The platelet-rich plasma can accelerate healing and regenerative processes within the injured cells and tissue, thereby promoting a faster recovery and return to full functioning, without any pain in the knees, hips, or other joints.
Over the years, more and more physicians have acknowledged the treatment’s ability to encourage various injuries and conditions to heal. The buzz around PRP injections grew even louder after an elite athlete began undergoing treatment to help heal from various sports injuries. Famous athletes, including Tiger Woods, Hines Ward, and others have all claimed to recover and get back in the game faster, when integrating PRP injections into their rehabilitation processes.
PRP Injections are Produced from the Patient’s Own Blood as Follows:
- Blood is drawn from the patient – generally from a vein in their hand/arm – just like for a regular blood test.
- The blood is inserted into a test tube that’s sealed and placed in a centrifuge (a machine that quickly spins the test tube around).
- During the spinning process, platelets are cleansed and separated from the other blood components in the test tube.
- The test tube will then have three distinct layers: a layer of red blood cells, a middle layer of platelet-rich plasma (which we need), and a layer of platelet-poor plasma.
- The physician uses a syringe to remove the middle layer of platelet-rich plasma from the test tube.
- The physician then injects the PRP fluid directly into the injured joint (typically one of the knee, hip, or shoulder joints).
PRP Shoulder Injections Offer Clear Advantages over Other Treatments:
An accessible resource
There’s no need to produce complex or special substances in large laboratories, to treat knee injuries. Our bodies course with blood that’s available for use and can be drawn, so that its PRP can be cleansed and re-injected into the shoulder. Platelets are blood cells that have been linked to the creation of natural blood clotting processes following an injury. They are comprised of proteins that are responsible for promoting new growth and support healing. As such, PRP treatments are based on the use of platelet-rich plasma to accelerate those healing processes that naturally take place within our bodies.
Healing, the natural way
PRP contains a high concentration of platelets that have been cleansed, after being drawn from the patient’s own blood. Platelet-rich plasma encourages growth in the number of regenerating cells; by injecting the PRP back into the patient’s body, we basically flood the joint with platelet-rich plasma, giving it the boost of natural resources it needs to supercharge its recovery process. PRP injections help the body by increasing the concentration of our own natural resource, in order to reduce pain and accelerate the injured tissue’s healing and regeneration processes.
An easy and simple process
For patients, the treatment is no more than a simple blood draw (from their own vein), and a PRP injection into the affected joint (in this case, into the knee). This simple process requires just a few test tubes, which are then placed in a centrifuge to separate the blood into its components. The platelets are concentrated and cleansed, so that they can be injected back into the patient’s body.
Exceptional precision
PRP knee or other joint injections are performed under various forms of imaging (such as ultrasound) to ensure maximum precision in the most relevant location. PRP injections must be precisely inserted by a licensed orthopedist, to ascertain that they reach the afflicted area and launch regeneration, growth, and healing processes.
A fast process
The process of injecting PRP into the knee usually takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. No general anesthesia or invasive procedures are required, enabling the patient to return to their place of work or other daily activities, as soon as the treatment is completed.
PRP injections are suited to a variety of orthopedic applications, including: mild tears, Plantar Fasciitis, tendon injuries, infections in the Achilles Tendon, stress fractures (reducing recovery time), and joint inflammations. It is of extreme importance that any patient receives a professional consultation from an expert and licensed orthopedist, who is experienced in providing the treatment.
What Can Be Expected, Following a PRP Treatment?
Patients start to feel improvements within a few weeks of undergoing PRP injections. However, in many cases, positive change can be seen within just a few days. In some cases, a series of treatment sessions are required, to promote positive, long-term results.
How Much Do PRP Knee Injections Cost?
PRP knee injections cost approximately 2,000 NIS – or nothing at all – depending on the complexity of the required procedure, and whether the patient has private insurance. If imaging is needed, the procedure will be slightly more expensive. If the patient has private insurance, 80 to 100 percent of the cost can be covered, significantly impacting the final price.
Are There Side Effects to PRP Shoulder Injections?
Any potential side effects are negligible and barely experienced. Some patients experience slight irritation or pain at the injection site; these side effects disappear on their own within one to three days of the treatment. In extremely rare cases, side effects can last up to seven days from the treatment. Additionally, some slight local swelling can occur.
Note that any procedure using blood requires a sterile environment, to prevent the risk of infection.
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