Maybe you are at the end of your rope with pain. We at Integrated Pain Relief understand your struggles. You have a nagging injury or painful condition. Perhaps you have tried everything with no results. Every time the weather changes you are acutely aware of your pain. You don’t want to use addictive medication, but you don’t know where to turn. There is hope for you.
In the last several years few medical fields show as much promise as regenerative medicine. One of the reasons there focus on regenerative medicine is the use of the human body to heal tissue damage. Among treatments such as stem cell therapy is the use of Platelet Rich Plasma, also known as PRP, to repair inflamed or damaged tissue. The general public is just now becoming aware of PRP, but the medical community has known about it for some time. This procedure uses FDA approved technology to treat pain in a way that no other treatment can. Every day more and more people are forgoing ineffective, outdated pain treatments for PRP.
To fully understand how platelet rich plasma can help you, let’s take a closer look.
How Does PRP Therapy Work?
Platelets are the small flat, round cells in your blood that gather to clot blood when you are bleeding. Not only do platelets keep you from bleeding uncontrollably, but they also heal the body. When tissue in the body is injured, it sends out a kind of chemical “signal.” The platelets respond to the damaged or inflamed part of the body. As the platelets gather they begin the healing process — the greater the number of platelets in an injured area, the greater the healing. Platelet rich plasma therapy maximizes the number of platelets in an injured or inflamed tissue by administering it directly where it is needed.
How Are Platelets Harvested From a Patient?
Unlike costly and painful surgery, PRP is non-invasive. Blood drawn from a patient using a precise system is put into a centrifuge to separate the platelets. The cutting edge process creates a plasma that is rich in platelets. Once the plasma is abundant with healing platelets, it is applied to the area of injury or inflammation. The entire process is done in our clean and comfortable facility located at 400 North Loop 288.
How is PRP Given to a Patient?
PRP is administered via injection with a syringe directly into an injured or inflamed area. The injection areas could be anywhere there is pain, neck, hips, knees, ankles, etc. The number of injections a patient receives depends on the severity of the condition being treated. Typically, two to six injections are needed for effective plasma therapy.
Are Plasma Therapy Treatments Painful?
A small pinch is usually felt during the injection of PRP. If the injection site is already sensitive from injury or inflammation, some brief discomfort may be experienced. There is much less pain than is common in surgical treatment.
There is a good reason to be optimistic about PRP. Here are some reasons why:
PRP can treat a broad range of tissue related injuries and inflammation. How broad a range? Here are just a few of the conditions that PRP can treat.
Connective tissue related issues such as ligament, cartilage, and tendon injuries.
- Arthritic joints.
- Neck and back pain.
- Degenerative or herniated disks.
- Foot and ankle pain.
- Torn rotator cuffs.
- Tennis and golfer’s elbow.
- Repetitive motion-related pain.
- Plantar fasciitis.
- Fibromyalgia inflamed tissue.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Hamstring injuries.
- Hip injuries.
There are many benefits to using PRP over older, outdated treatments for pain.
- There is no need for surgery with PRP.
- No recovery from surgical incisions.
- No scars from surgery.
- There is no risk of surgery-related infections with PRP.
- There are no hospital stays for PRP treatments.
- Reduces or eliminates dependency on pain killers.
- No side effects.
- Provide effective treatment when other treatments have failed.
PRP clearly has more upside than antiquated treatments such as surgery or prescribing opioids for pain.
Who Benefits from Plasma Therapy?
There are any number of individuals who can benefit from receiving platelet rich plasma. Many common patients include:
- Warehouse Workers.
- First Responders.
- Chronic Pain Sufferers.
- Anyone with pain from an injury or degenerative disease.
Are There Any Risks Associated With PRP?
Because there is no surgery, PRP is a low-risk procedure. There is no risk of complications from general anesthesia or drug allergies. There is no risk of rejection because a patient uses their own blood. The only minor risk associated with PRP is some minimal bleeding from the injection site. Overall, you can rest easy that PRP is a safe procedure.
How Long Does it Take for PRP Treatments to Work?
The time it takes a PRP treatment to work depends on the severity of injury or inflammation. In most cases, patients begin to improve in as little as one month. Pain may be reduced, and mobility increased in four to six weeks. Physical therapy can aid the speed which your PRP treatment works. Be careful to avoid any activity that may reinjure or irritate the treated area. Once the healing process has concluded the treatment is considered a permanent fix.
There is no need to live with pain from an injury or degenerative condition. PRP can help you live pain-free. Why wait any longer?