WAUSAU, Wis., (WSAW)-- Every Thursday, as part of "The Doctor Is In," we cover a health related topic. Today's topic was about a procedure gaining in popularity when comes to pain relief.
Dr. Les Owens of the Bone and Joint Center of Wausau joined the Sunrise 7 team to talk about Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is blood plasma with concentrated platelets. The concentrated platelets contain growth factors that are vital to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration.
PRP originates from a concentrate of your own blood. It can heal orthopedic conditions like arthritis, tendon injuries, and ligament injuries anywhere in the body.
It also benefits people who are not candidates for surgery or want to avoid surgery due to age, health, or other concerns According to Dr. Owens, PRP was first used in dental and oral surgery to improve soft tissue healing in the 1990s. Its usage in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and sports medicine has increased over the past decade.
The procedure usually takes 45-60 minutes and most of the time is separating the platelet-rich plasma from your blood sample. The procedure is performed with the patient awake. The PRP may be injected with Lidocaine, a numbing agent.