PRP Injection Joint Repair And Preservation: 9 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know

Are you recovering from an injury? Or do you want to end your daily bouts with that nagging shoulder pain? When we talk about pain, we can further spread it out to different types and categories. Sports-related injuries are common for children, teens, and young adults. For the elderly, there are debilitating effects of arthritis. Thankfully, science gives us different options to manage pain and repair damaged joints.

One of the most effective treatments is PRP injection for joint repair and preservation. PRP therapy uses platelets to hasten one’s healing ability of joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, there is more to PRP therapy than platelets and injections. We invite you to learn more about PRP therapy by learning some surprising facts down below.

PRP Therapy Uses Your Blood

What exactly does my sports medicine doctor inject in me?

A common myth of PRP is that they use stem cells from unborn embryos. However, PRP injections for joint preservation use the patient’s blood. The injections contain the patient’s plasma-concentrated blood platelets. To harvest these platelets, the doctor draws a small amount of blood from the patient. The doctor then separates the platelets from red blood cells and other components.

It Is Not a New Thing

This fact often surprises many, considering the modern-sounding name of PRP injection. Interestingly, PRP therapy is not a new treatment. It traces its roots back to when hematologists created the term “PRP” in the 1970s.

Thereafter, the Italians first used it in an open-heart surgery back in 1987. However, it was only in the 1990s when PRP therapy gained popularity. In the early 2000s, plastic surgeons and dentists discovered its benefits.

They used PRP for oral reconstructive procedures to cut down blood loss. At the same time, doctors noticed its ability to heal bones after treatments. Today, PRP is a staple in sports medicine, pain management, and even cosmetics.

It Is Not Exclusive to Athletes

Some of the world’s most popular athletes benefit from preserving joints with PRP. However, it’s not a treatment dedicated to only athletes. It is for everyone who wishes to drive the pain away and restore their joints’ mobility.

You will go through the same PRP injection process as many popular celebrities. This includes Tiger Woods, Stephen Curry, Rafael Nadal, and the late Kobe Bryant. What may differ are the complexities of your condition.

Since they are professional athletes, their joints and tendons experienced far extensive damage. They are more at risk for repetitive motion injuries and acute injuries. A few injuries include muscle strains, sprains, and bone or growth plate injuries.

PRP Therapy Is Safe

Despite the intricacies of extracting platelets, PRP injections are safe as can be. Since PRP only harvests the blood of the same patient, there is no risk for disease transmission. You won’t have to worry about adverse reactions. There is no risk of the body rejecting the plasma. In other words, PRP has virtually no side-effects on your overall health.

Perhaps the only point of concern for the procedure is the patient’s tolerance for the needle. Some patients may also experience minor post-injection pain on the affected joint.

It Can Address Different Kinds of Pain Sources

PRP injection offers extensive coverage in terms of addressing sources of joint pain. For starters, PRP therapy is remarkably effective in treating muscle strains or ligament sprains. It also helps people with knee osteoarthritis.

Moreover, it works best for patients with tendonitis. If you have rotator cuff injuries or sciatica, you may find PRP injections beneficial. If you’re battling chronic back pain, you may enjoy relief after PRP therapy. The same thing goes for patients with lumbago or pain that emanates from the lower back.

It Can Also Work on Hair Loss

Another surprising fact about PRP therapy is that it goes beyond regenerative medicine. Cosmetic experts also use PRP therapy to address hair loss. Facial rejuvenation clinics inject PRP to increase the production of dermal papilla cells.

You will find these cells at the bottom of your hair follicles. These cells play vital roles in the formation, growth, and development of your hair. Furthermore, PRP therapy promotes the development of fibroblast growth factors. This is another key element that contributes to hair growth.

The PRP Market Is Rapidly Growing

Anyone who has joint problems can qualify for the procedure due to PRPs safety benefits. Thus, the PRP market is growing rapidly over the past few years.

In 2020, the PRP global market size stood at $467 million. From 2021 to 2028, experts predict that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12%.

This growth is mainly because of the number of young people participating in sports. Around 30 million adolescents engage in sports, which increases the number of injuries.

It Doesn’t Require Surgery

Like Hyaluronic Acid Injections, PRP therapy for joint repair is non-surgical. It doesn’t involve patients going through the knife. As the name implies, it mainly involves injecting plasma into the area of concern.

Joint preservation clinic options will usually apply real-time imaging to guide the needle. This ensures that the PRP reaches the target area where the pain emanates. PRP treatment also helps patients avoid surgery by boosting the healing of the joint.

You Can Afford It

Finally, PRP therapy is something that many people can afford. There may be some regenerative therapies that are quite costly. However, PRP therapy is considered a cost-effective treatment. Since it does not require any major surgery, or time loss from work, recovery will not be as likely to hurt your savings. For an appropriate medical treatment, you may be able to use health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account FSA) savings. Also, reputable sports clinics may have partnerships with various insurance providers.

Experience Top-Notch PRP Injection Joint Repair and Preservation

Now you know some insightful facts about PRP injections for joint repair and preservation. The next step is to consult an injury specialist about PRP therapy and its many benefits. If you feel that your constant bouts with pain should end ASAP, then PRP therapy maybe the answer for you.

Connect with us today and tell us more about your condition. Our sports injury clinic in Portland, Oregon offers best-in-class PRP therapy. We offer regenerative treatments to both athletes and regular individuals in resolving every kind of joint pain!