How PRP Is Changing the Pain Management Field

Traditional pain management plans often rely on medications. Unfortunately, medications usually just mask the symptoms. Furthermore, some medications can cause additional problems if used over a prolonged period of time.

However, in recent years, the field of pain management has seen significant advancements, including the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. PRP therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses your body’s own resources to stimulate healing from the inside. And with increased healing comes reduced pain.

William Graham, MD, and our team at Sporting Medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina, specialize in PRP therapy for pain management. In this blog, we explain what PRP therapy is and some of its many benefits.

How PRP therapy works

Your blood contains many components, including platelets. Platelets are powerful, because they help trigger cell regeneration and healing in the body. With PRP therapy, we harvest some of your platelets and inject them into areas that need healing. The platelets then go to work, supercharging your body’s ability to heal itself from the inside out.

To perform this treatment, we first draw a sample of your blood. Then we place it in a centrifuge, which separates the platelets from the other components in your blood. Then we inject the concentrated serum of platelets into the area of your body that needs healing.

Then, over time, the pain should decrease as the healing process increases. While it’s possible to experience pain relief after just one PRP treatment, Dr. Graham generally recommends a series of sessions for maximum relief.

The benefits of PRP therapy for pain management

PRP therapy is rapidly gaining popularity in the pain management field, because it offers a host of benefits that traditional pain management techniques can’t match.

It’s a natural treatment option

PRP therapy uses your body's own healing resources. Unlike traditional pain management treatments that rely on drugs, PRP therapy uses the healing elements in your body to promote recovery. This makes it an attractive treatment option for people who are looking for a more natural approach to pain management.

It has a low risk for side effects

Because PRP therapy is drug-free, and because it uses your body’s own elements, it’s considered low risk. PRP therapy has been used for decades in various medical fields, including orthopedics, dentistry, and plastic surgery, with little to no reported adverse effects. That means it’s generally safe and effective for most people, and you may even be able to combine it with other pain management treatments for more complete healing.

It’s effective for sports injuries

PRP therapy is also an effective treatment option for athletes who suffer from sports-related injuries. Many professional athletes have turned to PRP therapy to help them recover from injuries and get back to their sport as quickly as possible. In fact, many athletes have reported significant improvements in their pain and range of motion after undergoing PRP therapy.

It’s effective in treating chronic issues

Along with accelerating healing from orthopedic injury, PRP therapy can fight chronic issues. It’s particularly promising for people with osteoarthritis and other types of joint problems, because it can reduce inflammation and trigger cartilage repair to improve joint function.

It could help you delay or avoid surgery

Last but not least, PRP therapy can prevent or delay the need for more invasive procedures, such as surgery. Many people who suffer from chronic pain are hesitant to undergo surgery due to the risks and potential complications associated with surgery. PRP therapy provides a noninvasive alternative that can produce significant pain relief, so you may be able to delay or even avoid surgery.

If you’re dealing with pain, it’s time to find out if PRP therapy is right for you. To learn more, call 704-503-9023 or book an appointment online with Sporting Medicine today.