Maybe you’ve heard about all the sports stars using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and wondered if you might be a good candidate for it. Or maybe it’s a new term to you and you have no idea what this is.
At Roswell Pain and Weight Loss Specialists, interventional pain management specialist Dr. Damon Christian Kimes uses PRP as a non-invasive way to treat your pain. He’s here to answer all your questions about this revolutionary treatment that helps you heal faster and avoid surgery. Read on to learn about the conditions that can be treated with PRP.
The PRP concept is simple: The platelets in your blood contain growth factors, and growth factors promote tissue formation.
The details are more complicated than that, but the process is fairly straightforward. Dr. Kimes draws a small sample of your blood from your arm and spins it at high speed in a centrifuge to separate its components: red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets.
He then isolates a serum of platelets and plasma that he can inject back into the injured area of your body. Once inside, the platelets interact with local cells and trigger them to divide and migrate. This helps with:
Because of its regenerative properties, PRP therapy can be used in various medical applications including cosmetic procedures such as hair loss and wrinkle treatments, as well as wound healing after trauma or surgery. But Dr. Kimes focuses on orthopedic applications for our patients in Roswell, Georgia, and the neighboring communities.
Of the many things that go wrong in your shoulder joint and cause pain and immobility, two of the most common conditions respond well to PRP therapy:
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is showing great results for the treatment of knee pain, including osteoarthritis (just as in your shoulder). In 2008, PGA golfer Tiger Woods used it to help recover from his knee surgery and went on to have one of the best years in his career. Knee conditions that can be treated with PRP include:
As the part of your spine that’s responsible for letting you to turn, twist, and bend (all while supporting a 10-pound head), your neck takes a lot of abuse, and the injuries and conditions it can suffer are many. If you have one of the following neck conditions, you may be a good PRP candidate:
Like your knee and shoulder, your hip is highly susceptible to osteoarthritis and can limit your mobility. Of course, a sedentary lifestyle creates another layer of health issues. PRP eases the pain caused by inflammation and lubricates your joints so you can move again.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is not specific to any one joint or area. The beauty of this treatment is that it can be beneficial to any soft tissue that has been damaged, including your skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. It’s especially helpful in areas where your body doesn’t send a good blood supply, like in your joints.
The PRP procedure is quick, minimally invasive, and relatively painless. If you’re wondering whether PRP might be right for your painful injury or condition, call Roswell Pain and Weight Loss Specialists at 678-271-0565 or book an appointment online today.
