PRP injections have been used to treat joint problems for several decades. They provide people with excellent results, and the risk of side effects is very low because the active ingredient comes from the patient’s blood. One of the best things about PRP is the short recovery time. At Phoenix Regenerative Medicine in Scottsdale, AZ, we often recommend this treatment to people with joint pain. Read on to find out what to expect after a PRP injection.
What Should You Expect After a PRP Injection
When you come to the clinic with joint pain, we’ll start by evaluating your condition and determining whether PRP could be right for you. This method is used to address a wide range of conditions, and it’s suitable for almost everyone. It’s a great treatment for people who don’t have a lot of spare time because each appointment only takes 30-45 minutes, and the recovery time is very short.
After your session, you can leave the clinic right away because no observation time is necessary. You might be able to drive yourself home unless you’ve had an injection in your knees or shoulders. In this case, it might be safer to ask someone else to accompany you because you might not be able to drive safely. It takes your body several weeks to start reacting to the PRP substance and producing the desired results.
A Short Recovery Time
During your appointment, we extract your blood, process it, and then inject the PRP substance into your treatment area. This doesn’t hurt because your skin is numbed. You won’t feel sleepy or faint because you’re not anesthetized. Once we’ve completed the injections, you can go home or back to work. You can resume almost all your activities, but it’s best to protect the treatment site for a few days.
Avoid exposing your affected joint to direct sunlight, and carefully wash it according to our instructions. You won’t be able to take blood-thinning medication like NSAIDs for a few days because they could impact the healing process. Don’t do strenuous exercise for around 48 hours, and avoid exposure to very hot temperatures. As long as you follow these guidelines, you’re unlikely to experience any problems after your session.
Gradual Results
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. This substance is made of small blood cells called platelets and the liquid portion of the blood, called plasma. When applied to the treatment site, platelets release growth factors and encourage the body to produce new cells. This process is similar to wound healing, which happens naturally after a cut, scrape, or bruise.
The body can’t create a large number of new cells within a day. That’s why it takes some weeks for the patient to experience the full results of PRP treatment. Most people start to notice a difference approximately three weeks after their initial session. The results continue to intensify until two to three months after the final injection.
Long-Lasting Results
It’s hard to tell how long your PRP results will last without seeing your injury and determining its cause. If you were injured in an accident, you might experience permanent results. Once your tissues have healed, you don’t have to come back to the clinic. However, you might need ongoing treatment if you have a long-term condition or a recurring overuse injury.
In this case, regular PRP sessions could be sensible. After your first set of appointments, you might feel better for up to a year, especially if you take good care of your body. You can prolong your results by eating a healthy diet, taking good care of your body, avoiding exercises that irritate your joints, maintaining a healthy weight, and hydrating your body.
Why Choose PRP?
There are countless joint treatments out there. Some involve surgery, but many others are minimally invasive. So, why do so many people choose PRP? The answer is that this treatment is not only quick and effective, but it is also completely natural. An increasing number of patients don’t want to inject foreign substances into their bodies. PRP is a great treatment for them because it doesn’t contain chemicals or foreign substances.
It’s also one of the most long-lasting methods available. Steroid injections provide good results, but they have to be repeated every few months to remain effective. This isn’t ideal, especially for patients who have chronic conditions. PRP is an excellent alternative because the results typically last for up to a year, and the active ingredient encourages the healing process.
Who Should Get PRP Treatment?
Almost everyone who has a joint issue can take part in PRP treatment. Because the active ingredient comes from the patient’s body, the injections are suitable for people who have mild or moderate health issues and allergies. PRP is a great choice for those with acute injuries, overuse injuries, and long-term joint problems.
When you first come to the clinic, we’ll look at your treatment area and diagnose your condition. Then, we’ll determine whether PRP could be right for you by analyzing your medical records. If we believe you’d benefit from the treatment, we’ll explain what to expect after a PRP injection. We might also come up with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes other regenerative medicine injections.
You Have an Acute Injury
Acute injuries happen suddenly. They could be the result of a car crash, a sporting injury, a fall, or an accident at work. Some of the most common acute injuries are broken bones, strained muscles, sprained ligaments, and torn tissues. If the injury is serious, patients might have to go to the hospital because they are in a lot of pain.
Although some acute injuries are minor and don’t require much medical treatment, others have long-lasting consequences. Sometimes, it takes patients several months or even a year to fully recover. PRP treatment can accelerate this process by speeding up the production of new cells. Don’t hesitate to reach out to you if you’re ready to recover from your injury and get back to your regular activities.
You Have an Overuse Injury
Overuse injuries are common in people who do strenuous exercise several times a week. These injuries happen in professional athletes, but they can also affect people who recently changed their exercise routine and didn’t give their bodies enough time to adjust to the new levels of physical activity.
Some of the most common overuse injuries include hairline fractures, tendonitis, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and back strains and sprains. While some of these require surgery, many can be treated with a combination of PRP and rest. Patients who want to continue participating in sports might have to come to the clinic once or twice a year for the foreseeable future.
You Have a Long-Term Condition
Chronic pain affects a large percentage of the population at some point in life. It might be caused by an autoimmune condition, an illness, an old injury, or arthritis. If the pain is related to a joint, PRP could be a great solution.
At Phoenix Regenerative Medicine, we frequently treat people who have chronic pain due to arthritis or an injury that never healed properly. We usually start by recommending three to six sessions. Several months after the final appointment, we invite the patient to a follow-up consultation, so we can determine whether the treatment was successful and if so, how often it needs to be repeated.
What Does the Treatment Feel Like?
One of the best things about PRP treatment is that it isn’t painful. During your appointment, we draw your blood and spin it in a centrifuge to extract the platelet-rich plasma. At the same time, we apply numbing cream to your treatment site. Once you can no longer feel your tissues, we carefully inject the PRP under your skin using a very fine needle. Because your tissues are numbed, you won’t feel uncomfortable during the appointment.
We’ll also provide you with very specific aftercare instructions. They are designed to keep the injection site clean, so it can heal without interference. As long as you follow our guidelines, you’re unlikely to experience any issues during the recovery phase.
Get Rid of Joint Problems with PRP
If you have an acute injury, an overuse injury, or arthritis, PRP injections might be right for you. This treatment is minimally invasive, and the effects last for several months or even a year at a time. You don’t have to spend a long time recovering, and you’re unlikely to experience significant side effects. Call us at Phoenix Regenerative Medicine in Scottsdale, AZ to find out more about what to expect after a PRP injection.
