Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a revolutionary treatment that uses a patient’s own blood for healing purposes. It is used for a variety of issues, including musculoskeletal injuries and conditions such as arthritis and soft tissue damage.
PRP therapy is a great treatment solution for conditions like tendinitis – an injury that causes irritation or inflammation of a tendon.
Before you decide if PRP therapy may be right for you, it is important to talk to an orthopedic doctor who has experience treating your specific injury. Not all patients are good candidates for PRP therapy, so it is important for your doctor to assess your unique situation before determining if this treatment can help.
What is Tendinitis?
Tendinitis is an orthopedic condition that causes inflammation in a tendon. Tendons are strong fibrous tissue that connect muscles to bones. When a tendon is overused, it can become inflamed.
Symptoms of tendinitis include pain and tenderness in the inflamed tendon area. Most patients experience temporary relief after resting and taking anti-inflammatory medications. However, chronic tendinitis can require treatments such as PRP therapy. Surgery is usually reserved for situations where the tendon has irreversible and severe damage due to chronic inflammation.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a state-of-the-art treatment used to relieve pain and promote long-lasting healing. PRP therapy involves taking a sample of blood from a patient and using a centrifuge to isolate and extract platelet-rich plasma from it. The plasma is then injected into targeted areas of the body. In the case of tendinitis, the PRP injection will be administered into the inflamed tendon.
PRP therapy stimulates the natural healing process in the body. The concentrated platelets trigger a stronger healing response than would normally occur. As such, patients experience relief much faster and more effectively.
PRP therapy is an extremely safe and effective treatment. Because the plasma comes from the patient themselves, there is no risk of adverse reactions. When an experienced doctor administers this treatment, there is little to no risk of infection, either.
Determining If PRP Therapy Is Right For Your Tendinitis
For some patients, PRP therapy isn’t the ideal solution to treat tendinitis. Before recommending this treatment, your doctor will fully evaluate your tendon and overall health. There will likely be diagnostic imaging tests done that visualize the condition of the tendon. If the tendon is extremely damaged and surgery is necessary, PRP therapy alone may not be the right treatment solution. However, if you have a mild or moderate tendon injury, PRP therapy may be the right treatment to bring you long-term relief.
PRP Therapy and Other Treatments for Tendinitis in Newark, Wilmington, Middletown, Smyrna, and Dover, Delaware
At the Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, we believe in keeping up with the latest advancements in medicine and are always looking for cutting-edge solutions to help patients. Our practitioners believe in getting to the source of symptoms, not just masking them the medications. That’s why we offer treatments like platelet-rich plasma therapy to promote healing.
Contact the Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, serving several regions of Delaware, if you have an orthopedic condition that needs diagnosis or treatment. Call us at your preferred location, or request an appointment online.
