Undergoing Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy

Posted on: 6 May 2019

There are many medical treatments that patients may need to undergo to recover and heal from their conditions and injuries. Platelet rich plasma therapy is a relatively new way of helping patients to recover, but it is a procedure that is still fairly misunderstood.

How Is The Platelet Rich Plasma Administered?

Patients often have concerns about the method that the platelet rich plasma will be administered. Typically, this is done through a small injection. The injection will need to be located near the site of the injury or problem. For most patients, the pain or discomfort from this injection will be fairly mild. If a patient is particularly sensitive to needles or suffers from a condition that is acutely painful, local anesthetics can be used to help numb there area so that the patient's discomfort can be minimized.

Where Does The Platelet Rich Plasma Come From?

When a patient is first referred for platelet rich plasma therapy, they may assume that this will involve a transfusion from another person. However, this is not the case as your own blood will be used to extract the platelets and plasma. Once a small sample of blood is taken, it will be put in a centrifuge so that the platelets rich plasma can be separated from the rest of the blood. This can avoid the risk of contamination or infection while also making sure that you are compatible with the injection.

When Should Patients Expect To Notice Results?

Due to the fact that platelet rich plasma therapy works by stimulating the body's natural healing processes, patients may need to wait until they are able to notice observable improvements in their condition. This will typically take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and it will largely depend on the condition being treated. Most patients will need to undergo multiple platelet rich plasma treatments, and during these sessions, the doctor will be able to examine the patient's condition to monitor their progress so that the platelet rich plasma therapy sessions can be adjusted to provide the best results.

Can Any Patient Undergo Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy?

In order to determine whether a patient is a good candidate for platelet rich plasma therapy, they will need to undergo an evaluation. This evaluation will determine whether their injury can be healed with this procedure as well as the patient's overall health. For patients that are approved to undergo this type of treatment, it is important to start the procedure as soon as possible as this can minimize any further damage from occurring.

For more information, you will want to contact a professional such as Wayne Isaacson MD.

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