What Is PRP Therapy And What Does It Treat?

You might have seen platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy making the headlines. That’s because it’s a favorite treatment among elite athletes who need help recovering from an injury.

Platelets in your blood contain many proteins that are called growth factors. These growth factors are important in healing injuries. But how can PRP therapy help you and your injury or ailment? Dr. Gary Kazmer at Kazmer Foot & Ankle Centers explains how.

What you need to know about PRP therapy

While blood is mostly a liquid or plasma, it also contains an array of solid components, including platelets. Platelets work to clot blood.

To get platelet-rich plasma, Dr. Kazmer first draws a little blood from you. He then places this blood in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the other components in your blood. This plasma is then administered through an injection.

You can expect to see an improvement to your injury within just a couple of weeks. And the improvement should continue as your healing continues.

The entire procedure takes just a few hours in our office. And there’s no need for anesthesia, surgery, or long recovery times. In fact, you can return to work right after the procedure.

Treating different conditions with PRP therapy

We use PRP therapy for a variety of ailments and injuries, including:

1. Tendonitis

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is commonly used to treat injuries to your tendons that are caused by repetitive motions, such as torn rotator cuffs and tennis elbow. Tendonitis often takes a long time to heal, not only because of repetition every time you move, but also due to poor circulation to your injured tendons. With PRP therapy, we inject the plasma into the injured tendon so tissues can regenerate quicker.

2. Osteoarthritis

If you suffer from osteoarthritis, PRP treatment can help slow or halt its progression. Platelet-rich plasma has proven particularly effective in healing ankles, shoulders, hips, and knees. The injections can reduce joint inflammation, enable lubrication and, in some cases, encourage cartilage regrowth.

3. Muscle and ligament injuries

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, pulled muscles or sprains, PRP therapy might be the answer. The treatment can accelerate the natural healing process and get you on the right path to recovery.

Wounds that won’t heal

If you have open wounds that just don’t seem to get any better, PRP can provide a much higher concentration of platelets to your injured site. This can help fight off infection and encourage coagulation or clotting.

Nerve injury and damage

PRP therapy has also proven successful in treating an array of nerve injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and similar injuries. The therapy works to regenerate nerve tissues and reduce pain while restoring correct function.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy provides a solution that won’t wear off over time. Many traditional treatments revolve around relieving pain and not treating the underlying causes, but PRP therapy can help the healing process.

If you’re suffering from an injury, book a consultation online or over the phone with Kazmer Foot & Ankle Centers to find out if PRP therapy can help you.