How Does PRP Work?

There are lots of reasons why PRP treatments continue gaining popularity. 

These therapeutic injections use your own blood cells to activate and accelerate healing. This may sound like science fiction, but it all boils down to a fairly straightforward concept: harnessing specific substances involved in the healing process.

Dr. Jared Tadje offers several treatments at Tadje Orthopaedics that activate the body’s ability to heal, from orthobiologics using stem cells to PRP using elements in your blood. 

Are you curious to see how PRP works? Here’s what you need to know.

PRP basics

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) describes the two primary elements of your blood that we use to make this injectable therapy.

Platelets

You may be familiar with platelets. They’re best known for their ability to clot blood. But they also play a larger role in the healing process by triggering cell production and stimulating tissue regeneration.

Plasma

Plasma, on the other hand, is mainly proteins and water. Think of it as the liquid part of your blood. This substance enables your platelets and blood cells to circulate throughout your body.

PRP leverages these elements into a therapeutic injection that contains high concentrations of platelets. When injected into an area with damage or disease, these healing elements get to work stimulating repair, cell production, and tissue regeneration.

How PRP therapy works

PRP therapy uses your own blood, making it a low-risk treatment that causes few side effects.

It starts with a blood draw to collect one or two vials. Then we prepare your sample in a centrifuge machine. This device spins the blood sample at a high rate of speed, separating the platelets and concentrating them in the plasma.

Once complete, your PRP is ready for us to inject directly into the treatment site. If needed, Dr. Tadje could use ultrasound guidance for precise placement in specific areas.

Dr. Tadje recommends PRP for numerous issues, such as:

• Tendinitis, including tennis or golfer’s elbow
• Ligament injuries and shoulder pain, including rotator cuff tears
• Joint problems, including arthritis
• Sports injuries, including fractures and muscle injuries

PRP can also support and accelerate post-surgical healing, especially in soft tissues like muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

What to expect from PRP

Dr. Tadje performs PRP treatments onsite at Tadje Orthopaedics during a routine office visit. 

You may have mild tenderness or bruising at the blood draw and injection sites. But we administer an anesthetic before delivering your treatment, so your discomfort during the shot itself should be minor.

As we mentioned above, PRP typically causes few, if any, side effects since it’s from your own blood. It’s so well-tolerated that you can often return to regular activity immediately, but we provide guidance on a case-by-case basis.

You may not notice PRP working immediately. It takes time for your body to repair itself on a cellular level — something you may have seen in action for yourself if you’ve ever had a cut or scrape. But rest easy; PRP starts working right away.

Over the following few weeks, you can expect your symptoms to gradually improve, as healthy cells return to the area, and inflammation decreases. Depending on your condition, Dr. Tadje could recommend a series of PRP injections for optimal results.

Could PRP help with your injury or pain condition? Contact us at Tadje Orthopaedics to schedule a consultation in Meridian, Idaho, today.