What is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and why does it work?
PRP injection is based on the same principle as prolotherapy explained above; but instead the solution used is derived from the blood, to concentrate platelets and other healing factors, that stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms. Activated platelets secrete a number of different growth factors that stimulate and regulate inflammation in the damaged tissue, resulting in a natural healing response.
Blood is drawn from the patient at the time of visit, placed in a centrifuge where it is spun in order to separate and concentrate platelets from the rest of the blood. This “platelet-rich plasma” is then injected into the injured site. Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged area provides a patient’s body with the tools needed to naturally heal itself.
PRP injection is based on the same principle as prolotherapy explained above; but instead the solution used is derived from the blood, to concentrate platelets and other healing factors, that stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms. Activated platelets secrete a number of different growth factors that stimulate and regulate inflammation in the damaged tissue, resulting in a natural healing response.
Blood is drawn from the patient at the time of visit, placed in a centrifuge where it is spun in order to separate and concentrate platelets from the rest of the blood. This “platelet-rich plasma” is then injected into the injured site. Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged area provides a patient’s body with the tools needed to naturally heal itself.
What does this mean when it comes to medical insurance coverage?
Insurance companies have deemed proliferative therapy to be “experimental” and they do not cover either prolotherapy or PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that proliferative therapy may provide long-lasting relief and help to avoid future medical visits, ultimately lowering their medical bills and improving quality of life.
What should you know?
Because we respect our patient’s time and money, we take several measures to optimize the patient experience when having proliferative therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that proliferative therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of proliferative therapy (prolotherapy or PRP) is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure proliferative therapy is being placed in the precisely correct location
4. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize these cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques to help their patients overcome chronic issues that impede the ability to live an active and healthy lifestyle!
Insurance companies have deemed proliferative therapy to be “experimental” and they do not cover either prolotherapy or PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that proliferative therapy may provide long-lasting relief and help to avoid future medical visits, ultimately lowering their medical bills and improving quality of life.
What should you know?
Because we respect our patient’s time and money, we take several measures to optimize the patient experience when having proliferative therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that proliferative therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of proliferative therapy (prolotherapy or PRP) is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure proliferative therapy is being placed in the precisely correct location
4. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize these cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques to help their patients overcome chronic issues that impede the ability to live an active and healthy lifestyle!