Platelets normally circulate within the bloodstream and are responsible for blood clotting and initiating a healing response in an acute injury. Many acute injuries do not heal adequately and can lead to chronic pain and loss of function of the injured area.
Platelet rich plasma therapy allows us to harvest the patient’s own platelets and re-inject those into the site of the injury to initiate healing and improvement of function. This is typically done under image guidance such as ultrasound and/or fluoroscopy and can be done in our office.
As a result, the damaged tissue begins to heal. PRP has been successful in not only relieving pain, but also in jump-starting the healing process.
*PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and Stem Cell injections are currently considered experimental treatments though laboratory studies have shown that the increased concentration of growth factors, particularly in PRP, can potentially speed up the healing process.
