Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: Does It Work?

As the most recognized professional athletes in the World, Tiger Woods receives plenty of scrutiny when it comes to his golf game. He also is the center of attention every time he undergoes a medical procedure to reduce the pain in his knees, as well as prevent his back from flaring up at critical times during tournaments. One of the procedures Tiger has gone through is called platelet-rich plasma therapy, otherwise known as PRP therapy.

The injections, which use the blood of the person receiving the treatment, treat a wide variety of injuries and accelerate the healing process after a surgical procedure. Some physicians prescribe PRP therapy to combat the obvious signs of aging, such as the development of wrinkles.

An Overview of a PRP Injection

Plasma represents the liquid part of your blood that is comprised of water and protein. The protein-rich liquid helps move red and white blood cells, as well as platelets, through your circulatory system. Platelets foster the development of thicker blood that plays a huge role in the physical healing process. Because of the importance of platelets, physicians might decide to use plasma that is enriched with platelets to repair injuries to the following parts of the body:

• Skin
• Joints
• Muscles
• Tendons
• Ligaments

Collecting plasma involves drawing blood from one of your arms. Then, an advanced machine separates the platelets from the rest of the drawn blood. An accomplished orthopedic shoulder specialist like Dr. Howard numbs the area of your body that is to receive treatment, before injecting the platelet-rich plasma into the injured area.

Possible Reasons for PRP Therapy

What was once considered a narrowly applied therapy has transformed into a therapy that helps doctors treat a wide variety of injuries and physical conditions. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter Howard shares some common conditions to consider PRP therapy.

Tendon Damage

Damage to the tough, very thick tissues bands that connect bone to muscle can cause considerable pain. One or more PRP injections can accelerate the healing process for a damaged tendon, which alleviates the pain caused by moving the part of the body afflicted with the injury. PRP therapy is used to treat tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis, and what is referred to as jumper’s knee.

Severe Injuries

Doctors have prescribed PRP injections to repair the damage caused by serious injuries that include knee sprains and torn hamstring muscles. The injections typically accompany other treatment methods.

Osteoarthritis

As the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis negatively impacts millions of patients throughout the world. When protective cartilage wears down around the knee, the bones begin to apply pressure against each other to produce excruciating pain. One or more PRP injections can mitigate the pain and also accelerate the cartilage healing process.

PRP therapy is also used to repair torn rotator cuffs and damaged knee ligaments. The injections are effective in treating the scalp condition called androgenic alopecia.

How to Prepare for PRP Therapy

Before you undergo a PRP therapy session, you need to stop taking any medications that cause your blood to thin. Pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen are considered blood thinners. Dr. Howard might also ask you to take a break from ingesting certain daily vitamins and supplements like omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

Although PRP injections to not trigger major physical side effects, you should eat before the procedure because you will have your blood drawn. A full stomach typically prevents the lightheaded feeling some patients experience after having their blood drawn for donation or medical treatment reasons. Expect to see a little bruising around the injection area, which should subside no longer than 24 hours after the shot.

You cannot receive PRP therapy is you have one or more of the following medical conditions:

• Anemia
• Cancer
• Infection
• Abnormally low platelet count

Only a licensed physician should administer a PRP injection.

What to Expect During PRP Therapy

Before drawing blood, your practitioner will sterilize the area around the injection point. The amount of blood drawn depends on where on the body the injection will take place. For example, the amount of blood taken from the scalp to treat hair loss should be around 20 milliliters, which is slightly more than one teaspoon.

After drawing blood, your physician will put the blood into a centrifuge for processing. The machine spins the blood around 360 degrees at a very fast pace to cause the components of the blood to divide and separate. It takes about 15 minutes for the centrifuge to separate blood. A specialist then takes the separated plasma and prepares the plasma for injection into the area of the body to be treated. An imaging device like an ultrasound determines the exact location of a PRP injection.

Learn More about PRP Therapy by Contacting Dr. Howard

Not every physician is qualified to conduct PRP therapy. You want to make sure you work with a licensed doctor who has compiled an impressive record of completing successful injections.