The Benefits of PRP Therapy for Joint Pain, Injuries, and Recovery

 To get the nutrients and materials we need for normal bodily function, the blood has a vital role to play. An essential part of your circulatory system, it travels through your veins, arteries, and blood vessels. It’s composed of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells, and it helps with functions such as oxygenation and wound healing.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses the unique properties of your blood plasma to help mend injuries and speed healing. To better understand the many ways this helps you, let’s explore the facts about the treatment, how we accomplish it, and why it’s an effective choice in helping your body heal.

Dr. Joseph Daniels and the dedicated team at Southwest Orthopedic Associates help Fort Worth, Texas, residents protect joints and musculoskeletal tissue through many methods, including PRP therapy.

PRP therapy basics

We draw blood in medicine all the time to gather data about possible infections, diseases, and other issues, but with this treatment option, we’re taking plasma from healthy blood and reinjecting it in concentrated form. When our wounds heal, platelets in our blood clot and seal open cuts and scrapes, protecting them from particles and infection. 

The support of cell growth makes platelets a great way to stimulate this process in areas that need it, such as joints, and during post-surgical aftercare. They’re also used to support bone graft therapies and treat skin conditions.

How it’s done

To perform this therapy, we need to draw your blood; the amount varies depending on the specific reasons for the treatment. Once acquired, the blood is run through a centrifuge, a spinning device that separates fluid mixtures into their components. We use it to mix the blood into a high-concentration plasma solution to boost its cell-growth properties.

When that’s done, we reinject the mixture into the parts of the body that need it, using ultrasound to ensure we find the correct location. The process takes about an hour, but, if done with other treatments like microneedling or hair-loss therapy, that may vary.

The advantages of using it

Using the therapy to help with joint pain, injuries, and healing from surgery has advantages:

Minimally invasive

We draw blood to create the PRP solution and inject it back inside your body, making it a simple, straightforward option without incisions or surgery to perform.

Less chance of bodily rejection

Using your blood reduces the risk of your body rejecting the therapy, increasing the likelihood of effectiveness.

A complementary treatment option

PRP therapy helps other treatments speed up recovery time, as mentioned earlier. This means it can also be used with different options to improve cell growth and healing.

Using your body's own healing mechanisms makes PRP therapy a safe, effective way to treat joints and many other issues. To find out how this treatment can work for you, make an appointment with Dr. Daniels and Southwest Orthopedic Associates today.