PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP)
What is it?
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a revolutionary treatment that relieves pain by promoting long lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions. This rapidly emerging technique is showing promising results with sub-acute & chronic plantar fasciitis & Achilles tendonitis. Our physicians can determine if this advanced, non-surgical treatment is right for you.
How does PRP therapy help?
The body’s first response to soft tissue injury is to deliver platelet cells. Packed with growth and healing factors, platelets initiate repair and attract the critical assistance of stem cells. PRP therapy’s natural healing process intensifies the body’s efforts by delivering a higher concentration of platelets. To create PRP therapy, a sample of your blood is drawn, volume depending on the clinical presentation, and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from the other components. The concentrated platelet rich plasma (PRP) is then injected into and around the point of injury, jump-starting and significantly strengthening the body’s natural healing signal. Because your own blood is used, there is no risk of a transmissible infection.
How long does it take?
The procedure takes approximately one hour, including preparation and recovery time. Performed safely in our state-of-the-art medical office, PRP therapy relieves pain without the risks of surgery, general anesthesia, or hospital stays and without a prolonged recovery.
How often should this procedure be done?
Up to two injections may be given, depending on the clinical presentation. You may, however, gain considerable to complete relief after the first injection.
What are the expected results?
Because the goal of PRP therapy is to resolve pain through healing, it could prove to have lasting results. Initial improvement may be seen within a few weeks, gradually increasing as the healing progresses. Research studies and clinical practice have shown PRP therapy to be very effective at relieving pain and returning patients to their normal lives. Both ultrasound and MRI images have shown definitive tissue repair after PRP therapy, confirming the healing process. The need for surgery can also be greatly reduced by treating injured tissues before the damage progresses and the condition is irreversible.