How Platelet-rich Plasma Can Help You Heal More Quickly

As researchers and medical experts continue to explore the powerful possibilities of regenerative medicine, we’re seeing platelet-rich plasma therapy, which enhances healing.

The human body is incredibly self-sufficient — we’ve got built-in systems that protect and heal us as we go through life. You cut your finger, and within a week or two, your body has healed and repaired the wound, and you carry on.

When it comes to musculoskeletal injuries and joint issues, this same regenerative system repairs and heals tissues involved. We can even amplify this response with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for better outcomes.

At SOAR Spine and Orthopedics, our experienced team of musculoskeletal experts understands that any time we can help your body heal on its own, it’s always the better path. To that end, we’re pleased to offer regenerative medicine, specifically PRP therapy, which helps our patients heal more quickly.

The power of platelets

To understand how platelets help boost the healing process, we review what happens when you injure yourself.

When you have a wound or tissue damage, your body kicks off a four-stage healing process that includes:

Stasis — platelets in your blood stop the bleeding, if necessary
Inflammation — your body creates an environment to encourage healing
Cell proliferation — new cells come in to repair damaged tissues
Maturation and remodeling — the wound achieves its final strength

Platelets in your blood, considered the foundation of healing, play a critical role from the start. Once they stop any bleeding, they release bioproteins, or growth factors, that set up the remaining three stages of healing.

Boosting your healing through PRP

Our goal with PRP therapy is to amplify your body’s healing response for faster, more sustainable results.

To do this, first we draw some of your own blood and then, using a special centrifuge, we isolate your platelets. From there, we inject this concentrate of regenerative resources directly into your damaged tissues, where the platelets release fibroblasts and growth factors to keep healing moving forward, and at a faster rate, thanks to the extra healing boost.

PRP therapy is effective because we’re not only encouraging cellular rebuilding, but it’s also safe since we use your own cells — all we’re doing is redirecting them.

The many uses of PRP therapy

When it comes to the applications of PRP, we’ve been successfully using them to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including:

Tendinopathies, such as tendon tears and ruptures
Ligament damage and tears
Post-surgical healing
Arthritis
Sports injuries
Bursitis
Plantar fasciitis

This list is far from complete, but it provides an idea of the different conditions where PRP can play a contributing role.

As for its efficacy, research is ongoing. Here, we reference one study that concludes, “PRP is a promising conservative treatment modality for a variety of conditions with healing and regenerative capabilities and clear evidence of safety.”

If you’re interested in exploring regenerative medicine and PRP therapy to learn if it can help you with musculoskeletal damage, contact us today at one of our offices in Santa Clara or Redwood City, California.