A minimally-invasive treatment using platelet-rich plasma is available for some injuries. This low-risk method can offer relief from a range of ailments from tendon injuries to arthritis. Continue reading below to learn more about this innovative treatment now available at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics.
With some injuries, nothing seems to help. You rest. You try rehab and physical therapy. You take medication. Still, you’re dealing with the pain, and you feel like you’re losing time. You want to get back on the field or into your workout routine. Maybe you’ve seen accounts of professional athletes seeking platelet-rich plasma (platelet injections) treatment, and you’re wondering if it could work for you.
What is platelet-rich plasma?
platelet injections is a biologic product that’s made from your own blood. Plasma is the liquid part of your blood, which is mostly salts, vitamins, and water. Platelets are small cells in your blood. They help your blood clot, and they contain important growth factors that promote healing.
How does platelet-rich plasma treatment work?
platelet injections activates your body’s natural healing processes. You can get a platelet injections treatment in your doctor’s office. First, your doctor draws about four tablespoons of blood and spins it in a centrifuge to separate the plasma and platelets from the red and white blood cells. This process concentrates the amount of platelets to about three to 10 times more than the concentration of platelets in whole blood.
Then, your doctor injects the platelet injections at the site of your injury, using ultrasound imaging to find the precise location. The injected platelets have many different effects, and two of those effects are especially important for athletes who are trying to heal:
- They release natural growth factors that promote healing.
- They release chemicals called cytokines that encourage wound-healing cells in other parts of your body to come help heal the injured area.
This helps increase the rate of healing in tissues that can frequently otherwise be slow to heal. Because platelet injections encourages your body to heal itself, results can take time. This differs from injected medications that may only mask pain as opposed to promote healing; therefore, after a platelet injections injection, full improvement sometimes takes up to six to eight weeks.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend a series of two or three injections for better results. After a platelet injections treatment, you may notice pain at the injection site for a few days. However, platelet injections has a very low risk of local infection and because platelet injections is made from your own blood, other side effects are rare.
What conditions can be treated with platelet-rich plasma?
platelet injections can treat a variety of musculoskeletal injuries and problems, including:
- Chronic tendon injuries or partial tears
- Ligament sprains
- Pain from tendonitis or inflammation
- Joint-surface cartilage injuries
- Osteoarthritis
Research on the effectiveness of platelet injections is ongoing, and the list of treatable injuries and conditions may change. To find out if platelet injections may be appropriate in your treatment, it’s best to discuss it further with your physician.
When is it time to consider platelet-rich plasma?
In most cases, you’ll want to try traditional methods like immobilization, rehabilitation, and anti-inflammatory medication first. For osteoarthritis, you may also want to consider corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections. platelet injections isn’t typically used alone. It is usually part of a comprehensive treatment program that includes rest and physical therapy.
How do I know if platelet-rich plasma is right for me?
platelet injections can bring relief from musculoskeletal pain to a lot of people, but it’s not the best choice for everyone. If you have certain underlying medical conditions or take medication that affects your platelet function, it might not be a good choice for you. You may also want to contact your medical insurance provider to see whether platelet injections is a covered benefit.
Original and complete article can be found on bannerhealth.com
To learn more about platelet injections and if it can help you, schedule an appointment
with Dr. Paul Leo or Dr. George Leimbach at the Center for Spine and Orthopedics
303-287-2800
