Important Information On Prp Therapy Portland Residents Need To Know

By Joshua Campbell


Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a derivative of blood that is said to have numerous therapeutic effects. It is more specifically thought to expedite the process of healing whenever various types of tissues are injured. If they intend to benefit from prp therapy Portland patients need to understand a number of things on the treatment beforehand.

Plasma is the part of blood in which the cells float. It is rich in proteins that serve various functions in the body. Among these functions is wound healing. Platelets are tiny pellets whose main role is to facilitate wound healing by initiating the formation of clots around injured areas. When one is to be treated using prp, the blood used is their own.

The first step in the treatment is to obtain blood from one of your veins. The blood is then centrifuged to separate the cells from the plasma. The platelet rich plasma concentrate obtained after this process is injected directly into the target site. The entire procedure is simple enough to be carried out in an outpatient clinic. One can resume their normal routine as soon as they receive the injection.

Osteoarthritis is among the conditions for which this therapy is being used. It is a degenerative joint disease seen mostly among persons in their fourth decade of life. It is characterized by pain, deformity and stiffness. It is chronic in nature and quite difficult to manage. It is not uncommon for the prescribed pain relievers to fail. This is why this therapy has gained acceptance rather easily.

Tendon injuries have also been subjected to the treatment with variable results. These kinds of injuries are often sustained by professional athletes. Common examples include the tennis elbow, patellar tendon pain and Achilles tendonitis among others. These injuries tend to take a painfully long time to heal when managed with conventional forms of treatment. This is why any small improvement that may be offered by the prp therapy will be readily embraced.

Some researchers claim that prp is effective in reversing hair loss. One of the groups that have been studied is that of persons with male pattern baldness. The main concern is that the numbers that have been studied are quite small. Other conditions that may be treated similarly include rotator cuff injuries, chronic plantar fasciitis and hamstring tears.

Just is the case with many forms of medical interventions, side effects are a possibility when using this form of treatment. These include, among others, nerve injuries, injection site pain and tissue injury. It is important to discuss the risk of suffering this side effects with your doctor prior to the administration of the injection. The doctor should explain the steps that will be taken to minimize the side effects.

The quality of scientific evidence to support the routine use of prp in medical practice is still weak. There is a tremendous amount of research work that is still on going in this area and the future looks quite promising. There are a number of world famous athletes who have given this form of treatment a try already. Because of the controversies still surrounding the treatment many insurance companies do not include it in their medical covers.




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