Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a treatment that's been around for some time but continues to gain popularity in orthopedics. It's an injection that uses your platelets and plasma to accelerate healing and alleviate bothersome symptoms.
If you're living with chronic back, knee, or shoulder pain and other treatments haven't helped, PRP is a great option.
At Orange County Spine and Sports Physicians, Dr. Vivek Barbaria provides regenerative medicine treatments, including PRP and stem cell injections, for various orthopedic conditions.
PRP is an injection we make using your platelets and plasma. Platelets contain essential growth factors that aid the healing process. One PRP injection has more than 10 times the normal amount of platelets and growth factors.
Back issues such as soft-tissue injuries, discogenic pain, and arthritis may benefit from PRP injections, especially when other treatments fail.
According to the National Library of Medicine, PRP injections with transforaminal injections improved symptoms for up to a year in patients with lumbar disc herniations. Although comparable to steroid injections, PRP injections are natural and use your body's own cells.
Soft tissue injuries also benefit from PRP because it accelerates natural healing and repairs damaged tissue in ways other injections can't.
Living with knee issues like osteoarthritis, tendonitis, or recovering after a meniscus or ACL repair is tough – and painful. PRP injections offer an option that not only jump-starts the healing process but also repairs tissues within the joint using your own cells.
The National Library of Medicine notes that PRP injections were superior to hyaluronic acid, corticosteroid, and placebo injections in patients with osteoarthritis. The results remained for a year, with some people reporting up to five years of pain relief.
These injections are effective in OA for people who experience pain, stiffness, and reduced function, which improves their overall quality of life.
In those with meniscus injuries, PRP significantly enhances surgical repair, reduces the risk of failure, and improves the range of motion and post-surgical pain.
PRP is also a great option for shoulder pain, especially OA of the shoulder joint and soft tissue injuries. In one study, the National Library of Medicine notes that PRP was superior to corticosteroids in improving pain and function for people with glenohumeral OA.
It's also a great option to help the rotator cuff or labrum heal after arthroscopic surgery to fix a tear. The PRP goes to work immediately, releasing growth factors that stimulate tissue repair and rebuilding of cellular fibers.
PRP is a great option by itself or in conjunction with surgical treatments, physical therapy, and other conservative measures. We like it because it's highly successful and utilizes your body's cells to heal from the inside out.
Connect with our Newport Beach or Carlsbad office to discover how PRP can change your life. Make today the start of your pain-free journey.
