PLATELET-RICH PLASMA (PRP) INJECTIONS
Inflammation can be good for you – especially for ligament related injuries
Many people with musculoskeletal pain are familiar with corticosteroid (i.e. “cortisone”) injections, which are meant to reduce inflammation. However, inflammation is not necessarily a bad thing, as it recruits the body’s own natural healing factors.
Proliferative therapy is used to deliberately induce inflammation, stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms to repair damaged cells. This method confers a longer-term benefit of musculoskeletal treatment.
Many people with musculoskeletal pain are familiar with corticosteroid (i.e. “cortisone”) injections, which are meant to reduce inflammation. However, inflammation is not necessarily a bad thing, as it recruits the body’s own natural healing factors.
Proliferative therapy is used to deliberately induce inflammation, stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms to repair damaged cells. This method confers a longer-term benefit of musculoskeletal treatment.
What is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and why does it work?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a portion of blood with a platelet concentration rich in various growth factors and healing cytokines. These activated platelets go to work on damaged tissue and promote the regeneration of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints.
During the procedure, 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 (using ultrasound-guidance to pinpoint accuracy). Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged area provides a patient’s body with the tools needed to naturally heal itself.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a portion of blood with a platelet concentration rich in various growth factors and healing cytokines. These activated platelets go to work on damaged tissue and promote the regeneration of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints.
During the procedure, 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 (using ultrasound-guidance to pinpoint accuracy). Injecting healing growth factors directly into the damaged area provides a patient’s body with the tools needed to naturally heal itself.
What types of injuries can be treated with PRP?
PRP has shown to be successful in treating persistent cases of a wide array of tendon, ligament, fascia, and joint injuries, such as:
PRP has shown to be successful in treating persistent cases of a wide array of tendon, ligament, fascia, and joint injuries, such as:
- Tennis elbow
- Patellar tendinosis
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Hip degenerative joint disease
- Ligament sprains
- Rotator cuff tears
- Hamstring tears or tendinitis
- Ankle sprain
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 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 PRP is right for you
2. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure PRP is placed in precisely the correct location
3. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize 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 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 PRP is right for you
2. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure PRP is placed in precisely the correct location
3. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques to help their patients overcome chronic issues that impede the ability to live an active and healthy lifestyle!