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Platelet Rich
Plasma Injections
What is PRP?
PRP therapy is a procedure that concentrates platelets, growth factors, and other healing components from a patient's own blood. To aid the body's natural healing process, this concentrated mixture is then directly injected into the wounded area.
Numerous musculoskeletal injuries, such as tendinopathies, ligament injuries, and even osteoarthritis, can be successfully treated with PRP therapy. According to a systematic study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research in 2016, PRP therapy significantly reduced pain and improved function for people with chronic tendinopathies such patellar tendinitis and tennis elbow. PRP therapy was shown to be equally helpful for patients with other ligament injuries, such as ankle sprains. This was demonstrated from different systematic review that was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine that same year.
For the treatment of many musculoskeletal injuries and diseases, PRP therapy has been deemed preferable to steroid injections. Some of those reasons include: steroid use has been shown to lead to more osteoporosis, infections, and even rupture of the tendons or other tissue you are trying to heal in the first place.
PRP, on the other hand, is also a relatively safe procedure with minimal side effects. It is a clinic-based outpatient surgery that doesn't require general anesthesia and that is only mildly painful (it is important to note it will be more painful if the site of injection is already very painful). Additionally, the risk of infection or allergic responses is quite low because it uses the patient's own blood.
PRP therapy shortens the time required for recovery after an accident by accelerating the healing process. The patient will typically be able to return to their regular activities more rapidly if it helps to lessen discomfort and enhance function.
In short, PRP therapy is a medical procedure that shortens the time needed for recovery from an injury using the patient's own blood. It has low adverse effects and has been proven to be useful in treating a variety of musculoskeletal ailments and tendinopathies. PRP therapy is something to think about if you have a persistent injury and have tried other treatments without success. If you have questions about PRP, please feel free to reach out to our clinic via email or text and we can answer any questions you have. Also, be sure to check out our blog to see how to prepare for an injection and how to care for it after PRP is performed.