Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment

If you’re looking for a non-surgical solution to chronic knee pain, it’s time to consider the many benefits of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment. At Reflex Knee Specialists, the skilled medical team uses PRP therapy to reduce persistent inflammation and improve the quality of joint fluid. PRP treatment harnesses your body’s healing abilities, so you can enjoy more flexibility, less pain, and increased quality of life. Call the office in Portland, Oregon; Bellevue, Washington; or Tempe, Arizona, to schedule your PRP treatment or book an appointment online today.

What is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment, or PRP injection therapy, is a safe, non-surgical procedure that can relieve chronic knee pain resulting from osteoarthritis or a soft tissue injury.

Platelet-rich plasma is a concentrated sample of platelets filtered from a person’s blood.  Platelets contain growth factors that are essential for healing.  When put into a joint, these factors reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and improve the quality of the joint (synovial) fluid.  Not all platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments are Equal.

The cutting-edge PRP system used by Reflex providers is superior to systems used in most other clinics.  The ideal PRP formulation has no red blood cells (RBCs) or white blood cells (WBCs) since these cells promote inflammation and cause pain.  The PRP prepared by the Reflex team uses a special filtering system that results in a formulation with no RBCs and very few WBCs.  For this reason, PRP treatments at Reflex don’t result in significant pain that almost always follows treatments with large numbers of RBCs and WBCs.

The plasma that the Reflex Knee Specialists team uses in your treatment becomes platelet-rich after the team prepares it in a centrifuge. This device quickly spins your blood to separate the platelets from other cells. 

The remaining high concentration of platelets is what your provider injects into your knee to trigger your body’s healing process and reset the joint environment.

What can I expect during platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment?

PRP therapy is an outpatient procedure that takes 30 minutes; you go home on the same day as your treatment with minimal limitations.

To start your PRP treatment, your Reflex Knee Specialists provider helps you get comfortable on an exam table. They draw a blood sample to harvest the PRP for your treatment.

When your PRP treatment is ready, your provider uses advanced ultrasound technology to get a close-up view of your knee joint. With the assistance of the ultrasound, your provider can inject PRP into a precise location in your joint to maximize the outcome of your treatment.  The use of ultrasound and a cold numbing spray (ethyl chloride) also decreases the level of discomfort patients experience with a knee injection.  Most patients report minimal discomfort during the procedure.

You may feel discomfort at the injection site for a few hours after your treatment. You can use ice therapy to prevent swelling and bruising.

How long does it take to see the results of PRP treatment?

As inflammation decreases in the weeks after your treatment, you should notice a reduction in your pain and an improvement in your knee joint function. Most people begin seeing results within 4-6 weeks of receiving their injections.

Some conditions require more than one PRP treatment to achieve the desired results.

To find out if you’re a candidate for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment, call the Reflex Knee specialist office near you or book an appointment online today.