2-6 weeks. The pain becomes less and less as the weeks pass with most clinical trials reporting improvement up to 6-9 months post injection.
Are PRP injections safe?
Platelet injections are safe. Since you are using your body’s own blood components and there are no foreign substances being injected into your body, the injections are considered safe. However there is some minimal risk involved. During research studies and clinical trials, the only risk noted was that the injection could cause an infection to develop. This is not unique to platelet injections, anytime a person undergoes an injection there is this risk. But because there are no foreign bodies being injected and there is no concern of disease transmission, this therapy is considered to be safe. Using one’s own body as a healing mechanism is a relatively new concept in the world of medicine, and an exciting one at that. As therapies such as these begin to prove they are beneficial and effective, you will likely see similar therapies develop in other medical areas.
You should not do PRP if...
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Patients with severe anemia, low platelet count, abnormal platelet function, active systemic infection or those with an active cancer are not recommended to be administered PRP.
You should not do PRP if...
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Patients with severe anemia, low platelet count, abnormal platelet function, active systemic infection or those with an active cancer are not recommended to be administered PRP.
Is PRP worth it?
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Oh yes! As compared to the costs and benefits of conventional treatments and medications, PRP therapy can give you much better results within a shorter time frame. You can also combine PRP treatment with other medical procedures to enhance their effects. In the long run, you might just be able to avoid expensive surgery and extended rehabilitation and discomfort thanks to the benefits you get from PRP.
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Here’s what E. Edward Khalfayan, orthopedic surgeon and team doctor for the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners has to say about the PRP treatment. “I’ve used it for hamstring sprains, calf strains, oblique strains and found that it really helps decrease the healing time.” Whereas ankle sprains can keep players off the field for six to eight weeks, PRP helps them recover faster. “I’ve had players come back after two to three weeks.” reveals the doctor.