Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment | Greater Austin Pain Center

What is PRP? How does PRP Treatment Work?

PRP, or Platelet-Rich Plasma, is plasma that is taken from your own blood which then undergoes a centrifugation process. By spinning the blood at very high speeds, the various components of blood are separated. The top portion of this separation is known as the platelet-rich fraction. Platelets are cells in the body that play a role in the blood clotting and tissue healing process. The platelet cells contain many growth factors that are very important in the body's natural healing process.
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PRP is oftentimes used in place of steroid injection. PRP can be used in various parts of the body from the areas around tendons and muscles, joints, in the skin and even in the epidural space. PRP shows promise in the treatment of acute and chronic painful conditions.

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What Does PRP Treat?

Common conditions that PRP can be effective in helping include: tendon, ligament, muscle injuries, joint pain or arthritis including the knee and shoulder, nerve damage and injury, neck pain, low back pain and many other conditions. Discuss this with your pain management provider to see if PRP is a consideration in the treatment of your condition.

What Are the Side Effects of Treatment?

PRP injections are considered to be safe and low risk. Risks include bleeding, infection, and damage to structures at the site of injection. The most common side-effect of PRP injection is post-injection soreness that generally resolves over several days.

What to Expect from PRP Treatment?

Injection of PRP is similar to any other injection that you would undergo. The main difference is that a sample of your blood will need to be obtained and then centrifuged in order to obtain the Platelet-rich portion that contains all the growth factors. Once the PRP is obtained, the injection procedure is minimally invasive and identical to a similar procedure when steroids are injected.

In the first few days following the injection of PRP, it is not uncommon to experience some discomfort at the injection site. This is the body starting to repair itself. This usually improves within 3–5 days. Activity/exercise after the first week is encouraged as this is part of overall health of the body and will promote healing.

The PRP Treatment Process

Schedule an Appointment

Contact Greater Austin Pain Center to schedule an appointment at one of our three pain management centers in Austin, Kyle, Dripping Springs, and San Marcos.

Initial Evaluation

During an initial consultation, our pain doctors will take the time to learn about your history with chronic pain and previous attempts to treat it. During this evaluation, we will determine if Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy is the best treatment option for you.

PRP Treatment

On the day of your PRP treatment, your doctor will invite you into one of our patient rooms and draw a small amount of blood from your arm. They’ll then put the sample in a centrifuge to create a concentration of platelets from your blood and inject the PRP into the affected area using via a shot.

Recovery

After your PRP procedure, you can resume your daily actives, although it’s best to best practice to rest the affected area. You may notice an immediate difference in a few hours following treatment, or it might take several weeks or months for you to feel the effects.

Testimonials

"Dr. Jarzembeck is AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend her for anyone suffering in pain. She goes above and beyond to make sure her patients pain has been dealt with."

Genia G.

"Everyone is so friendly and helpful, Dr. Bednar came to me and explained the procedure and answered my questions. Highly recommend!"

Maggie G.

"Dr. Julia is the best! The staff is professional and friendly to all. Best of all, Dr. Julia is finding solutions for my chronic pain! Never thought that it would be possible. It's a journey for me, but it seems like there is a solution."

Nancy M.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PRP safe?

PRP is a very safe process as it is using components from your own blood.

How long does the injection take?

This procedure requires a blood draw. After obtaining the blood sample it is centrifuged to obtain the white blood cells to prepare and proceed with injection. Typically the whole process take between 10-20 minutes.

Is it covered by Insurance?

Because it is derived from your own blood, it is not considered a drug or pharmaceutical, and may not be covered by insurance.

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What is PRP? How does PRP Treatment Work?