Quick Overview
Joint and tendon inflammation or injury is not only painful but also interferes with your normal routines. For many residents of Shelby, North Carolina, who rely on highly skilled physician Victor Zuniga, MD, and his team at Wellness by Design, joint and tendon platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is an excellent option. If you’d like more information, reach out to the office online or by phone to book a consultation.
Platelet-rich plasma is a solution created by concentrating platelets gathered from your own blood. Platelets are the solid components of your blood that enable clotting. Platelets are also rich in proteins called growth factors that prompt new cell development.
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. It is the liquid vehicle for platelets and red and white blood cells, and it performs or supports numerous other functions, like protecting against infection and regulating body temperature.
When injected into joint and tendons, PRP delivers a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It also triggers your body to generate new cells and tissues, helping to repair damaged tissue. In short, PRP provides a boost to your body’s innate healing abilities.
When you come in for joint and tendon PRP therapy, the process begins with a simple blood draw. Your practitioner places the blood into a device called a centrifuge, which spins it at a high rate of speed.
This spinning force causes the solid components of your blood to separate from the liquid plasma. This makes it easier for Dr. Zuniga or another team member to draw out the platelets and reintroduce them into the cleared plasma. The result is a powerful concentration that is drawn into a syringe.
The final step is carefully injecting the PRP into the damaged joint or tendon tissue. This step takes relatively little time, and there is no significant pain or need for anesthesia.
There is no need for recovery time, so you can resume your day immediately after your visit. Because PRP is created from your own blood, your body doesn’t reject the substance and the risk of negative effects is very low.
Some patients experience a very quick change in their joint inflammation, but in general it takes time to see the results from joint and tendon PRP therapy. Over the weeks and months following your injection, your body will rebuild healthy tissue and further reduce the inflammation that causes joint pain.
If you’re ready to learn more, book a visit using the easy online scheduling tool. You can also call the office to schedule an appointment, so don’t delay.
