Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) is a painless and faster modern therapy to treat torn or injured tendons, ligaments, and muscles, osteoarthritis, bone healing, and athletic injuries. Dr. Bajaj and his staff at Remedy Spine & Pain Solutions in Marina Del Rey and Manhattan Beach, California offer PRP treatment options for patients from throughout Los Angeles.
Blood mainly consists of plasma (a liquid) and solid constituents like RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. Blood platelets are mostly known for their role in clotting of blood. However, platelets also comprise of numerous proteins called growth factors that are extremely essential in the healing of injuries.
To prepare platelet rich plasma, a small sample of blood is drawn from the patient and platelets are separated by centrifugation. Afterwards, the PRP is injected into the region of injury, kick-starting and considerably reinforcing the healing process. Since the own blood of the patient is used, there is minimal or no risk of infections and allergic reactions.
PRP therapy may be suggested to patients with any of the following injuries/conditions:
Essentially, any ligament or tendon injury excluding complete tears can be treated effectively with PRP therapy. It is just the treatment required to cut the downtime for injured athletes while also lessening the chance for re-injury.
The entire procedure normally takes a couple of hours; its biggest advantage being that it alleviates pain without any need of hospital stays, general anesthesia, or surgery and without an extended recovery period. Actually, most people come back to work or normal activities soon after the procedure.