Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a term that is gaining popularity as a medical procedure to enhance or create an environment for the body to heal to its fullest extent. PRP involves drawing a patient's blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the blood into its constituents, and then re-injecting the platelet-rich plasma into the areas where it is needed under ultrasound guidance. This therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, chronic knee pain, shoulder pain, small joint arthritis, muscle injuries, and chronic back pain.

PRP contains growth factors that fuel the body's healing stem cells to repair or create new blood vessels, nerve cells, cartilage cells, tendon cells, muscle cells, bone cells, or any other type of cell that the body needs to fully heal damaged tissue. When the platelets full of growth factors are concentrated and re-injected under ultrasound guidance, they help the body to heal itself by removing all impediments to the healing process.

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition in which sensitive nerves are badly disturbed, blood flow is decreased, and these nerves begin to degenerate and die. Symptoms include tingling in the hands and/or feet, the sensation of pins and needles, or walking on tacks or shards of glass. Other symptoms can include numbness, the feeling of a rolled-up sock under the ball of the foot, muscle weakness, and loss of balance.

To treat peripheral neuropathy, PRP is transplanted into the muscle and/or along the nerves using a small needle. Along with home therapies, PRP allows for new blood vessel growth and the nerves to regenerate and function normally, resulting in decreased pain.

Our doctors use the Tru-Dose PRP system to ensure that they know the number of platelets within the PRP, ensuring a therapeutic dose each and every time without any guesswork as to the quality of PRP. The PRP is either used as-is or put through several cycles of freezing-thawing to liberate the growth factors all at once to create a product called platelet lysate (PL).

PRP is a safe and effective way to treat a variety of conditions and has helped many patients regain their quality of life. If you are interested in PRP therapy, consult with your doctor to determine if it is the right option for you.