Dealing with any sort of painful injury to your knee, ankle or elbow can be hard. If you are looking for alternatives to surgical intervention and you want to be able to get back on your feet in a more natural way, you may be a good candidate for platelet rich plasma in Lake Stevens and the surrounding area.
What Are Tendons?
These are the structures that attach the bone and muscle in the body and they often take on a good amount of force. Because tendons are limited in terms of blood supply, it makes it so that they are also limited in the ability to heal. Many of the traditional therapies for treating a chronic tendon injury will only be temporary in nature and not give the patient relief that is long term. Additionally, any anti-inflammatory medications that are prescribed will usually give temporary relief but come with undesirable side effects.
Understanding Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
This is a form of therapy, also referred to as PRP, that works as a treatment alternative for knee tears, plantar fasciitis, and certain tendon injuries that are non-healing in nature, such as Achilles tendonitis.
PRP therapy has been used for decades, getting its start in the realm of heart surgery for helping with blood loss and wound healing. It is now quite common for helping to heal tendon injuries with great success.
The Procedure
When a patient undergoes PRP, their own blood is used and platelets are specially prepared to be injected back into the affected area. The natural response of the body when there is an injury is to send out the healing response for the damaged area. When the platelets are prepared and concentrated, the growth factor can increase by roughly eight times to help speed the tendon healing.
There are some other treatments that may offer temporary relief of inflammation and pain, PRP injections will promote healthy healing.
Is PRP Right For Me?
If you have been diagnosed with some sort of tendon injury where there has been little or no relief from bracing, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications, then platelet rich plasma may be the answer you are looking for. All you have to do is get a consultation to see if this is a good option to get you the right results.
Patients who undergo PRP will see a notable improvement in their symptoms as well as the need for more involved treatments such as cortisone injections, medications or surgery.
When it comes to side effects, there can be some pain at the injection site. The uncommon, slight risks involved may include scarring, allergic reaction or a worsening of symptoms. Of course, if you notice any problems after your injection therapy, you should contact your podiatrist as soon as possible.
After undergoing PRP injection therapy at Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic, you can expect to experience regular gains during the recovery process. This is not a quick-fix and it is geared toward helping you to have long-term healing of your tendon. We will be happy to give you some projected timeframes on when you can start getting back to some of your regular activities. It is important that the tendons have the necessary time to heal. Our staff will set you up with a series of follow up appointments and monitor your progress and pain levels to ensure you are having the reduction in symptoms that fall in line with other patients with similar injuries.
If you are wondering if you are a good candidate for platelet rich plasma in Lake Stevens, call Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic at (425)482-6663 for more information.
