Me, Myself, and I: PRP and Getting your Body to Work for You – Dr. Allan Spiegel
The miraculous healing powers of the human body continue to be uncovered every single day. Platelet-rich plasma or, “PRP”, is a form of regenerative medicine that can harness and amplify the natural growth factors of the body and use them to heal.
With such potential to do good, PRP has started to become a top choice in patients with a multitude of injuries. According to John Hopkins Medicine “PRP treatment has been used to support wound healing in trauma and joint injury.. and enhance.. cosmetic procedures.” (*1) In addition to these conditions, PRP has been found useful as an alternative to a total knee replacement, leaving some patients with the ability to ambulate in a way they may never have thought possible.
PRP therapy is not something that is hard to obtain. You can find it right here in Tampa Bay, at Dr. Allan Spiegel’s office. Dr. Spiegel and his team strive to create a calm, nurturing place to help patients reach their health and wellness goals.
“ PRP injections have proven to be a life altering tool for some of my patients who feel like they have tried everything. Patients are now foregoing traditional joint surgeries because of the success of PRP therapy. The outpatient setting and the minimal recovery time are a plus too.”– Dr. Allan M. Spiegel
At this point, you may be wondering how this life-changing procedure works. PRP injections begin by having tubes of your blood drawn. Dr. Spiegel’s team takes your blood and processes it through a machine called a centrifuge. The centrifuge draws out what are called platelets. “Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small, colorless cell fragments in our blood that form clots and stop or prevent bleeding.”(*2) The concentrated platelets are then directly injected into the treatment site. “Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other .. procedures.” (*1)
Using “the patients’ own growth factors to enhance reparative process in tissues with low healing potential, the promising preliminary clinical findings and the safety of these methods, explain the wide application of this biological approach.” (*3)
Preparing for PRP is quite simple. A short visit to Dr. Spiegel’s office can confirm that you have no contraindications and will determine the best treatment path for your condition. It is then as simple as a scheduled appointment and lots of rest afterwards. Some patients may experience mild discomfort after their injections. Dr. Spiegel’s team can help you address the discomfort if it does occur.
A recent study was done in which “ the ability of PRP to postpone and even avoid knee replacement in patients with knee osteoarthritis(KOA)”(*4) was assessed. The study did in fact find that “the application of PRP in KOA patients is a treatment that could delay total knee arthroplasty.”(*4)
“I find that when patients give PRP a chance they realize how much their own body’s can help them. PRP therapy is a powerful agent and holds the least risk of adverse reactions to treatments .” – Dr. Allan M. Spiegel
So whether you live in the Tampa Bay area or you are coming for a visit, look up Dr. Allan Spiegel’s office. Dr. Spiegel and his team are waiting to help you reach your best self. PRP and all of the other therapies he provides within the office are worth the time and effort!
References:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/platelet-information.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21082164/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32621139/
