Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections are a regenerative therapy that is used to treat many chronic and acute musculoskeletal injuries. PRP is a concentration of platelets, growth factors and stem cells derived from your own blood to help the body’s own healing capabilities. These compounds are important in attracting other cells that aid in healing, stimulating new blood vessel formation, and promoting regeneration of damaged tissue.
Processing the blood into PRP results in a high concentration of these factors, which helps create an influx of healing compounds to regenerate damaged tissue, decrease inflammation, and promote natural healing. Tendons and ligaments have poor vasculature by nature and can therefore take longer to heal than tissue with good blood supply. Platelet Rich Plasma circumvents that issue and helps those areas to heal faster.
This procedure is quite straightforward. We start by drawing a small vial of your blood and placing it in a centrifuge. The spinning action of the centrifuge separates your blood into platelet-poor plasma, packed red blood cells and platelet-rich plasma.
The platelet-rich plasma contains a potent concentration of white blood cells, platelets, and plasma proteins—the tools your body uses to repair and regenerate tissue whenever you are injured. It also includes anti-inflammatory proteins which can help block cartilage destruction in arthritic joints.