What is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and why does it work?
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is produced from your own blood, which consists of four main components: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This procedure involves drawing blood from the patient at the time of the visit. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge, where it is spun in order to separate and concentrate the platelets from the rest of the blood. Activated platelets secrete a number of different growth factors that stimulate and regulate inflammation in the damaged tissue.
The "platelet-rich plasma" is then injected into the injured site under ultrasound-guidance. Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged/injured area provides a patient's body with the tools needed to naturally heal itself.
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is produced from your own blood, which consists of four main components: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This procedure involves drawing blood from the patient at the time of the visit. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge, where it is spun in order to separate and concentrate the platelets from the rest of the blood. Activated platelets secrete a number of different growth factors that stimulate and regulate inflammation in the damaged tissue.
The "platelet-rich plasma" is then injected into the injured site under ultrasound-guidance. Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged/injured 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 orthobiologic therapies to be “experimental” and they do not cover PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that orthobiologic 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 orthobiologic therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that orthobiologic therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of orthobiologic therapy is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure orthobiologic 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 orthobiologic therapies to be “experimental” and they do not cover PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that orthobiologic 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 orthobiologic therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that orthobiologic therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of orthobiologic therapy is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure orthobiologic 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!