What Is PRP/PRGF?
Platelet-rich plasma, or Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRP/PRGF), are a form of regenerative medicine that can be injected into injury sites. Plasma is one of the main components in your blood, along with platelets, and red and white blood cells. PRP/PRGF contains concentrated amounts of platelets and plasma rich in growth factors. These growth factors help blood clot and contain proteins that encourage cell growth and repair.
The team of experts at Regenerative Orthopedic and Sports Medicine (ROSM) offer PRP/PRGF therapy as one of their incredible range of regenerative orthopedic treatments serving Annapolis, North Bethesda, and Columbia Maryland and surrounding areas. PRP/PRGF therapy is helping thousands of people avoid unnecessary surgery, restoring their mobility, relieving pain, and improving their quality of life.
What Conditions Can PRP/PRGF Injections Help Treat?
PRP/PRGF has a wide range of medical uses but has seen the greatest results when treating musculoskeletal conditions and injuries.
Tendon injuries: Tendons are tough, thick bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. They are notoriously difficult to repair, but doctors have used PRP/PRGF therapy to treat chronic tendon injuries, such as tennis elbow, and Achilles tendonitis in the ankle. This 2016 study highlights how PRP/PRGF generates increased tendon cell proliferation, expression of anabolic genes and proteins, and reduced tendon inflammation.
Acute injuries: Sprains, strains, and muscle tears are some of the most common sports injuries. PRP/PRGF offers an effective way to help speed up and improve recovery from these injuries.
Osteoarthritis: PRP/PRGF has shown to be both safe and effective at helping to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis. According to the NIH, the growth factors present inside of the platelets offers incredible anti-inflammatory properties while also introducing coagulation factors and a matrix for which cartilage can regrow.
What To Expect From A PRP/PRGF Session?
The level of preparation for a PRP/PRGF session varies depending on your comfort with needles and pain threshold. The process is relatively painless and is performed under precision-guided equipment at the hand of our highly trained physicians.
One consideration should be ensuring to wear clothing that allows easy access to the problem area. Coverings and gowns can be provided if necessary. You should speak to your specialist ahead of time if you think you will require additional numbing or sedatives. The majority of our patients are perfectly fine without it.
PRP/PRGF Injection Process
Here’s what to expect from a typical PRP/PRGF injection process:
- A blood sample is extracted via a needle and is drawn into a special syringe.
- The sample is then placed into a centrifuge which spins at a very high speed, causing the sample to separate into its respective components.
- The plasma, now rich with platelets, is extracted and separated from the rest of the sample, ready for injection into the affected area.
- PRP/PRGF specialists use ultrasound guidance tools to pinpoint specific areas for injection, enabling maximum precision and effectiveness. Your doctor will then inject the PRP/PRGF into the affected area
How Much Does PRP/PRGF Cost?
It isn’t quite that simple! PRP/PRGF therapy has different costs associated with each application it is intended to be used for, as well as the number of sessions required to meet your treatment goals! Costs can be settled between you and your doctor after a comprehensive assessment has been conducted and the intricacies of your condition have been identified! You will be provided with a plan that is unique to your needs and matches your recovery goals.
What are the Potential Side Effects?
PRP/PRGF has been deemed both safe and efficacious, mainly due to the fact that it is an autologous procedure, meaning it contains compounds sourced from the body and therefore is not at risk of being rejected.
All injections have an inherent risk of causing bleeding, infection, or injuring a nerve, these are not unique to PRP/PRGF treatment. We minimize these risks by guiding our injections using ultrasound and doing them in a safe, deliberate manner.
If you have leukemia or blood-born cancer, or active Lyme infection in a joint, these are contraindications to the procedure.
If you have any history of cancer or and hematological (blood) disorders, you should discuss treatment with your medical doctor or specialist.
Although it is not a risk, most patients will experience a brief (1-3 days) flare of discomfort and inflammation due to the healing reaction that is taking place.
Depending on your medical history and allergies, you could possibly be prone to other risks. You should always disclose all medical information during the consultation so the doctor can make the best, most informed decisions regarding your therapy!
What is the recovery time for PRP/PRGF injections?
Immediately after each session, your doctor will recommend a post-injection rehabilitation protocol to optimize the response to the treatment. You may be asked to rest or brace the area treated, modify activity, and ease back into it over a couple of weeks. We will often coordinate care with your physical therapist/personal trainer/or chiropractor.
PRP/PRGF is not meant to temporarily mask your pain like other procedures. Instead, it is much more of a long game procedure. The goal is to target the injury at its source, providing regenerative therapy so that it may heal correctly and restore the musculoskeletal integrity of the affected area to prevent re-injury and relieve your pain in the process. Healing happens gradually and continuously over a period of months, with sessions recurring as necessary.
Looking for Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy In Annapolis, North Bethesda, and Columbia, Maryland, and surrounding areas?
If you have any questions regarding PRP/PRGF therapy or would like to take the first steps toward injury repair, pain relief, and improved quality of life, call the professionals at Regenerative Orthopedic and Sports Medicine to schedule a consultation today! Call us or book an appointment online today!
