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An estimated 86,000 athletes have their injuries treated with PRP therapy each year. But this innovative treatment has moved beyond the sports world as more people consider the healing possibilities of platelet-rich plasma for a number of conditions.
It can seem a bit like science fiction, but PRP therapy focuses your body’s healing capability at the area where you need it most. You already have the nutrients and growth factors inside you; your body just needs help getting an extra boost to the injury.
If you’ve tried several other treatments for your pain or injury and nothing has worked, it may be time to consider PRP therapy. At White Integrated Health Clinics PLLC, our team can work with you to determine if PRP is right for you.
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. Platelets are naturally found in your blood, and they play an integral role in how your body heals itself. Most commonly, they form blood clots.
Each platelet contains proteins referred to as growth factors, and the concentrated platelets in PRP are much more powerful at healing than the same amount of whole blood. PRP has 5 to 10 more growth factors than blood.
PRP therapy can treat a variety of pain, injuries, and orthopedic conditions. If you suffer from any of these conditions, schedule a consultation at White Integrated Health Clinics to learn if PRP therapy can help you:
Because this therapy uses your own platelets, PRP therapy can be a useful treatment for your joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
After taking a few tubes of your own blood and concentrating the platelets by putting the blood in a centrifuge, your own PRP is ready. This super-concentrated liquid gets injected into your injured or diseased area, stimulating your body to send even more reparative cells to the area.
Most patients receive one injection. Some require a second injection three to four months after the first.
An injury such as tendonitis often becomes chronic due to the microscopic tearing and inadequate blood supply. These tiny injuries can prevent you from receiving the building blocks needed to repair them.
Your Achilles tendon is a useful example to demonstrate this. It’s a tendon that gets commonly injured (torn) while playing a sport. When there’s low blood flow to the area, your body struggles to heal the tendon back to its pre-injury condition.
The scientific theory behind PRP therapy is that the injection does what the body can’t. It delivers the much-needed platelets that have the nutrients and growth factors to help heal the tendon.
Another theory as to why PRP is effective has to do with the injection itself. Every time you insert a needle, your body reacts to the puncture as an injury. So just performing the injection brings blood and platelets to the injured area.
A third theory as to PRP’s effectiveness is that it utilizes your body’s own material. When you inject an outside substance into the body, there’s a risk of unwanted side effects or adverse reactions. This is significantly reduced with PRP therapy, which uses something that was already in your body.
If other treatments haven’t worked to address your pain or injury, consider PRP therapy. Our team can assess your condition and create an effective treatment plan. Book your appointment with White Integrated Health Clinics today by calling or using the online tool and find out if you’re a candidate for PRP therapy.
