Nothing disrupts life faster than an injury. And, it can happen any time, even from sleeping “funny” or missing a step when climbing stairs.
Fortunately, whether you have a pulled muscle, sprain, strain, or joint pain, PRP can ease your symptoms when an ice pack and over-the-counter medications aren’t enough. This innovative treatment — which stands for “platelet-rich plasma” therapy — uses your own blood to speed up your healing so you can recover, often faster.
If you’re looking for relief from an injury and you live near Los Angeles, our experienced team at LA Orthopaedic Specialists can help. We offer the latest treatment solutions for your medical needs, including regenerative therapies like PRP.
Let’s look at how this treatment works and how it can help your injuries.
How PRP therapy helps you heal
When you have PRP therapy, it stimulates new cell growth at your injury site and speeds up the healing process. It has several applications, including:
Soft tissue injuries
PRP can trigger healing and ease the pain of chronic ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries. Some common conditions include sprained ligaments, hamstring strains, tennis elbow, Achilles tendon injuries, and patellar tendonitis.
Joint pain
Studies show the benefits of PRP therapy in reducing inflammation and modulating the joint environment in people with osteoarthritis pain.
Postsurgical healing
PRP can also accelerate recovery time when it’s used in surgical procedures for musculoskeletal injuries. That’s why PRP therapy is being used more and more for sports injuries. It’s even used for some cosmetic procedures like skin rejuvenation and hair loss treatment.
PRP treatment
PRP therapy starts with your blood being drawn. The amount depends on the injury being treated.
Next, we put your blood in a centrifuge which spins to separate the components into layers. Then we mix the platelets with a small amount of the plasma.
After we identify the exact treatment area, often using digital guidance like an ultrasound, we inject the PRP so that your injury can begin to heal.
This is an outpatient procedure, so you can go home afterward. Since PRP comes from your own body, it comes with very few risks and possible side effects. However, you may have some bruising and tenderness at the injection site.
Are you looking for relief from an injury or ways to recover faster? PRP therapy provides a safe, effective option. If you’re ready to start, make an appointment with us at LA Orthopaedic Specialists in downtown Los Angeles today.