PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP) THERAPY

What is platelet-rich plasma therapy?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses platelets to heal injuries.

Platelets are found in your blood and are best known for the role they play in clotting blood. Besides being clotting agents, however, platelets also contain growth factors and other proteins that help heal and repair many kinds of tissues, including tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones.

Because PRP contains a concentrated amount of platelets, much more than is found in normal blood, it becomes a potent therapy to help heal painful areas of the body. The PRP is injected directly into the site of pain to encourage healing.

A few of the many benefits of PRP treatment include:

• Treating unresponsive chronic injuries and pain
• Decreasing osteoarthritis symptoms
• Healing conditions like runner/jumper’s knee and plantar fasciitis
• Reducing neck and back pain
• Reducing tendinitis symptoms

This isn’t an exhaustive list, as PRP is used to treat numerous medical conditions. Dr. Cabaret works with you to determine if PRP might be an effective interventional pain management therapy for your situation.

How does platelet-rich plasma therapy work?

Dr. Cabaret uses your blood to create the platelet-rich plasma injection. First, he draws a small amount of your blood; then the blood is centrifuged to extract the PRP. Finally, he injects the PRP into your pain site.

The presences of platelets in the area initiates repair and attracts your body’s stem cells to the site to promote healing. The PRP injection results in new collagen which shrinks as it matures. That tightens the damaged tendon or ligament and makes it stronger.

PRP is a potentially safer, longer-term option for naturally managing chronic pain. By injecting platelets directly into the source of your pain, Dr. Cabaret stimulates the natural healing process to repair your injury and eliminate or reduce your pain.

Dr. Cabaret provides this minimally invasive treatment in his clinic.

What conditions respond to PRP?

Orthopedic issues, like ligament or muscle injuries that haven’t responded to other treatments, may benefit from platelet-rich plasma therapy. Many other conditions may see improved healing with PRP that leads to pain relief, and although this is not an exhaustive list, some examples include:

• Lumbar and cervical disc pain
• Lumbar and cervical facet dysfunction and pain
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction and pain
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Shoulder instability and pain
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Nerve entrapment syndromes, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• Hip and hamstring strains
• Hip, knee, and other joint osteoarthritis
• Knee sprains and instability
• Patellar tendinitis and patellofemoral syndrome
• Ankle sprains
• Achilles tendinitis
• Plantar fasciitis

Call Dr. Cabaret’s office, or schedule your appointment online, to discuss whether PRP might be a valuable component of your pain management plan.