PRP Q & A
What is PRP?
PRP or platelet-rich plasma is a product made from platelets taken from your blood. Platelets are known for their role in clotting blood, but research shows they also contain a rich source of proteins called growth factors.
These growth factors in the platelets stimulate new cell growth to aid in wound healing and the replacement of damaged or diseased tissues.
Harvesting platelets from a patient’s blood produces a concentrated dose of growth factors that your provider at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine® can inject back into your body. There, the growth factors get to work boosting your body’s natural healing abilities.
What conditions can PRP injections treat?
PRP injections are an effective aid to healing and tissue regeneration for many conditions. Some of the conditions the team at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine® use PRP to treat include:
- Tendinitis
- Rotator cuff tear
- Bursitis
- Labrum tears
- Arthritis
- Shoulder instability
- Ligament tears
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Piriformis syndrome
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Meniscus tears
- Patellar instability
- Plantar fasciitis
- Whiplash injuries
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated discs
PRP injections are also helpful for accelerating healing in tissues damaged by surgeries. PRP is a popular and effective treatment for sports injuries, and many professional athletes use PRP therapy.
What happens when I go for a PRP injection?
The first stage in the process is to collect some blood from you, usually around 30ml. The blood gets spun around in a centrifuge, which separates it into its four main constituent parts – red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets.
When the separation process is complete, your provider at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine® injects the platelets and plasma into the site of your injury or pain. Sometimes thrombin or calcium chloride are added as activating agents.
Your PRP treatment session takes around 15 minutes, and most patients need from one to three injections to gain the full benefit. If you need multiple injections, your provider spaces them 4-6 weeks apart.
How long does it take for PRP therapy to start working?
The PRP starts working straight away, but you won’t feel the difference immediately. When the PRP reaches the target tissues, it releases between three and five times the number of growth factors as the equivalent amount of blood.
The growth factors stimulate new cell growth, but this process takes several weeks. When there’s enough new tissue in place, you should start to feel your pain-reducing and range of movement increasing.
It can be several months before you experience the final results, but most patients find the improvement is long-lasting.
Find out more about PRP and other forms of regenerative medicine available at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine® by calling the practice today, or book an appointment using the online tool.