When you have a severe injury, slow-healing wound, or pain that persists even after standard medical care, it's time to talk with your physician at Symphony Medical about a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection. PRP injections represent one of today’s advanced regenerative treatments that accelerate healing, ease your pain, and get you back to your favorite activities as quickly as possible. To learn if you're a good candidate for a PRP injection, call the office in Dobbs Ferry, New York, or book an appointment online today.
PRP is a mixture of plasma (the liquid part of your blood) and a high concentration of platelets (cells found in your bloodstream). Your provider makes PRP in the office by drawing a sample of your blood and processing it in a centrifuge.
The centrifuge separates the different blood components, allowing your provider to recover platelets and plasma and use them for your PRP injection.
When you have an injury or disease, the platelets in your blood immediately go to the damaged tissues. Then the platelets do two vital jobs: They stop any bleeding and release proteins called growth factors.
Growth factors activate your body’s healing response and trigger cellular activities that:
When you get a PRP injection, the platelets perform all of the same activities.
Your Symphony Medical provider may recommend a PRP injection when you have a severe or slow-healing wound. The orthopedic physicians at Symphony Medical may apply PRP during surgery or recommend a PRP injection when injured tissues have a poor blood supply.
As you get older, your immune system slows down. You may need a PRP injection to give your body the boost it needs.
Your provider may use PRP to treat many musculoskeletal conditions, including:
Since PRP diminishes inflammation and speeds up healing, it's a safe and effective treatment when you need relief from pain or you want to return to your activities faster.
Your provider numbs the area with a topical anesthetic and uses ultrasound to view the underlying structures and guide the needle. They precisely position the needle at the injured tissues and inject your PRP.
You may have mild, temporary discomfort at the injection site. Your provider may also ask you to avoid athletic activities for a short time. This gives the PRP time to work, and the tissues get a head start on healing before you place stress on the injury.
To learn if a PRP injection can ease your pain or help your injury heal, call Symphony Medical or book an appointment online today.