Health Zone Podcast: Platelet-Rich Plasma

Platelet-rich plasma injections offer an innovative form of regenerative medicine to accelerate healing and decrease pain. What does that mean? Ken O. Kenneth-Nwosa, MD explains on this week’s Health Zone. 

How does it work? 

“PRP injections are used to treat the inflammation of tendons, promote healing and utilize the healing properties of a patient’s own blood to stimulate healing and stabilization of the tendon,” says, Kenneth Kenneth–Nwosa, MD, assistant professor of Orthopaedics at UT Health San Antonio. “These injections are on the forefront of therapeutic treatments and can be used as an intervention for mild to moderate osteoarthritis when other treatments have not been successful,” said Dr. Kenneth-Nwosa.

PRP utilizes your body’s natural healing properties to repair and regenerate cells and tissues. The platelets are taken from your blood and separated for the injection. By using your own blood platelets these injections mimic the body’s natural healing response to begin the regeneration process. 

What to expect?

The treatment process for PRP injection is simple and is completed in the office. During the appointment, a small amount of your blood will be drawn and placed in a centrifuge to separate the platelets. Once separated, the injection will be made into the designated area. After the injection, patients can go about their daily activities but may experience some discomfort at the injection site. Results from PRP injections can be noticeable within 4–6 weeks after injection and can last several months following the procedure.

What does PRP treat?

PRP is an innovative treatment for natural pain relief that is effective for a range of different issues. PRP treatment can be used to stimulate the healing process, decrease pain and enable you to return to activities sooner. Injections can treat numerous orthopaedic concerns and can be an alternative to invasive surgery. This can include pain in your joints, back, hips, knees, neck, shoulders and elbows. It is also useful to treat conditions like osteoarthritis, cartilage damage, torn ligaments and sciatica. Additionally, PRP therapy can be incorporated into your post-operative care to accelerate healing in procedures that typically have long recovery times.

To learn more about our Sports Medicine program visit UTHealthCare.org/SportsMedicine or call 210-56-SPORT to make an appointment.