PRP - PLATELET RICH PLASMA

WHAT IS PRP?

PRP stands for "Platelet Rich Plasma". Although it is an emerging technology and technique in medicine, it has been around since the mid-1990’s and used in dental and oral surgery and to aid in soft tissue recovery following plastic surgery. Now today, after sports injury repairs, surgeons are using PRP in the wound before suturing up the incision to enhance the healing process. PRP gives your body it’s own natural ability to heal without pain pills, and other drugs used to temporarily mask pain.

Platelets function as a natural reservoir for growth factors that are essential to repair injured tissues. The growth factors that the platelets secrete stimulate tissue recovery by increasing collagen production, enhancing tendon stem cell proliferation, and tenocyte-related gene & protein expression. PRP activates tenocytes to grow quickly and produce collagen to repair injured tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and muscles. PRP is also greatly associated with the term Regenerative Medicine; meaning the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function

HOW IS PRP ADMINISTERED?

PRP therapy, which takes about twenty minutes to complete, begins with a small collection your blood. The blood sample is placed in a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the other components of whole blood. The concentrated platelets are then injected into the site of the injury often using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance for accuracy.

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Will I feel immediate results from PRP therapy? You will feel a notable increase in pain in the days immediately following the injection because PRP causes an inflammatory response to begin healing. The pain becomes less each day as functional mobility and general functional ability increase along with endurance and strength. You will notice gradual improvement 2-6 weeks after PRP therapy. Some patients report ongoing improvement 6-9 months after a PRP series is administered. In some studies, Ultrasound and MRI images have shown definitive tissue repair after PRP therapy, supporting the proof of the healing process. By treating injured tissues before the damage progresses, surgical intervention may be avoided.

DO YOU HAVE KNEE PAIN? PRP COULD HELP!

START FEELING LIKE YOURSELF AGAIN.