Rodney Wong MD ABOUT US CONTACT US PATIENT INFO & FORMS PATIENT EDUCATION PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP) THERAPY Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy. Speeds Recovery Using Your Own Growth Factors. WHAT IS PRP THERAPY? PRP Therapy is a non-surgical approach to pain relief that uses your body's own growth factors to stimulate healing. Following a soft tissue injury, the body naturally delivers platelet cells containing growth factors to respond to the damage. PRP Therapy intensifies that effort. It involves collecting your own blood, which is placed in a centrifuge to separate the platelet rich plasma from the other components of your whole blood. The plasma containing the highly concentrated platelets is injected at the site of your pain or injury. The platelets release growth factors that have been shown to accelerate the healing process by enhancing the proliferation of stem cells, increasing the production of collagen, stimulating blood flow, and reinvigorating cartilage. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PRP THERAPY? PRP Therapy can accelerate healing without the need for surgery. Short of a complete tear, any injury to tendons or ligaments can be treated with PRP Therapy, including Achilles tendon, "tennis elbow," rotator cuff, hamstring, quadriceps, etc. PRP Therapy can: Speed healing of damaged tissue Reduce the risk of re-injury by strengthening damaged tissue Reduce down-time following an injury TYPES OF PRP THERAPY There is really only one "type" of PRP Therapy: the injection of plasma infused with a high concentration of platelets derived from the patient's own whole blood. The uses of PRP Therapy are numerous and diverse, however, ranging from treating injuries of the Achilles tendon, to chronic plantar fasciitis; osteoarthritis of the joints of the knee, hip, spine, and shoulder; injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL); pelvic, neck, and back pain; ankle and ligament sprains; and tendonitis. WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR PRP? Anyone experiencing persistent pain from osteoarthritis, injury to the tendons or ligaments, or foot and ankle sprains is a possible candidate for treatment with PRP therapy. PREPARING FOR PRP THERAPY PRP Therapy is performed on an outpatient basis, in the comfort of your doctor's office. The only real preparation you need is to refrain from using anti-inflammatory medications for about a week prior to treatment. Plan to spend a couple of hours at your doctor's office so your blood can be collected and processed. You should be able to return to most normal activities immediately following your appointment. FOLLOWING PRP THERAPY You will probably experience heightened discomfort at the injection site for a few days following treatment. Apply ice and elevate the treated area, if possible, but do not use anti-inflammatory medications for several weeks following your PRP injection. A week following treatment, you may begin a physical therapy regimen. Rodney Wong MD 650-967-7249