Had you mentioned platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to a group of medical professionals a decade ago, you would have risked being laughed out of the room. As late as a few years ago, PRP therapy had a bad reputation among medical and media professionals alike. But now, it is finally getting the positive attention it deserves.
As a case in point, consider a recent article published by Forbes. The article takes an in-depth look at PRP therapy, how it can help patients, and even how the procedure is performed. All the information is presented in a positive light. Not only that, but those interviewed for the article referenced actual studies showing PRP therapy’s potential.
PRP Therapy Basics
If you are not sure what PRP therapy is, it is a form of regenerative medicine in the same family as prolotherapy and stem cell injections. The main component is blood – particularly the platelets. Patients are treated with their own blood to minimize the risk of complications.
As you know, blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and other things throughout the body. Platelets are especially important to PRP therapy because they carry nutrients, proteins, and growth factors. All are necessary to promote natural healing.
The main goal of PRP therapy is to flood the site of injury or disease with a high concentration of platelets suspended in plasma. The high concentration of growth factors and proteins found in the injected material more or less jump-start the healing process. They also signal the body to begin the physiological process of repairing soft tissue damage.
Appropriate PRP Treatments
PRP therapy is not a magical cure for everything that ails you. Right now, it is most often utilized to treat soft tissue injuries and disease. For example, pro athletes are increasingly turning to PRP therapy to recover more quickly and thoroughly from their injuries. Well-known athletes including Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal have undergone treatment.
At Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX, PRP therapy may be recommended for sports injuries or osteoarthritis. The latter has invited a lot of research as of late. Scientists want to know just how effective PRP therapy is in relieving osteoarthritis pain. They want to know if it can help rebuild lost joint cartilage.
A Completely Safe Procedure
A major benefit of PRP therapy is that it is completely safe. Again, patients are treated with their own blood. There is almost no risk of rejection for that very reason. And because PRP therapy is an injection therapy, the only real risk patients face is infection at the injection site. Truth be told, infection is a risk associated with all types of injections.
PRP therapy is also an outpatient procedure, and the entire process can be completed in under an hour in most cases. Patients are then free to return to their normal activities. There may be some pain at the injection site for a day or two, but that is generally about it.
Starting to See the Light
Some years back, all regenerative medicine was given a black eye by a small number of practitioners who didn’t do things by the book. As a result, they injured some of their patients. But now, it appears as though modern medicine is starting to see the light. Medical professionals are coming to terms with the fact that it is unfair to judge the entire regenerative medicine movement based on a few rogue practitioners.
PRP therapy is finally getting the positive attention it deserves. The more we learn about it, the more we are coming to understand just how helpful it can be.
