PRP Therapy & What it can do for You
When you are in pain, you are probably wondering what the best procedure is to help you heal. For people who have knee pain, for example, they may be considering a number of options. Their doctor may recommend knee replacement surgery, they may prescribe a few different types of pills to help with the pain, or they may recommend physical therapy and light exercise to try to help. However, there is another option that many patients who have struggled with knee pain have seen help. This is PRP therapy. PRP therapy (or platelet-rich plasma therapy) is a regenerative injection type of therapy that is used to help patients who suffer from knee pain.
How does PRP therapy work?
Many people confuse PRP therapy with stem cell therapy and the two treatments are not the same. PRP therapy is performed using a person’s own healing and regenerative plasma. If you have been to the doctor’s office before and they have taken your blood, this is the most invasive this type of therapy will get. A physician will draw your blood and place it into a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins your blood around quickly and separates the blood so that the doctors can retrieve your plasma. Once separated, the doctors inject the plasma (the component of your blood that has the healing properties) into the area of pain.
How painful is this procedure and what are the side effects?
The procedure is not painful. The only discomfort you may feel is when the physician draws your blood and when they re-inject your plasma into the area where you are experiencing pain. Because the plasma they inject contains your body’s own healing properties, you should not expect to see a bad reaction from that. However, there may be tenderness, soreness, or bruising around the site of the injection.
How do I know I’m the right candidate?
You will need to consult with a doctor for a consultation. From there the doctor will want to know where you are experiencing pain, what your medical history is, and to conduct an examination of the area where you are experiencing pain. If you happen to be looking for a knee doctor in Pottstown, PA, then a clinic like the Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania can help you out with your knee injuries.
