Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections & Therapy Options
Permanent healing is possible for sufferers of conditions such as tendinopathies, sciatica, osteoarthritis pain, lower back and neck pain, injuries caused by whiplash, degenerative disc disease, knee meniscal tears, TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) carpal tunnel syndrome, and more, using a natural and non-surgical technique involving injections of the body’s own platelets.
This therapy, called Platelet Rich Plasma, Therapy or PRP, not only decreases a patient’s pain but also heals and regenerates his or her damaged body tissue in joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and menisci. These all can be repaired with PRP. Joint replacements might just become a distant medical memory!
A number of studies have shown PRP treatment (platelet rich plasma) to be beneficial when treating body conditions such as plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tears and sports injuries that cause muscle swelling, pain, patellar tendonitis, sprains, etc. PRP (platelet rich plasma) typically permits the functional activities to resume in half the time they might otherwise take. PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment rapidly eliminates any inflammation that might be present.
Treatment consists of drawing the patient’s own blood, and spinning it in a centrifuge in order to collect from it its own platelets and plasma. The platelets are then combined with a portion of the plasma and this mixture is injected into the damaged area.
The effect is to concentrate the patient’s platelets to a level up to 10 times that naturally found in his or her blood. The platelet rich plasma produces a number of factors … TGF-b, bFGF, PDFa-b, EFG, VEGF and CTGF. Together, these growth factors work to reconstruct the injured area and to relieve pain. PRP Therapy typically takes approximately one hour.
PRP treatment (Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy) works by mimicking the normal process of healing that occurs after a person sustains an injury. At times, the body fails to “see” injuries requiring repair, but the concentration of platelet rich plasma jump-starts the body’s natural repair process.
PRP (platelet rich plasma) works by delivering directly to the site of injury the white blood cells, platelets and other components necessary for healing and restoration. Growth factors derived from platelets encourages DNA synthesis, stimulates the growth of new cells and increases collagen deposits. It is one of the alternative medicine field’s most promising treatments for injuries to the human body.
PRP treatment is Useful for Treating Many Painful Conditions Including:
- Whiplash injuries
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
- Migraine headaches
- Sciatica
- Pain related to osteoarthritis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ Disorder)
- Knee arthritis and meniscal injury
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Tendinopathy, tendonosis
- Joint capsular laxity
Studies Have Shown PRP Therapy is Useful in Treating:
- Sports injuries
- Plantar fasciitis
- Shoulder injury/Rotator cuff tears
- Tennis elbow
- Hair Loss
- Patellar Tendonitis
- Hair Restoration / Hair Growth
What is Involved in the Treatment?
The method is to draw some of the patient’s own blood, spin it in a special centrifuge to harvest the platelets and plasma, combine the platelets with some of the plasma, and inject this blood tissue matrix autograft into the damaged ligament or tendon. In this way, platelets are concentrated 4 to 10 times the amount found in the blood. This platelet-rich plasma releases growth factors: transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDFa-b), epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). These growth factors reconstruct the ligament or tendon damage and begin the process of pain relief and tissue repair. The entire treatment takes about an hour to perform.
https://treatingpain.com/diagnosis-and-treatments/vid_prp.html
What is the Science Behind PRP Injections?
At the site of any trauma involving bone, a clot forms consisting of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets entrapped within a fibrin matrix. Platelet α-granules act as a reservoir of exogenous growth factors. The degranulation of the α-granules results in the release of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), insulinlike growth factor (IGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF) among a host of other factors providing an ideal delivery system localized to the site of injury. Each of these factors plays a critical role in tissue healing. Platelet-derived growth factor enhances DNA synthesis, increases collagen deposition, and stimulates synthesis of extracellular matrix. In vitro, PDGF has been shown to stimulate type I collagen production and messenger RNA expression in osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Platelet-derived growth factor has enhanced hemotactic and proliferative effects and the ability to initiate differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells toward an osteoblastic lineage. Platelet-derived growth factor functions in a macrophage autocrine feedback loop stimulating production and release of factors or cytokines.
Platelet-Rich Plasma is a cutting-edge therapy available in Winnipeg’s Centre for Natural Pain Solutions. Please call (204) 775-4539 to book your appointment.
Sources:
E. Anitua, I. Andia, B. Ardanza, P. Nurden, A. T. Nurden, “Autologous platelets as a source for healing and tissue regeneration”, Thromb Haemost 2004, 91: 4-15.
Barett S. Growth Factors for Chronic Plantar Fasciitis? Podiatry Today. 2004. 17: 36-42.
Scarpone MA, Davenport M, and Rauker N. PRP as a Treatment Alternative for Symptomatic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy for Patients Failing ConservativeTreatment. 2005.
Edwards SG, Calandruccio JH. “Autologous blood injections for refractory lateral epicondylitis”, J Hand Surg Am. 2003 Mar;28(2):272-8.
Henry Stiene, M.D. “Non-Surgical Repair of Patellar Tendonitis with Autologous Platelet Concentrate Using Ultrasound Guidance: Two Case Reports”, Beacon Orthopedic & Sports Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
John Koerner, BS, Peter Abdelmessieh, MSc, Vikrant Azad, MD, Karolynn Szczepanowski, MBS,
and Sheldon S. Lin, MD. “Platelet-Rich Plasma and Its Uses in Foot and Ankle Surgery”, Techniques in Foot & Ankle Surgery 7(2):72–78, 2008.
Are PRP Injections Right for Me?
Book an appointment or call our office today at (204) 775-4539 to discuss potential treatment options. Our Winnipeg experts will guide you in the right direction.