When injuries prove stubborn despite traditional treatment options, PRP Therapy can help stimulate the body’s own natural healing process. It’s used to treat: strains, sprains, partial tears of muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments.
This 45 minute in-office therapy is safe and convenient. Following a simple blood draw, platelets are separated from the blood using a special machine. These concentrated platelets, known as PRP, are then injected into the injured tissue to amplify your body’s natural healing process. Some patients report successful outcomes with only one injection although in some cases, a series of three injections is required to achieve significant results. On average patients report more than 50% improvement within 6 weeks and up to 100% improvement in 12 weeks.
See below for our most frequently asked questions about PRP Therapy:
WHAT IS PLATELET RICH PLASMA THERAPY?
Platelets are the cells in our body that contain growth factors, which stimulate the normal wound healing process the same way that your skin heals after a scrape. With PRP, you create a supra-therapeutic level of your own platelets so that you heighten the healing of chronically injured tissue. PRP Therapy is a minimally invasive procedure that is done in clinic that takes approximately 45 minutes.
IS PRP RIGHT FOR ME?
PRP is indicated for injuries that have failed to heal despite traditional treatment options. It can be performed in any musculoskeletal structure including muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments throughout the body. Examples: partial tendon tears, muscle strains, ligament sprains/partial tears, articular cartilage injury, and chronic tendon injuries. Schedule an appointment with one of our physicians to see if this treatment option is right for you.
HOW IS PRP MADE?
To prepare PRP, blood is taken from your arm with a special kit similar to a normal blood test. It is then placed in a special centrifugation machine that separates the platelets from the blood in order to be extracted in a concentrated form called PRP.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS ARE NECESSARY?
Most patients achieve successful outcomes with only one injection. In some cases, a series of three injections, spaced several weeks apart, is required to achieve significant results. There’s no limit to the number of treatments you can have; however, if improvement is not experienced in 3 injections, other treatments should be considered.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
Since your own blood is used, there is no risk for transmitted blood-infections. PRP has a strong antibacterial effect so risk of local infection is minimal. It is normal to have increased soreness or pain after the procedure for an average of 3 days. Pain medication can be offered to help with this.
IS PRP COVERED UNDER INSURANCE?
Because PRP Therapy is a relatively new procedure, most insurance companies have not incorporated this into their list of approved procedures and do not consider it to be a reimbursable expense. For questions about Billing, please contact us.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF PRP?
PRP stimulates healing of the injured tissue by activating your body’s natural healing capacity. Patients on average report more than 50% improvement within 6 weeks and up to 100% improvement within 12. This may eliminate the need for more aggressive and expensive treatment options, like long-term medication and/or surgery.
Could PRP Therapy be right for you? Call 316.630.9300 for an appointment.