Your body is built to regenerate up to a point. When you get a cut, a puncture, or a burn, the muscle knits back together, the skin closes, and scars slowly fade. One of the secrets to your body’s ability to heal is found in the platelets in your blood, which can be concentrated to create platelet-rich plasma, or PRP.
At Arctic Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, Dr. Chester Bradstreet uses PRP injections to stimulate and improve your body’s natural healing response. Find out why PRP can be such a game-changer.
How PRP is created
Your blood contains a liquid called plasma. Red cells, white cells, and platelets are all suspended in this plasma. The platelets help your blood clot, and they contain proteins called growth factors. These growth factors are what trigger the regeneration of damaged tissue.
PRP is plasma that contains concentrated platelets. Dr. Bradstreet draws off a small vial of your blood, and puts it in a centrifuge machine. The centrifuge separates the blood into layers, concentrating the platelets at one end of the vial.
He then discards the red and white cells and most of the plasma. What’s left is platelet-rich plasma: PRP. This concentration of platelets (and growth factors) can be up to 10 times richer than your original blood. And the plasma is 100% natural and biocompatible, since it’s simply your own blood that’s been filtered and concentrated.
How PRP is used
Dr. Bradstreet injects the PRP into the site of your injury. Your body will be fortified by the addition of the PRP and can work even harder to repair the damaged tissue. PRP injections boost production of collagen, too, which is a structural building block that helps repair and renew layers of tissue.
PRP is used for many conditions, including chronic arthritis pain. It can also be used for acute injuries or degenerative conditions as a regenerative treatment. It relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and repairs damage for:
- Ligament sprains
- Muscle strains
- Tendon tears
- Osteoarthritis
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
PRP injections can also be used after surgery to promote and speed healing. It’s not unusual to have a flare of irritation when PRP is injected. The area goes into overdrive, and you may see slight swelling or experience itching as your body responds to the call to action. This will subside, though, and your body will apply itself to continued healing.
Do you have an injury or chronic pain? Ask Dr. Bradstreet if PRP could be right for you. Call our office at (907) 290-8111 or request an appointment online.