Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy Safe?

Do you live with chronic musculoskeletal pain? Do you want a natural way to treat it? If this describes you, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy may be able to give you the relief you need. And best of all, it’s very safe. Why? Because it uses your own blood!

Platelet-rich plasma therapy involves extracting powerful healing properties in your blood and injecting them into areas that are injured or damaged. Platelet-rich plasma therapy doesn’t just help reduce pain. Instead, it helps spur healing, which, in turn, helps ease or eliminate pain.

In this blog, the experts at MidJersey Orthopaedics explain what PRP therapy is and what it can treat.

What is PRP therapy?

Your blood contains platelets, and these proteins are sent throughout your body to help injuries heal. Platelets are most known for helping blood clot when there’s a cut.

With PRP therapy, we take some of your platelets and inject them into areas that need healing. This can help boost the healing process and spur tissue regeneration.

To undergo PRP therapy, we first draw some of your blood. Then we place it in a centrifuge, which rapidly spins your blood to separate the platelets from the rest of your blood’s components.

Then we inject the PRP solution into the area that needs healing. Over time, the growth factors in your platelets will help restore and revive the injured tissue.

What can PRP therapy treat?

Platelet-rich plasma therapy can treat many conditions, and it’s especially effective in healing injured or damaged areas of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system includes bones, cartilage, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Back pain 

Nearly 50 million adults suffer from back pain every day, according to a 2019 study. It’s a leading cause of missed work days, and it’s one of the most reported disabilities worldwide. Back pain usually refers to lower back pain, which can be caused by injury, accident, improper posture, and serious illnesses, such as osteoarthritis. 

Tendon injuries

Tendon injuries — such as tennis elbow and pulled hamstrings — are common in sports. However, anyone can get a tendon injury. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a safe and effective treatment for tendon injuries, and your provider will guide you through the treatment process. 

Knee pain

Like back pain, knee pain is a common issue in the United States. Fortunately, many people with knee pain have been helped with PRP therapy. Knee injections may sound intimidating at first, but as with any PRP treatment, we can provide a topical anesthetic to help you stay comfortable.

Are you living with musculoskeletal pain and want to see if PRP therapy can help you? Learn more by booking an appointment online or over the phone with MidJersey Orthopaedics today.