Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Specialist

What is platelet-rich plasma (PRP)?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a substance that heals damaged tissues and promotes new cell growth. It’s one of several biological treatments that use human cells and tissues to treat injuries and chronic diseases.

Platelets are part of your blood. They cause clotting, which stops too much blood from flowing from wounds. In addition to their clotting abilities, platelets also contain growth factors. These growth factors are part of your body’s processes for healing damaged tissues.

The Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management team extracts the platelets for your PRP treatment from a sample of your blood. They put the blood sample in a machine that spins at high speeds, separating the platelets and plasma (the liquid part of the blood) from the rest of your blood.

The platelet concentration and some of the plasma are then ready to inject into painful, injured areas of your body.

What can PRP treat?

The Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management team uses PRP for many purposes. It’s an excellent way to help heal connective tissue injuries, like ligament sprains and tendon strains. Many athletes, pro and amateur, benefit from PRP treatment for sports injuries.

PRP can help with joint pain caused by diseases like arthritis. Some neck and back pain conditions also respond well to PRP injections. PRP is effective in healing long-standing injuries as well. The injections stimulate healing beyond the level your body can manage on its own.

What happens when I have a PRP injection?

Before you can have your PRP injection, Dr. Bosch at Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management will draw some blood. The blood is taken to the in-house lab for processing and returned as a concentrated plasma and platelet solution.

Dr. Bosch numbs the injection site with a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable. He uses imaging technology to see the inside of your body and guide the needle to the right place.

After you’ve had your injection, you can go home and carry on with your day. You might find the injection site is a little sore for a few days, but that’s normal.

How long does it take for PRP to work?

You won’t feel the benefits of your PRP injection immediately because it takes a while for new cells to develop. However, after a few weeks, you should be noticing improved function and reduced pain. This improvement usually continues for several months.

Some patients find they are still benefiting from their PRP injection after a year or more. Others need further sessions to achieve the best results.

To find out if PRP can help with your joint or back pain, call Southeast Spine Care & Pain Management today or book an appointment online.