Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses your body’s natural healing ability to accelerate wound healing, stimulate the growth of new tissues, and relieve chronic pain. Magued Fadly, MD, QME, at California Spine & Pain Institute in West Hills & Encino, California, specializes in preparing PRP from your own blood, then using it to treat arthritis, sports injuries, and other painful conditions. To learn more about the benefits of PRP, book an appointment online or over the phone today.
Platelet-rich plasma consists of a concentrate of your own blood’s platelets. Your PRP is made in the office by drawing a sample of your blood, then processing it in a centrifuge. As the centrifuge spins your blood, the platelets are separated from the other components of your blood.
When your PRP is ready, a local anesthetic is applied — or IV sedation is administered if needed for a spinal injection — and your PRP is injected into the injured or ailing area.
Since PRP uses your own blood, you don’t need to worry about side effects or reactions to your injection. Dr. Fadly may recommend that you avoid strenuous activity for a short time, then you can resume rehabilitation if needed for an injury.
When tissues in your body are injured, platelets go to the area and trigger healing by releasing proteins called growth factors. When concentrated platelets are injected at the site of damaged tissues, platelets accelerate healing by:
After a PRP injection, it takes time for new cells to regenerate. Although you may experience pain relief more quickly, it usually takes a few weeks for tissues to heal.
With its ability to regenerate and heal tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilage, PRP injections are often used for musculoskeletal conditions, such as sports injuries, overuse damage, and inflammatory conditions. These are a few examples of problems treated with PRP:
Since PRP effectively relieves inflammation and pain, Dr. Fadly may recommend PRP therapy for chronic pain conditions, such as lower back pain, neck pain, and joint pain.
If you suffer from chronic pain or would like to learn whether your condition might benefit from regenerative therapy with PRP, call California Spine & Pain Institute or book an appointment online.
