What you have to know about platelet-rich plasma therapy in Jacksonville

The extent to which PRP therapy can treat injuries and diseases has yet to be determined. Studies currently support its use in treating a wide range of ailments. PRP is quickly becoming a treatment option for ACL and MCL tears, knee pain, knee osteoarthritis, spine injuries, rotator cuff tears, pelvic pain, jumper’s knee, back and neck injuries, and tennis elbow.

When tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints are injured, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is used to speed the healing process. PRP therapy is administered by injecting a total concentration of a patient’s platelets. So PRP injections work by stimulating the healing response in each patient’s healing system to alleviate musculoskeletal problems.

Because platelet-rich plasma therapy is still a relatively new treatment in the United States, there haven’t been as many studies as experts would like. Several randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled studies are expected to be conducted in the coming years to give the treatment more validity. However, several cohort studies and anecdotal evidence have shown that the treatment is effective. Based on the results we’ve seen with our patients, we anticipate that this treatment will become increasingly popular in the coming years.

PRP therapy is a lot less complicated than you might think. When you go to the doctor’s office for the treatment, a sample of your blood will be drained from your arm and placed in a vial for testing and evaluation. Once the blood has been spun down, it is placed in a centrifuge specifically designed to concentrate the blood’s own platelets.

Blood platelets perform an essential role in the healing process because they adhere to the injury site and release growth and healing factors. These are components of the normal healing process that our bodies go through. Using an ultrasound to pinpoint the location of the injury and inject the platelets directly into the injured area, the doctor will usually separate the platelets separated during the spinning process.

The patient will then have anywhere from two to eight times the number of platelets needed to heal the injury. Simple as it sounds, the treatment works by assisting the body’s natural healing process. platelet-rich plasma uses your natural elements without the use of any foreign products. The treatment includes taking a small sample of your blood and spinning it in a centrifuge for about five minutes to distinct the plasma from the other blood particles. The platelet-rich plasma is then reinjected into the treatment area to stimulate collagen and elastin production. For your platelet-rich plasma therapy in Jacksonville, visit drfralicker.com.