How a Boutonnière Deformity Is Treated
Have you recently suffered a finger injury? If your middle joint juts upward and the tip of your finger juts upward as well, it could be a boutonnière deformity. Read on to learn how it can be treated.
The Healing Power of Platelets
Regenerative medicine taps into your body’s natural ability to heal itself. It has the power to enhance and speed up the healing process, and it only uses elements from your own body.
When it comes to treating orthopedic conditions affecting bone, muscle, and joints, the team at Upper Extremity Specialists, which is a proud partner of Synergy Orthopedic Specialists Medical Group, offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to stimulate healing and reduce pain.
Kristopher Downing, MD, and Daniel Brereton, DO, may recommend PRP therapy for a range of conditions, from arthritis to acute injuries. But what exactly are platelets, and how do they help your body heal?
What are platelets?
Blood contains several different components. The liquid that allows blood to flow through your veins is plasma, and it’s a combination of water and protein. The solid parts of blood are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Platelets are cells that help your blood clot, and they contain special proteins called growth factors. Growth factors play a crucial role in the healing and restoration of your body, bringing extra collagen, oxygen, and other elements to damaged tissue.
When you suffer an injury, your body naturally sends more blood to the area, and platelets help your body repair the injured tissue.
What is platelet-rich plasma therapy?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that involves creating a highly concentrated solution of platelets to accelerate healing. The PRP solution is derived from your own blood, and it contains 5-10 times more platelets than a typical blood sample.
With PRP therapy, some of your blood is drawn. Then this blood is placed in a centrifuge, where your platelets are separated from your blood’s other components. Then the platelet serum is injected into the area that needs healing.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy can enhance the healing process, because it’s targeted, and the amount of platelets delivered to the damaged tissue is high. Your body is able to use the extra platelets to make repairs faster, which means you could benefit from shorter recovery times and less pain.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is growing in popularity, because it doesn’t simply mask pain. It helps heal your body from the inside out.
What can platelet-rich plasma therapy treat?
You could be a good candidate for PRP therapy if you’re affected by a musculoskeletal condition or injury. Our team often recommends PRP therapy for patients who have:
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Fractures
- Strains
- Tendinitis
Platelets have impressive healing power when it comes to restoring muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even bone. We develop personalized treatment plans for each of our patients. If you’re getting PRP therapy for an acute injury, you may benefit from 1-2 treatments. If you have a severe injury or a chronic condition, you may need a series of treatments.
You may experience swelling around the affected area following PRP therapy, because inflammation is a natural healing response. As your body works to restore wellness, you should begin to notice less inflammation and less pain. Most people begin to notice less pain and other beneficial effects of PRP therapy in the weeks and months following their treatment.
Because platelets are healing powerhouses, PRP therapy may be able to give your body the boost it needs. To see if PRP therapy can help you, book an appointment online or over the phone with Upper Extremity Specialists today.
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