What do platelets do?
To better understand platelet-rich plasma or PRP, it’s helpful to take a step back and understand how your body heals. Your blood contains three important types of cells:
- Red blood cells
- White blood cells
- Platelets
These three components are housed in a liquid called plasma, which allows the cells to travel freely throughout your body.
The platelets in your blood, which are responsible for blood clotting, also contain hundreds of proteins or growth factors. These growth factors help your body to heal by stimulating new growth of healthy cells.
What is PRP therapy?
Recognizing the powerful role that platelets play in healing, the medical community has figured out a way to isolate them for use in injury recovery and regeneration.
At Powell Orthopedics, Dr. Powell first draws your blood, which he places in a centrifuge. After the blood components are separated, he takes the platelet concentrate and mixes it back in with your plasma, creating a concentrate of platelets that’s 5-10 times greater than what’s in your normal blood.
Dr. Powell then injects this platelet-rich plasma into your injured or damaged tissue to promote accelerated healing and regeneration.
What is PRP used for?
As an orthopedic doctor, Dr. Powell specializes in all things musculoskeletal, which means that PRP therapy has a potential role in many of the areas he treats, such as:
- Joint pain
- Arthritis
- Tendon injuries, such as rotator cuff, ACL, or carpal tunnel
- Plantar fasciitis
- Cartilage repair, such as meniscus injuries
Dr. Powell may also use PRP therapy to help patients heal more quickly after orthopedic surgery.
What are the advantages of PRP therapy?
The full scope of PRP therapy has yet to be uncovered as a healing and regenerative tool, but it does offer a potentially powerful resource that has several advantages, including:
- Eliminating allergic reactions since the blood is your own
- Using your body’s own natural healing properties
- Providing a boost to existing treatments
To find out how PRP therapy can help you heal more quickly from injury or disease, call Powell Orthopedics, or use the online booking tool to schedule a consultation.
