Platelet-rich plasma is produced with the patient s blood. The solution differs every time because it is specific to the patient s blood, and every physician differs in the prep and formulation of the solution. A blood sample is taken from you, and where the solution is injected affects how much blood is taken from you.
The machine used in this treatment is one that rotates at high speeds with the idea of separating the blood elements. The process lasts for 15 minutes before it is done separating the blood elements. In order to identify which area is most affected and needs to be inserted with the blend, an ultrasound is used. The doctor responsible for your treatment will prepare blend once the machine has completed separating the plasma.
What does this treatment really heal? It can help heal tendon injuries, hair loss, post surgical repair, acute injuries and osteoarthritis. When coming to hair growth and blocking of male pattern baldness, the plasma may be placed into the scalp. It treats jumper s knee, tennis elbow and Achilles tendonitis. If you have gone through other modes of treatment, and you are unsatisfied give this one a shot.
It has also been used post surgery for shoulder issues such as pulled hamstring and tendons. It seems that even though it has been used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, more observation still needs to be done. The body needs preparation when it s about to undergo this process. The strain alone could throw it off balance so you cant just go in. An anesthetic or numbing cream can be applied to the area of insertion to aid with discomfort.
There are side effects to using Platelet-rich plasma treatment. These include mild nausea, losing consciousness and dizziness. Some people have reported pain in the injected area or soreness. There are times when the area can get infected even though special precaution has been taken. At times the body will reject the serum and cause an allergic reaction. Skin discoloration and blood clots are also some of the side effects connected to using this treatment.
Platelet-rich plasma has been used for years worldwide and has been known to be used by professional athletes like Tiger Woods for Achilles Tendonitis and Hines Ward for quadriceps tendonitis. The Best advantage of the Platelet-rich plasma is it s safety because it uses the patient s own blood, there is no risk of disease transmission.
This specific treatment has, like any other treatment it s limitations. To add, the treatment does not work on complete ruptures of tendon or ligament. It starts working from the 1st week and can be seen healing on a microvascular level. Pain starts receding from two to six weeks and strength and endurance may improve over the period of six to nine months. It s a growing study and seems to be improving with time. Definitely, something to look into.
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