Platelet Therapy: Accelerating Healing Naturally with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet Therapy
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) reawakes the healing capacity of the body. PRP is a nonsurgical approach to chronic pain and degenerative joints and brings new hope for healing reluctant chronic injuries and pain. The excellent results we have been getting with prolotherapy can now be improved upon for more serious degenerative conditions and chronic pain that are "reluctant" to heal.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is made from the patients' own blood. Platelets are the body's first response to trauma. Platelets not only stop bleeding but initiate and activate the healing cascade of tissue. The centrifuge concentrates the platelets that actively secrete the fundamental bio-proteins and growth factors proved to initiate wound healing. PRP is injected into tendons, ligaments and joints.
PRP is used on any joint including degenerative knees, shoulders, hips, neck and back.
Platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factors
- stimulates ligament, tendon and joint capsule healing
Vascular endothelial growth factor
- stimulates new blood vessels
Epithelial growth factor
- stimulates new tissue
Cellular adhesion molecules that create a structural matrix for new connective tissue, bone and epithelial cells.
The treatment process:
A small amount, 30 ml, of blood is drawn from the patient and mixed with a small amount of anticoagulant and centrifuged in a patented process that separates the platelets from the red blood cells and plasma.
Platelet rich plasma is injected into ligaments, tendons and joints in the same manner as prolotherapy. The level of discomfort with the injection is similar to regular prolotherapy. There is a warming feeling after the injection. Upon injection the platelets release the growth factors into the tissue.
The growth factors immediately bind to receptor sites on the cell membranes of ligaments, tendons and bone tissue. This activates the healing response by inducing the genetic expression for collagen formation, cell proliferation, formation of a new cellular matrix and bone production. These growth factors also stimulate blood vessel growth into the region improving circulation to the area of chronic pain. This accelerated healing continues after the initial burst of growth factors as the injected platelets continue to live, manufacture and secrete additional growth factors for the remaining 5-7 days of their life span.
For those conditions that Dr. Cronin recommends platelet rich plasma he generally does 2-3 treatments with regular prolotherapy to start the healing process. Platelet rich plasma may be used and then followed by 1-2 regular prolotherapy treatments. PRP may be repeated a second time if necessary.
Go to
ASK Dr. Cronin for a free brief consult about your condition and the use of Platelet Therapy.
