PRP is an innovative form of stem cell technology used to help relieve pain and treat common
injuries and degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, ligament
sprains, tendon injuries, muscle strains (etc.). This revolutionary
treatment is showing exciting potential as an alternative to surgery,
and has received much attention in the media thanks to high profile
athletes such as Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, and Hines Ward who have used
this non-surgical treatment for their sports injuries
How does PRP Therapy help?
The body's natural response to an injury is to deliver platelet cells to the affected area.
Platelet cells contain necessary growth, healing, and anticoagulant factors to speed up recovery
from an injury. After platelets are injected into the area of concern, they increase local blood
circulation and initiate the repair process in injured tissue. PRP therapy intensifies the body's
natural healing process by delivering a high concentration of platelet cells to the appropriate
region of the body.
How is the procedure carried out?
Platelet Rich Plasma therapy involves
having a sample of your blood drawn (similar to a lab test sample). The
blood is placed in a centrifuge which spins the sample at very high
speeds in order to separate the platelets in the blood from other
components. The isolated plasma is then injected into and around the
point of injury, jumpstarting and intensifying the body's natural
healing process. Because your own blood is used, there is a very low
risk for allergic reactions and virtually no risk of a transmittable
infection.
How often is this procedure done?
Up to three injections can be administered within a six-month time
period. There must be a 2-3 week gap in between injections, however, you
may gain considerable relief after the first or second injection. Each
consecutive treatment enhances the pain relief and function during the recovery process.
What are the expected results?
PRP is a new technological method intended to relieve pain by
targeting the area of injury and enhancing tissue repair. Research and
clinical studies have proven PRP biogenerative therapy to
be an effective means of treating long-term pain, and
providing the highest level of functionality and quality of daily
living. The resulting tissue repair from PRP treatment has been
definitively confirmed by MRI and ultrasound images. Furthermore, the
need for surgery can be greatly reduced using PRP therapy, since it can
treat injured tissue before the damage progresses and before the
condition becomes irreversible.
What makes this treatment more effective than other treatments?
This treatment uses high precision technology to separate the components of whole
blood in order to extract the Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), the component with the most
healing properties. Ultrasound imaging is then used to locate the exact region of pain,
and the PRP is injected with great precision into the desired area.
* PRP is often not covered by insurance, please check with your insurance carrier