Until recently, pain medicines and surgery were two of the most common solutions for people suffering from long-term pain. But today, there’s another option — a holistic, regenerative therapy called platelet-rich plasma or PRP.
PRP is derived from your own blood, so you don’t have to worry about allergic reactions. The therapy itself is simple and minimally invasive — and perhaps best of all, it works with your body’s natural healing processes to restore and repair damaged tissues.
At Jersey Integrative Health and Wellness, our team offers PRP therapy at our offices in Wayne, and Jersey City, New Jersey, providing patients with a cutting-edge treatment that can help them feel better. Here’s how to decide if PRP is the right choice for you.
PRP 101
Like the name implies, PRP contains platelets and plasma, two components of your blood. Plasma is the liquid part of blood, while platelets are tiny cells that play an important role in clotting and healing.
Platelets contain proteins called growth factors. As they circulate through your bloodstream, platelets look for damaged or injured tissues, triggering a healing cascade that prevents bleeding and helps promote natural healing.
In PRP therapy, we draw a small sample of your blood and process it in a device called a centrifuge, separating the platelets and plasma from the rest of your blood. Then, the PRP is injected into the treatment site — an arthritic joint or an injured tendon, for example.
Once injected, the PRP “goes to work” promoting natural healing and helping to reduce inflammation and pain. Typically, you’ll notice benefits a few weeks after treatment, and you may benefit from a second injection, depending on the extent of your injury.
PRP candidates
That’s how PRP works. Now, you’re probably wondering: is PRP right for me? That depends, in part, on what’s causing your pain.
PRP seems to be most effective for people with:
- Tendon injuries, like Achilles tendonitis or rotator cuff problems
- Osteoarthritis, including knee arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Muscle injuries
- Tennis or golfer’s elbow
Our team sometimes suggests PRP following surgery to speed healing, and it’s often used in combination with other treatments, like physical therapy.
Because it doesn’t involve surgery and it uses your own blood, PRP can be a great choice for plenty of people, including people for whom surgery isn’t an option. There are some people, though, for whom PRP might not be a good choice. They include people who:
- Have bleeding disorders
- Have active infections or metastatic disorders
- Are pregnant
- Are anemic
- Are using anticoagulants (unless treatment can be temporarily suspended)
Our team uses a comprehensive medical history, a physical exam, and other steps to ensure PRP is the right choice before proceeding with treatment.
Learn more about PRP
PRP can be a good choice for many people suffering from chronic pain from arthritis, tendon injuries, and other musculoskeletal issues. To find out if it can help you relieve your painful symptoms, call Jersey Integrative Health and Wellness or book an appointment online today.
