Nowadays, people dealing with a chronic musculoskeletal condition can get relief from a platelet rich plasma therapy. Although this kind of therapy is the latest innovation, it has gained immense popularity amongst the doctors and patients. Let’s learn about this therapy in detail.
What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy?
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a cutting-edge technology and has been identified as an effective treatment in orthopedics, sports injury, and diabetic ulcer disorders. It is the newest technique that uses the regenerative power of patient’s own body without the apprehensions for surgical involvement, foreign material and infection.
How Is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy Conducted?
Our blood is composed of red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The platelets are important since they are essential for blood clotting. After getting injured, blood platelets get activated and secrete healing protein, called growth factors. These growth factors help to hasten wound and tissue healing.
The PRP therapy starts by first drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood into a specifically prepared test tube. The test tube is then placed in the FDA approved centrifuge and spun for a few minutes. This process helps in the separation of various parts of the blood including platelets. The separated platelets are injected into the affected area of the patient. This helps ease the swelling and reduce pain. Patient also experience rejuvenation of tissues in the treated parts of the body.
According to experts, PRP therapy helps to simulate healing in various conditions such as tennis elbow, arthritis, planar fasciitis, and the strengthening of damaged tendons. PRP is also beneficial for people wanting to have improved facial features without using commercial fillers. It has potential to erase acne scarring, reduce skin wrinkles, restore skin’s youthful appearance and accelerate the healing process after a peeling session.
What Are The Benefits Of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy?
PRP therapy increases your healing ability. It is emerging as one of the effective alternatives to steroid injections. Patients can notice remarkable results in just a few weeks of receiving the treatment. PRP therapy may eliminate the requirement for more invasive treatments such as surgery. Some of the potential benefits of PRP therapy are as follows:
- Highly Effective: The major benefit of PRP therapy is the lower prevalence of platelet rejection by the body since the platelets belong to the patient being treated.
- Low Risk: Since the PRP therapy requires platelets of patient’s own blood; therefore, the risk is extremely low. It also reduces any risk of foreign antibodies that may react with your immunity system.
- Short Duration Of Recovery: Patients usually experience minimal to moderate discomfort at the site of injection. And, the pain and uneasiness generally subsidies within a week. This is a great healing response. Your doctor may prescribe pain medications if needed. Most patients are able to resume their daily activities a week after the injection.
- Few Doctor’s Visits: There is no need to visit your doctor more often for PRP therapy. Generally, doctors prescribe three injections that are injected within a period of six months, and are spaced three weeks apart. Patients usually experience relief after two injections.
The Platelet Rich Plasma therapy has a unique characteristic that stimulate the body’s natural healing process. Researches have revealed a success rate of more than eighty percent for patients receiving PRP therapy. Do consider PRP therapy before turning to other risky mode of treatments such as surgery and steroid injections.
