The body has the incredible ability to naturally heal itself. Platelet-rich plasma can be used in a variety of ways, and injecting it into the joints where there is pain or inflammation is a form of regenerative medicine. This promotes our natural blood cells to heal damaged tissue. The plasma contains growth factors and other proteins that are essential in the repair and regeneration of tissues.

Plasma and Platelets 

Plasma is the watery part of our blood which mostly contains water, electrolytes, and protein. It makes up more than half of the volume of our blood, and 90 percent of plasma is water. Platelets are small blood cells that are crucial to the body’s natural healing process. They contain growth factors and other proteins that are essential in the repair and regeneration of tissues. We will use your own platelets to accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints.

PRP Injection Process

The PRP injection process is a relatively quick injection procedure that is done in our office. 

• Bood Collection: First we collect a small amount of blood from the patient’s arm. 
• Centrifugation: The blood sample is then placed in a centrifuge machine which spins rapidly to separate the blood. This process concentrates the platelets, creating a solution with a higher-than-normal platelet concentration.
• Injection: The concentrated platelets are then injected into the injured area. The idea is that the growth factors released by the platelets will accelerate the body’s natural healing process.

Injection Locations

PRP injections are primarily used to treat soft tissue injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, and conditions. What this means is that PRP is used to treat conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bad joints, strained ligaments, and strained tendons. As such you can receive PRP injections at many soft tissue areas that are plagued by pain. For some, this may mean getting an injection in their knee to help with osteoarthritis pain. For others, this may mean an injection to help heal their tennis elbow. If you have chronic pain linked to osteoarthritis or chronic pain linked to strained ligaments or tendons PRP can help provide you not only pain relief but aid in the healing process. 

Treatable Injuries

• PRP injections may be used in conjunction with other treatments to help avoid surgery or long-term pain medications. These injections are primarily used to treat soft tissue injuries, muscles, and ligaments to improve their function and reduce pain and inflammation. Some of the common conditions that we treat are listed below but not limited to: 
• Shoulder Pain- Arthritis, torn rotator cuff, torn labrum, torn bicep, 
• Lower Back Pain- Anything causing pain in your lower back
• Elbow- Golfers elbow, tennis elbow
• Wrist Pain- Any pain in your wrist, arthritis, the thumb carpometacarpal joint, carpal tunnel
• Hip Pain- Bone on bone pain, osteoarthritis, hip bursitis
• Knee Pain- Arthritis, torn meniscus, ACL injuries, MCL injuries, runner’s knee, jumper’s knee 
• Ankle Pain- Ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, arthritis
• Feet Pain- Pain in the feet
• If you are having chronic pain anywhere else, we can discuss if PRP injections could benefit you in your pain management. 

Advantages Of PRP Injections

• Tissue Regeneration: PRP injections contain growth factors that stimulate the regeneration of tissues, and promote healing and the repair of tissue. Orthopedic and sports medicine find this beneficial in treating injuries to tendons, ligaments, and joints.  

• Reduced Inflammation: PRP injections are anti-inflammatory in nature and can reduce inflammation at the site of an injury or affected area. Inflammation going down can lead to pain relief and improved bodily function.   

• Minimally Invasive: PRP is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed in an outpatient setting. This reduces the risks of invasive surgical procedures such as complications and infection. 

• Customized Treatment: PRP injections are derived from a patient’s own blood so there is minimal risk of allergic reaction or the body rejecting the treatment. The concentration of platelets can also be adjusted based on what each patient needs or the injury that is being treated. PRP deviates from the “one-size-fits-all” approach that seems to be all too common. 

• Versatility: PRP has been used in many different medical fields including orthopedics, dermatology, dentistry, and aesthetic medicine. PRP has been used to treat a wide range of conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, chronic pain, and even hair loss. 

• Faster Healing: PRP promotes the natural healing process and may be able to accelerate the overall healing time compared to other conventional treatments. PRP has been sought out by athletes and individuals who are seeking a quicker recovery from injuries. 

• Potential Cost Savings: For many PRP therapy offers a cost-effective alternative to more invasive treatments, invasive surgeries, or other long-term medication plans.

• Limited Side Effects: Since PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood, the risk of adverse reactions or side effects is minimal. Any discomfort or side effects are usually mild and temporary.