Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) uses your body’s natural regenerative abilities to promote and accelerate healing and repair damaged tissues. As a specialist in regenerative medicine, Ryan Hijazi, DO, at MIPS uses PRP injections to heal musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative joint diseases. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for PRP treatment, call the office in Sterling Heights, Michigan, or book an appointment online today.
PRP Q & A
What is PRP?
PRP is blood plasma that contains a higher number of platelets than are normally found in blood. Inside your body, platelets stimulate healing; injections containing PRP take advantage of this regenerative ability by depositing a concentrated amount of platelets directly at the site of injured or diseased tissues.
If you’re scheduled for a PRP injection, the solution is made in the office from your own blood, so you don’t need to worry about side effects. Dr. Hijazi draws a sample of your blood, then spins it in a centrifuge. This process separates the platelets and plasma from other blood cells, creating the PRP needed for your injection.
What happens after PRP is injected?
Platelets are rich sources of proteins called growth factors. When Dr. Hijazi injects PRP, the growth factors get to work in the following ways:
- Recruiting stem cells to the area
- Boosting stem cell effectiveness
- Developing new blood vessels
- Stimulating production of collagen, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage
- Preventing degeneration of healthy cells
- Reducing inflammation
Using your body’s natural ability to regenerate new tissues, PRP heals your condition and relieves your pain.
What health conditions are treated with PRP?
PRP is increasingly used in many types of medical and cosmetic procedures. In fact, it’s used for very diverse therapies as it’s applied during surgical procedures to promote tissue healing and is also proven to restore hair growth.
The team at Minimally Invasive Pain Specialists primarily inject PRP to relieve pain and heal musculoskeletal conditions such as:
- Arthritis of the knee, hip, or shoulder
- Rotator cuff tears
- Tennis elbow
- Hip bursitis
- Ligament and tendon injuries
- Chronic back pain
- Neck pain
PRP injections are effective for acute and chronic conditions. They’re also beneficial for a variety of inflammatory conditions and for injuries that are slow to heal.
Dr. Hijazi administers PRP using imaging that shows the targeted tissues and guides needle placement. With this technique, you can be sure that your PRP is deposited directly at the area where the platelets are needed for healing.
As a specialist in regenerative medicine, Dr. Hijazi determines whether the healing power of PRP might benefit your specific health concern. If you have questions about PRP treatment or you’d like to schedule an appointment, call MIPS today or use the online booking feature.