PRP Therapy Specialist
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Tom Macek, MD
Board Certified Pain Management & Board Certified Anesthesiology located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is among the most exciting innovations in pain management in recent years. Dr. Tom Macek is excited about the possibilities available through PRP therapy, and offers PRP injections to patients in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If you’re curious about what platelet-rich plasma therapy can do for you, schedule a consultation today. Make an appointment online or call the office.
PRP Therapy Q&A
What is platelet-rich plasma?
To understand the benefits of platelet-rich plasma or PRP, it helps to think about the components of your blood. Human blood is made of a mix of liquids and solids. The solid components include white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
Platelets work to encourage blood clotting, which slows blood loss if you sustain a wound. More than half of your blood volume is made of plasma, which is a mixture of water, proteins, and salt.
Platelet-rich plasma is a preparation of your own blood that contains a high concentration of platelets suspended in plasma.
What are the benefits of platelet-rich plasma?
A growing body of research supports the concept that PRP is an effective treatment for pain management. Specifically, studies show that PRP treatment reduces pain from knee osteoporosis and knee injuries.
PRP therapy is used in regenerative medicine, an approach that harnesses your body’s natural healing power to promote cellular turnover and reduce inflammation. This approach shows promise in treating the following:
- Chronic tendon injuries
- Acute muscle injuries
- Acute ligament injuries
- Knee arthritis
Platelet-rich plasma is becoming more common as a treatment option for many types of joint injuries.
How is PRP created?
Dr. Macek begins by drawing a small amount of your blood and using a centrifuge to spin it at a high rate of speed. That separates the platelets from the other components, leaving a high concentration of platelets in the remaining plasma.
The preparation is then injected into the injured area, where growth factors are released to speed healing. The entire process usually takes less than an hour, and there is no significant recovery time needed.
How long will it take for PRP to begin working?
Unlike a corticosteroid injection or pain medication, the effects of platelet-rich plasma are not immediate. As your body responds to the therapy and begins healing at an accelerated pace, you should notice reduced pain in a few weeks, and those effects continue as healing progresses.
If you’re interested in exploring the possibilities afforded by PRP therapy, book an appointment today.
