PRP Treatments in Maui, Wailuku, HI

PRP treatment takes your blood, spins it in a centrifuge, and re-introduces the concentrated blood platelets from your blood into areas of chronic joint and spine deterioration.

Your blood platelets contain growth and healing factors. When concentrated through simple centrifugation, your blood plasma becomes “rich” in healing factors, thus the name platelet rich plasma. Platelets play a central role in clotting blood and healing wounds and injuries.

The procedure and preparation of restorative doses of growth factors consists of collecting blood from the patient, (known as an autologous treatment), plasma separation (blood is centrifuged), and application of the plasma rich in growth factors by the injection of the plasma into the area. Typically, patients are seen every 4-6 weeks. Three to six visits are usually necessary per area treated.

Injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are used to treat a variety of ailments. A prospective, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported that patients with osteoarthritis noted a decrease in pain one week after receiving PRP injections and that these results lasted for six months. Generally, PRP treatments last around six months but can be extended with periodic maintenance injections.

• The duration of efficacy for a PRP treatment regimen will depend on numerous factors, including:
• The condition toward which the PRP injections are targeted
• The overall condition of health of the patient receiving the injection
• How the body responds to the initial round of treatment

While these results show promise for PRP injections, the benefits experienced by each individual will rest on a case-by case basis. As everyone is different, patients receiving PRP injections for the same condition may experience different outcomes.

The success rate of PRP injections varies per area being treated and for every patient, however, there have been studies performed to determine the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma injections.

A 2013 study involving 78 patients with osteoarthritis in both knees tested the efficacy of PRP. Each one of the 156 knees received one of three treatments: 1 PRP injection, 2 PRP injections, or 1 placebo saline injection. The researchers later evaluated the subjects’ knees 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after the injections were performed. The researchers discovered that:

• After 6 weeks and 3 months, knees treated with 1 or 2 PRP injections saw a reduction in pain and stiffness as well as an improvement in knee function.
• At the 6-month mark, although positive results declined, pain and function were still better than before PRP treatment.
• The group that received placebo injections saw a small increase in pain and stiffness, although they experienced a decrease in knee function.
• The platelet-rich plasma used in this clinical study had a concentration of 3 times the platelets of normal blood, which is typical for standard PRP injections.

If you or someone you know is experiencing pain and do not want to undergo surgery, PRP injections might be the solution you’re looking for! At NorthShore Orthopedic, our team of professional and caring staff can help you along your path to health! Contact our office today to speak with a specialist. To schedule an appointment, call us or visit us online! We serve patients from Maui, Wailuku HI, Lahaina HI, Kahului HI, Kihei HI, Wailuku HI, Kula HI, Makawao HI, Paia HI, Wailea HI, Haiku HI, and Waihee-Waiehu HI.