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Platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) is a treatment that uses the body’s own defense mechanisms to speed up healing. PRP doesn’t cause any side effects or allergic reactions because the substances injected come from the patient’s blood.
Medical specialists use PRP to speed up the recovery of muscle injuries, tendon injuries, and inflamed tendons. Below, we asked Dr. Linda Dula, our expert at Invigorate Asheville, to explain how PRP speeds up healing and who can benefit from it.
PRP makes use of your blood enriched with platelets and growth factors that your body normally uses to heal wounds. Dr. Dula takes a few vials of your blood, spins the blood in a centrifuge, and separates the platelets and growth factors from your red and white blood cells.
The concentrated plasma cells are then injected into the problem area. Areas around the joints are often injected with prolotherapy at the same time, which also induces healing in ligaments, tendons, and other tissues.
The treatment doesn’t require any downtime, but afterward, you may notice some minor swelling and inflammation. The swelling and inflammation are part of the healing process and should go away within a few days.
Because PRP stimulates your body’s healing process, the results are not immediate. Your body needs time to heal.
The initial results are noticeable a few weeks after the treatment. However, in some cases, the injections may need to be repeated.
Studies suggest that muscle injury recovery is sped up and pain levels are lessened with the help of PRP. If you’re suffering from tendon or ligament injuries, PRP may be helpful, as there’s evidence that shows a reduction in pain during recovery.
Good candidates for PRP have a healthy amount of platelets in their blood and suffer from injuries that can be treated with PRP.
Patients who have active skin infections, blood disorders, or metastatic cancer that can spread with the use of injections aren’t good candidates for PRP. Diabetes may also impact the outcome of the treatment, as diabetics have lower platelet counts.
If you suffered an injury but don’t want to rely on medications to manage your symptoms and speed up recovery, there’s an alternative that doesn’t involve the risk of allergies or unwanted side effects. Learn more about whether PRP is a good option for your injury by contacting us to schedule an appointment at our Asheville, North Carolina office.
