The human blood consists of red blood and white blood cells, plasma and platelets. Plasma is responsible for carrying all the blood cells and nutrients in the body. Platelets in the blood are tiny cells that form a clot during bleeding caused due to injury and also try to repair the damage. They also help in tissue recovery by increasing the blood flow near the injured part. Platelets are also responsible for stimulating the hair follicle function and for its enhancement. Now, the whole PRP Platelet-Rich Therapy is based on the platelets found in the blood.
These days, injuries are very common and everyone is looking to get treated by an uncomplicated procedure. PRP therapy is one of the most extensively used therapies since the 1990s because it is non-operative and has no side effects.
Platelet-Rich Plasma is nothing but processed blood plasma with platelets. The red blood and white blood cells are removed from PRP, thus, it has a large concentration of platelets. Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy is used by everyone these days. Though it is mostly used by professional players, it is not just limited to them. It is one of the best alternatives for the treatment of chronic injuries and illness as it is capable of relieving the pain by naturally healing the injured part. This therapy is used by many super active professionals and premier sportspersons in the world as it has smaller recovery times, allowing them to play again quickly.
How is the PRP Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Done?
The patient has to undergo a medical examination to check if he is fit for the therapy. Then, all the procedures are discussed with the patient. When the patient is ready for the therapy, a blood sample is obtained and centrifuged for isolating platelets from other cells in the blood. When the centrifuge process is finished, we are left with concentrated platelets, which will be used in the PRP treatment.
The PRP injection is prepared and injected into the injured body part, like a ligament, joint, or muscle. The entire procedure is done using ultrasound imaging as a guidance to check if the platelet-rich plasma is placed correctly. Depending on the kind of injury of the patient, the number of PRP injections is administered. The PRP therapy is painless but can give discomfort to the body part that is being treated. As soon as the platelet-rich plasma is injected, the reparative cells are released into the injured tissue and the recovery process is started.
Various kinds of musculoskeletal injuries are treated using platelet-rich plasma therapy such as knee instability, joint dysfunction, arthritis, ankle sprains, tennis elbow, etc. As the patient’s own blood with concentrated platelets is injected, there are no foreign substances used in this therapy. So, this procedure is safe and there are no side effects. Even the recovery time is faster with PRP therapy. The effectiveness of this procedure depends on the severity of the injury in the patient. It is considered to be the long-lasting solution for various types of injuries obtained while playing a sport or performing exercise regularly.
