Pain affects not only our physical health but also our mental health, as well. This is especially accurate when there are aches in the feet and ankles since we use them most often each day. Reasons for this soreness may be a foot sprain, unstable ankles, ligament issues, a calf strain, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendon problems. Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic has a state-of-the-art solution for your chronic or acute foot and ankle pain in the form of platelet rich plasma injections in Lynnwood that only take one office visit. Over 100 of Dr. Hall’s patients have enjoyed welcome results from PRP treatment. Additional studies are being completed for the use of PRP for debilitating arthritis of the joints.
Our bodies have an innate response to injury. When damage occurs, a healing cascade takes place in 3 stages. Initially, the wound develops redness and swelling due to coagulation of blood platelets to start repairing the tissues. This inflammatory phase lasts for about a week. During the next 2-3 months of the process, scar tissue forms and collagen develops. Finally, the damaged tissues are renewed and scar tissue eliminated in the reparative or regeneration phase. This can last about 6 months for complete healing.
If the healing cascade is suspended because treatment was not given swiftly enough, the body ceases the healing process. This is the quiescent phase. Since the injury is not wholly healed, discomfort will last indefinitely.
Platelet rich plasma is injected directly into the wound to accelerate the healing cascade progression again with the inflammatory phase. The body is now able to finish the healing process to ease pain in the affected area.
The PRP process is initiated with a vial of blood being drawn from the patient and rotated in a centrifuge. This machine effectively separates the platelet rich plasma from the whole blood. The damaged ankle or foot is anesthetized and PRP is injected into the tissue. To ensure full healing, the area is immobilized in a boot for about a month.
For additional information about platelet rich plasma injections in Lynnwood or to make an appointment, call Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic at (425)482-6663.
