PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is a natural product made from powerful healing substances contained in your blood. If you have tissue damage or musculoskeletal pain, LA Orthopaedic Specialists in Downtown Los Angeles, California, can use PRP to help your tissues heal more quickly and efficiently. Although it isn’t a covered benefit by insurance, LA Orthopaedic Specialists offers PRP as a safe and effective alternative to more invasive procedures and help you to avoid surgery. Call today to find out more or book an appointment online.

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What is PRP?

PRP is an abbreviation of platelet-rich plasma, which is a type of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine techniques can help heal tissue damage even when other approaches aren’t working. The active substances in regenerative medicine come either from your body or human donors.

PRP is a solution of platelets harvested from your blood. Your provider at LA Orthopaedic Specialists collects platelets from a blood sample you provide. This is a simple procedure whereby the blood spins at high speed in a centrifuge to make it separate. 

Your provider draws off the plasma and platelets from the separated blood and then injects them back into your body. 

How does PRP work?

Platelets are a vital part of your blood. When you have an injury, your body produces large quantities of platelets to help your blood to clot. The growth factors in your platelets then begin the process of tissue healing, repairing tendons, ligaments, bone, skin, and flesh. 

Some of the conditions PRP could benefit include:

  • Arthritis
  • Sprained ligaments
  • Patellar tendonitis
  • Tennis elbow
  • Achilles tendon injuries
  • Hamstring strains

The dense concentration of platelets in PRP can boost your body’s natural healing processes. This results in long-term pain relief, a return of normal functioning, and the ability to remain physically active.

PRP is an increasingly popular treatment because of its effectiveness. It’s also low risk and minimally invasive, so it’s a very safe option.

What happens when I receive PRP treatment?

PRP treatment involves having one or more injections of the plasma concentrate. To be optimally effective, the PRP injection needs to go to the heart of the damaged tissue, where it can do the most good.

LA Orthopaedic Specialists uses ultrasound guidance to ensure the PRP reaches the correct location. After your injection, you can carry on with your day. 

If there’s anything you shouldn’t do, your provider lets you know, but in most cases, you don’t need to take any special precautions other than not overexerting the treated joint or tissue.

How long does PRP take to work?

Unlike medication or anesthetic joint injections, PRP doesn’t work immediately. It takes time for the growth factors in the PRP to kick start the production of new cells in the damaged tissues. Therefore, healing can take around 6-8 weeks.

The advantage of PRP injections is that the results are longer lasting because the treatment targets the cause of your pain.

Medications often just mask pain, meaning when they wear off, the pain comes back. With PRP treatment, you benefit from a more permanent solution to your chronic pain. 

To find out more about PRP treatments and how they could relieve your pain, call LA Orthopaedic Specialists today or book an appointment online.