Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy for Chronic Pain

Imagine a cure for chronic pain that’s specifically tailored to your individual chemistry – something that could effectively wipe out debilitating symptoms, yet is 100% natural, safe, and made for your body. Such a thing exists, but it isn’t some “miracle drug” manufactured by a pharmaceutical company: it’s your own blood. And with a procedure called platelet-rich plasma therapy or PRP, it can be used to work wonders for sufferers of chronic pain.

When we’re injured, blood rushes to the site of the injury to quickly initiate healing. Poor blood supply equals poor healing, so it only makes sense that a greater blood supply would speed up the process considerably. Blood platelets clot wounds, clean up dead and injured cells, and – most importantly – contribute growth factors that start the regeneration of new, healthy tissue and blood vessels. And that’s exactly the goal of platelet-rich plasma therapy: to facilitate healing and re-grow strengthening tissues, restoring damaged areas to pain-free vitality. It’s a procedure very similar in nature to prolotherapy, a treatment which proliferates – or grows – new tissue in places where it has been weakened. The only difference is that in platelet-rich plasma therapy, the patient’s blood is being injected, rather than the proliferant (mild irritant) solution that prolotherapy utilizes.

During the procedure, a small sample of blood is drawn and placed into a centrifuge for fifteen minutes. The centrifuge separates the components of the blood, and the red blood cells are removed from the plasma and platelets. This creates a solution of super-concentrated, or “platelet-rich,” plasma; the level of healing platelets that it contains is much higher than normal. The solution is placed into a syringe and injected into the specified problem area, which can be treated with a local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. The platelets get to work repairing damage and generating new, healthy tissue, leading to an eventual healing of the injured area.

Patients may experience a mild soreness at the injection site for a few days afterward, but it can easily be managed with ice or acetaminophen (Tylenol) –never anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, though, as they interfere with the inflammatory process necessary to heal the affected area.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is steadily gaining in popularity. It is an efficient treatment, and its effects are easily seen with ultrasounds, offering undisputable scientific proof. Plus, it’ s safe: since the patient’s own blood is being used, there’s no risk of contamination with blood-born disease, and no chance of rejection by the body. With these combined factors, platelet-rich plasma therapy is proving itself to be an increasingly attractive option for those suffering from pain.