What You Need To Know About PRP Therapy Portland

By Eric Hayes


There are doctors who are using platelet-rich therapy injections for different purposes and reasons. The reasons for the treatment range from encouragement of growth of hairs to promotion of healing of tissues. There is still ongoing research on the effectiveness of the procedure and its benefits. When considering PRP therapy Portland residents need to know what it involves and the side effects.

To begin with, you need to know what the therapy involves. Platelets are among the blood cells and play many roles within the body. One purpose is to encourage blood clotting to ensure a person does not excessively bleed after a cut. They are also instrumental when it comes to containing proteins in blood to help in healing wounds. Injection of inflammation areas or areas with tissue damage with high platelet concentration will ensure wounds heal faster.

There is a small sample of blood that is extracted from the person to be treated. The sample gets placed in a centrifuge that spins at a very high speed. Through the process, platelets will be separated from other blood components. After that, the concentration will be injected into the treatment area. Because the injection has high concentration of platelets, healing will be faster. The concentration is usually about ten times more than concentration of untreated blood.

There are various treatments for which PRP is effective. A major application is to encourage growth of hairs and involves injecting platelets into the scalp. The injection is done to reduce inflammation that leads to loss of hair. The treatment is also used to help healing of tissues, in which case it will be used to help in healing after jaw surgery. Tissues which are healed are tendons, muscles and ligaments.

Platelet-rich therapy is also used for reducing inflammation which is caused by a condition known as osteoarthritis. Such inflammation could lead to painful and stiff joints. With time, doctors are trying to use the therapy to heal bones that are broken but that is an area that is still under further research.

You need to also consider what the treatment will cost. To begin with, it is never covered by insurance since there is not enough evidence on how effective it is. The cost of treatment will vary depending on such factors as the location, expertise of a doctor and the facilities being used. Usually, you will need to get multiple injections that are given at intervals of 3 months.

There are some side effects of the therapy that one should expect. The injections will involve using platelets of the individual. There are never any serious reactions to the the therapy but one could experience irritation and bleeding at the site where the injection is made. In many instances, you can resume your normal activities after treatment. You will not need to wait for days or weeks.

Whereas PRP treatment is promising for persons with tissue damage and hair loss, studies are still being carried out for further details on it. There should be further research to determine how effective it is. You should work with experienced doctors for the treatment.




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