Your tendons connect your muscles to your bones. If these fibrous cords of tissue become irritated and inflamed, the condition is called tendonitis. This issue can occur in any tendon in the body, but it typically develops in the wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, and heels.
When someone gets tendonitis, the first instinct is usually to grab a pain reliever. However, there’s another way: You could help your injury heal through platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which uses your own blood.
Thomas F. Saylor, MD, offers a variety of tendonitis treatments at Orthopaedic Care Specialists in North Palm Beach, Florida. However, he often recommends PRP therapy. In this blog, Dr. Saylor explains what PRP therapy is and how it might be able to help you.
Your blood contains a number of elements, including platelets. Platelets are powerful substances, because they help support cell growth and repair. You’ve actually seen platelets in action, because whenever you get a cut, your platelets jump into action by forming a clot and beginning the healing process.
With PRP therapy, your provider draws some of your blood. Then the blood is placed in a centrifuge, where the platelets are separated from the rest of the components in your blood. Then the platelet serum is injected into the injured area.
Once injected, the platelets go straight to work, helping to repair damage, stimulate cell production, and restore function in the treatment site. And, as the PRP therapy helps spur healing, this, in turn, helps relieve the pain and inflammation. On top of that, PRP therapy comes with fewer risks than other medical treatments, because it comes from your own blood.
Dr. Saylor relies on PRP therapy for numerous pain conditions, but it’s especially effective for those involving the tendons. Types of tendon injuries that can benefit from PRP therapy include:
In addition to tendonitis, Dr. Saylor uses PRP therapy for other conditions, including arthritis and fractures.
One of the best parts about PRP therapy is the fact that it’s straightforward, quick, and doesn’t require lengthy downtimes. Instead, you simply schedule a routine office visit. Then, as mentioned, we draw some of your blood and put it in a centrifuge machine, which makes a concentration of your platelets.
Then, Dr. Saylor identifies the precise location for your injections using digital imaging equipment, such as an ultrasound, and he injects the platelet serum. After your injections, you’re free to go home, and you’re usually able to resume regular activity immediately.
While your platelet injections will begin working immediately, it will take some time for your injury to heal. You should see changes over the weeks to come as healthy new cells return to the area. And, as your body works to heal the tendon and repair the damage, your pain should also fade, and function should return to the area.
In some cases, Dr. Saylor may recommend a series of PRP treatments to provide optimal results.
Are you struggling with acute or chronic tendonitis issues? Learn more about PRP therapy and other treatment options by requesting an appointment with Orthopaedic Care Specialists today.
