4 Habits That Support Strong Healthy Shoulder Joints
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How Your Own Blood Plasma Can Help Alleviate Your Pain
Platelet-rich (PRP) therapy is a revolutionary treatment that garners your body’s own healing power to relieve pain. This rapidly developing technique has shown positive results with various injuries and musculoskeletal conditions.
Board-certified orthopedic shoulder surgeon Matthew Pifer, MD, helps athletes, non-athletes, and active individuals combat pain, recover from injuries, and function better. Dr. Pifer is a champion of regenerative medicine techniques to aid healing, including PRP therapy.
The power of blood plasma
Plasma is the liquid component of blood. It’s mostly made up of water and proteins, and serves as a transport medium for red and white blood cells, and platelets throughout the body.
Platelets are blood cells that cause blood clots and perform other vital growth and healing functions. The triggering of platelets is a key part of the body’s natural healing process. It’s the platelets that play a key role in the benefit of PRP therapy.
How are PRP injections made?
PRP injections are made by taking the patient’s own blood and running it through a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets. These activated platelets are then injected directly into the damaged area of the body. This causes the release of growth factors, which stimulate and increase the number of healing cells your body produces.
Dr. Pifer uses cutting-edge technology to create the highest quality customized platelet concentrates. PRP therapy has shown positive results in relieving pain from:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Plantar fasciitis
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow
- Ankle sprains
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
PRP therapy is unique in that it helps the body heal damaged tissue to ease pain.
How does PRP therapy relieve pain?
Platelets, which are rich in growth and healing factors, initiate repair and attract the critical assistance of stem cells. The natural healing process of PRP therapy boosts the body's efforts by delivering a higher concentration of platelets.
When the concentrated platelet-rich plasma is injected into and around the site of injury, it kicks off and significantly enhances the body's natural healing signal. Because your own blood is used, there is no risk of infection.
Results of PRP therapy
PRP therapy takes about two hours to complete, including preparation and recovery time. This in-office treatment relieves pain without the risks of surgery or a lengthy recovery. In fact, most people resume their normal activities immediately following the procedure.
The number of treatment sessions required varies depending on the area injured, the type of injury, and your ability to heal. In general, most patients can expect to have between one and four sessions. However, you may experience significant relief after the first or second injection.
These injections, unlike typical pain relief injections, go to the root of the pain and aid the body in healing, which often provides long-lasting relief. Improvement may be noticeable within a few weeks, gradually increasing as the healing process progresses.
PRP therapy has been shown to be very effective at relieving pain and helping patients return to their normal lives. The need for surgery can also be greatly reduced by treating injured tissues before the damage becomes irreversible.
If you’re struggling with pain, consider PRP therapy. Dr. Pifer will discuss PRP therapy in detail and determine if you’re a good candidate. To learn more and to get started, call our Santa Barbara, California office or request an appointment online, and a knowledgeable team member will assist you in scheduling an appointment with Dr. Pifer. We offer in-person or telemedicine appointments.
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