Like breaking news on TV or the internet, some treatments just come and go. In all fairness, sometimes, it doesn’t have anything to do with their efficacy or side effects. It just might be because of the medical, scientific, and technological progress the medical industry is experiencing all the time. As such, there’s a constant transition into the application of improved treatments for health issues.
Platelet-rich plasma regenerative therapy is one of the many improved treatment options growing in popularity every day. While this is partly due to the range of health issues it addresses, it’s also on the contention whether it’s just a trendy treatment that’ll see few trials and be rejected or one for the future.
Whatever reasons motivated your inquiry, this article would examine some things on platelet-rich plasma treatment and, in the same vein, show whether it is a trend or a treatment option for now and the future.
Describing Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment
When a patient goes through chronic pain, the chances are high that the patient would do whatever possible to douse or eliminate such pain. For most people, oral medications and surgery have been the solution to their pains. Unfortunately, for others, both aren’t. The good news is, imagining there’s a painless, non-surgical, and non-oral treatment that resolves a variety of health issues is to have platelet-rich plasma treatment. It’s not fictional but a reality.
Platelet-rich plasma is a regenerative medicine that offers patients another option from conventional surgical and oral medications. It involves harnessing all healing properties in a patient’s blood to treat chronic pains in the joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. It is profound, practical, and fast such that patients begin to see changes on time.
How Does the Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment Work?
Essentially, the platelet-rich plasma treatment involves the usage of properties in the patient’s blood. Therefore, it is a careful procedure that requires 3-steps which are as follows:
- Blood drawing from the arm
- The concentration of the blood and separation of its properties in a machine
- The reinjection of the required properties for healing into the body
Blood Drawing
Blood draw, otherwise known as phlebotomy or venipuncture, is when blood is extracted from the veins in the arm through a needle cannula. In medicine, blood is drawn for donation, tests, evaluating organs, or removing other blood particles like platelet-rich plasma treatment.
For this treatment, the blood drawn isn’t as much as the volume required for blood donation. Instead, it’s a small amount like 3 – 5 full tablespoons, and it’s less painful than people imagine. Before this is done, the patient is required to stop taking an aspirin a few days before, eat healthy food (rich in protein) before and on the day, and drink a decent amount of water. Once these are checked, the patient’s blood is extracted for platelet-rich plasma treatment.
Lab Concentration
After the blood extraction, the samples are taken to the lab for concentration. It’s done under a regulated temperature with a device known as a centrifuge. This device separates molecules carrying different densities by spinning at an incredibly high speed.
Concerning the blood, the centrifuge spins the samples to separate properties in the blood into different layers. These layers include white blood and red blood cells, and platelets. The platelets have a high concentration of proteins that’ll be used for the platelet-rich plasma treatment.
Reinjection into the Body
After this laboratory process of separation and multiplication, the doctor collects the platelet-rich plasma in micro-needling or syringe for injection into the predefined area it is required. To hasten the result of this process, the doctor may administer filler to the patient.
The whole process takes at most an hour and a half and could be less depending on the experience and skills of the doctor in charge.
Some Advantages of Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment
We cannot ignore the fact that platelet-rich plasma treatment became popular through its application in sports medicine. Regardless, it’s gotten broader and mainstream application in recent times due to its wholesome benefits. Some of these benefits include the following:
Relies on the Patient’s Blood
Most treatments require the use of properties that are foreign to the body. However, with platelet-rich plasma treatment, the patient’s blood is used. With this, the possibility for risk is reduced to the barest minimum, thus, improving the overall safety of the technique.
Natural Healing
The essence of injecting PRP into the system is to stimulate the activities of healing cells in the body which may be damaged or less functional. As such, it’s an entirely natural process that results in a vibrant version of the patient.
Works for Skincare and Hair Loss
Its effectiveness for skin and hair rejuvenation is why it’s become popular, especially in the cosmetics industry. It improves skin conditions and hair follicles when inserted into the hair scalp.
Very Little to no Downtime
This has to be one of the many exciting things about this treatment. It requires little to no Downtime. The side effects vanish quickly so that the patient can get back to normal daily activities after the treatment.
How Do You Know if Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment is for you?
To know whether you’re suitable for platelet-rich plasma treatment, you must consult your doctor. The doctor will give various options to determine the most suitable. Usually, the platelet-rich plasma treatment is an aspect of an overall treatment program, so only your doctor can decide if it’s necessary or not. Apart from this, if you have the following, PRP might be suitable for you:
- Knee Tendinopathy
- Hamstring Tendinopathy
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Moderate or Severe Osteoarthritis
- Plantar Fasciitis
Is Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment a Trend or one for the future?
The answer to this question might seem speculative but judging by the variety of issues the treatment solves, a positive futuristic projection might not be out of place. Hence, the platelet-rich plasma treatment is one for the future, provided it gets standardized and gets more trials.
Takeaway
Platelet-rich Plasma Treatment has so many potentials from its safety to its effectiveness. However, it hasn’t been standardized, and this places a cloud of doubts over the treatment. So, you need to consult your doctor on the treatment that’ll suit your health needs.
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