Platelet Rich Plasma Not Just For Athletes

By Mayo Friedlis, MD

National Spine & Pain Centers

. http://www.treatingpain.com

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Platelet Rich Plasma Not Just For Athletes

So whats all the talk about? Why have we been hearing so much about Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)? Recently its been all over the news including the New York Times, Good Morning America and our own local Channel 9 News. It all started after two of the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburg Steelers got PRP in the elbow and knee just weeks before the Super Bowl. Did it work? Well, they both played in the Super Bowl and they won.
This exciting new therapy offers a way to help the body heal naturally from musculoskeletal injuries. Unlike cortisone and hyaluronic acid injections, which provide temporary pain relief, PRP addresses the underlying problem the actual damage done to injured tissues. It makes use of a patients own blood platelets to provide relief as well as healing for patients suffering from a variety of problems, ushering in a brand new age in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and injury.
The Many Uses of PRP
PRP can reduce pain and stimulate repairs from a variety of injuries of the knee, hip, shoulder, arm, back and foot. It is an effective treatment for sprains and tears of ligaments and tendons. Even though PRP started as a treatment for athletes, its not just for athletes anymore. It works equally well for weekend worriers, work related injuries and whiplash from automobile accidents.
It can also be used to treat moderate arthritis of the knee, hip, shoulder and spine. While it doesnt reverse the arthritic process, it can strengthen the joint, reduce pain and improve your quality of life.
The Power of Platelets
These remarkable results are made possible because researchers have found a way to concentrate platelets, one of the components of whole blood, and harness their powerful properties.
Platelets are most commonly known for their clotting function, but they also store several different types of growth factors that form the basis of the healing process. PRP contains a concentration of these growth factors, and this concentration increases their efficiency in attracting stem cells and activating them to repair damaged tissues.
What to Expect
The therapy is performed in the comfort of your pain specialists office. It takes one hour to collect the blood, concentrate the platelets, and re-inject the solution around the injured site. Because the patients own blood supply is used, there is no risk of disease transmission.
Patients should remember that this is not a “quick fix,” like a cortisone shot for pain relief, but a real repair that takes time to develop. Many patients start to notice improvement within two to four weeks after their initial injection.
With PRP, patients who experience musculoskeletal pain that fails to respond to other treatments now have a safe, effective, natural option for achieving pain relief as well as promoting real healing.