Regenerative medicine is an up-and-coming treatment used for various conditions, especially platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. At Joint Regeneration, our team offers PRP to help you heal using your body’s natural properties. From injuries to chronic conditions, PRP offers a chance at truly healing your body, instead of covering up the issue. Call the Joint Regeneration team today or book an appointment on the website to learn more about PRP and non surgical healing treatments.
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What is platelet-rich plasma?
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a type of regenerative medicine that specifically uses your own blood to essentially heal your condition from the inside out. To understand how PRP works, you have to know a little about your blood.
Your blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The liquid portion of your blood is known as plasma. In PRP, the plasma and the platelets are separated by a centrifuge machine.
This gives the injection a high concentration of platelets, which are best known for their role in clotting your blood. Platelets also contain essential growth factors that are needed to repair parts of your body, some of which include:
- Cartilage
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Muscles
The growth factors are proteins that accelerate your body’s own response to damaged tissue. By harnessing these specific factors, PRP therapy essentially speeds up the healing process in your body, allowing you to heal more efficiently than with other treatments alone.
How does PRP therapy work?
To start the process for PRP therapy, the team takes a sample of blood from your arm. This is usually quick and just involves a needlestick to get the blood. Once the blood is obtained, the team takes the blood and places it in a centrifuge, where platelets and plasma are separated from the other components in your blood.
The platelets and the plasma are then extracted into a syringe. The PRP is injected directly into the area. You may have some slight discomfort during the injection, but it should go away quickly afterward.
Once the PRP is in, the platelets begin working to heal the area. The growth proteins in the platelets are activated once they find damage and continue working to rebuild tissue that’s causing you pain or other issues.
The process isn’t immediate. Although you may notice some pain relief soon after the injection, it often takes weeks to months to notice a big difference, as your body takes time to heal and regenerate tissues.
When can PRP help you?
The practice uses PRP for a variety of issues, including joint pain and injuries. PRP is also sometimes used after surgery to expedite your healing process.
PRP is used for injuries like a rotator cuff tear or ligament tears in your knees when the tears aren’t severe enough for surgery, but do need treatment to heal. The platelets help the minor tears heal over the course of several months.
PRP is also used in chronic conditions like osteoarthritis. In this disease, the cartilage that protects your joint becomes damaged. PRP injections help to repair the damaged areas in the cartilage, to help relieve pain and regain some mobility.
If you’re interested in learning more about PRP therapy, Call Joint Regeneration team, today to schedule an appointment, or book a consultation on the website.