What to Expect with PRP Therapy

Our body is capable of healing many types of injuries. However, sometimes it needs a bit of help accessing and targeting its healing power. PRP therapy is a cutting-edge technique that uses your own blood to create perfectly tailored healing injections. This can address acute injuries as well as damage caused by joint disease, and even help you avoid invasive procedures like surgery. 

Dr. Philip Regala serves patients in Naples, Florida and the surrounding areas. He provides PRP therapy to treat a wide range of orthopedic conditions, mitigating pain and speeding healing. 

A brief look at the healing process 

Before you can understand platelet-rich plasma (PRP), you need to understand how the body heals itself. There are four steps to healing: 

1. Clotting, which stops blood flow after a cut or bruise
2. Cleaning, where the area is flushed with white blood cells to fight infection
3. Growth, where oxygen-rich blood cells stimulate healing and collagen production
4. Maturation, which is the final level of healing and reinforcement 

From the moment you cut yourself, your body is sending signals to repair the damage. The platelets in your blood are responsible for much of this: they clot the wound and encourage healing by releasing growth factors. 

However, certain parts of the body are hard to heal — particularly areas with little blood flow. This includes joints and cartilage. And this is where PRP therapy can help. 

How PRP is made 

Platelet-rich plasma is made using your own blood, making it perfectly tailored to your own DNA. This means your immune system will immediately accept the injections, and the PRP can get to work healing the targeted area. 

Dr. Regala creates PRP using the Arthrex ACP® Double Syringe System. This is a fact-acting system that only requires a small sample of your blood to work. Within minutes, the blood is centrifuged at high speeds to isolate the platelets and plasma. 

The concentrated plasma and platelet mixture is drawn into a syringe and injected directly into the affected area. From there, the platelets begin signaling additional growth factors to travel through your body to the injection site to stimulate healing. 

PRP therapy is perfect for those suffering from chronic pain caused by wear-and-tear over the years, or poor healing from an old injury. Ask about PRP if you have: 

• Plantar fasciitis 
• ACL tears
• Osteoarthritis 
• Meniscus tears 
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Rotator cuff tears
• Tennis elbow 

If you think you might benefit from PRP therapy, Dr. Regala can help give you a better idea of the treatment and determine if it’s right for you. You can get in touch by calling 239-325-1131, or book an appointment online.