Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been in the news quite a bit recently. It may be most notably known for the superstar athletes that have had PRP injections to help their bodies heal from injury. We’re talking about some enormous names in the sports world. People like Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods, and Eric Dickerson are just a couple of the names that have reportedly had PRP injections.
But it isn’t just for millionaire athletes. Plenty of us regular people have had plasma injections too. Even if you live in a small town like Rexburg, Idaho, you could receive PRP for your own injuries. PRP Rexburg injections are based on your own blood and are becoming increasingly more popular for the treatment of sports injuries and healing after surgery — or even for cosmetic purposes to get rid of wrinkles. Here’s what you need to know about PRP Rexburg.
The Shot
The PRP injection shots use plasma — the liquid part of your blood that is made up of protein and water. It is what lets the red and white blood cells and platelets move through your bloodstream. Your platelets can play an important role in healing. PRP can be helpful for the healing of injury or damage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and skin.
The plasma is collected by drawing your blood and using a machine to separate the PRP from the rest of the blood. Once the PRP is ready, your doctor will numb the area that is going to receive the injection. Then the plasma is injected into the muscle or other body part getting the treatment. The injections typically take about 30 minutes. When the platelets get into the part of your body that needs treatment, they can break down and release growth factors (compounds that help cells repair). This is done to trigger the healing process in the body.
What PRP Treats
Residents in the Rexburg area can work with Pain & Spine Specialists to get relief from chronic pain and heal injured tissues and joints through PRP injections. Some conditions that these injections are used to treat include arthritis-related pain, joint injuries, muscle injuries, torn tendons, and tendinitis.
PRP cosmetic treatments are happening more often too. Some dermatologists are using PRP injections to treat androgenic alopecia — a type of hair loss. It’s more commonly known as male pattern baldness (there is female pattern baldness too). And if you have ever heard of a “vampire facial”, that refers to PRP treatments too.
Does PRP Work?
Research shows that this treatment accelerates healing from injury or after surgery for a variety of conditions like torn tendons. It has also provided pain relief and mobility benefits for people with rotator cuff injuries. Patients with hair loss issues have also seen improvement from PRP injections. However, results are not clear if sagging skin and wrinkles get much improvement from the injections.
Don’t go into your injection treatment and expect to walk out as a new and improved version of yourself. It can take a few weeks or even months for the results to be seen. And it could be even longer for hair or skin treatments.
PRP Preparation
There is a good chance that you will need to stop taking some medications before your injections — especially any that may thin your blood. This would include things like aspirin and ibuprofen. Vitamins or supplements may also fall into this category. Make sure you discuss any medications with your doctor before undergoing injections.
The good news is that there should be no side effects from PRP injections. But you are going to want to make sure that you have had a decent meal beforehand. It will help you avoid any lightheadedness caused by the blood draw. It is also recommended to avoid washing the treated area for 48 hours. If you are feeling any sharp pains, let your doctor know.
You should also take the following into consideration when considering Rexburg PRP injections.
- This type of procedure may not be covered by your insurance. Especially if you are doing it for cosmetic purposes.
- The cost for this type of treatment can range from $250-$1500 per session and may require several sessions to be completed.
- People with the following conditions can’t get PRP injections in Rexburg or anywhere else.
- Abnormal platelet function
- Low platelet count
- An infection
- Cancer
- Anemia
Live Without Pain
You don’t have to live with chronic pain. Rexburg PRP is just one treatment for pain management therapy available through Pain & Spine Specialists of Idaho. Their procedures are performed in a clean, safe environment by medical professionals with extensive training and education, and years of experience that allows them to perform these procedures safely and effectively.
You will find the clinic to be a relaxing place with friendly staff that is ready to hear and address any of your concerns. Of course, they offer all of the appropriate local anesthetics for all procedures so you don’t have to worry about pain or discomfort. In addition to PRP injections, check out this list of conditions that they can treat.
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Phantom Limb Pain
- Post-Laminectomy Syndrome
- Spondylolisthesis
- Back Pain-Overview
- Neuropathy
- Headache/Migraine
- Compression Fractures Of The Spine
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Herniated Discs
- Metastatic Cancer Of The Spine
- Peripheral Neuralgia
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Spinal Stenosis
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Neck Pain
- Joint Pain
