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Community Outreach and Philanthropy, (928) 771-5686 | May 06, 2015
Western Yavapai County residents are healing their own arthritic joints, ligament strains, muscle injuries and more with help from Bradley Benson, DO, and a procedure called Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).
“PRP is a corrective treatment. It helps regenerate and rebuild tissue,” said Dr. Benson, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist, YRMC PhysicianCare’s Spine Center. “It’s also very safe because your body’s own cells do the healing work.”
An increasingly popular procedure, PRP allows people to avoid surgery and for many it significantly reduces arthritis pain. It’s also a welcome replacement for steroid injections, which have side effects and can weaken tissue.
“PRP helps people at any age, but the group that’s most interested are people who are 50 and older,” Dr. Benson said. “PRP is for anyone who wants to live without pain and pursue their leisure activities whether that’s golfing, hiking, gardening or enjoying their grandchildren.”
Dr. Benson uses PRP to treat a variety of conditions and injuries, including:
- Arthritis
- Ligament, Muscle and Tendon Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries
- Tennis Elbow
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
- Plantar Fasciitis
How does PRP work? First, it’s important to remember that blood contains red cells, white cells and platelets. Platelets are best known for clotting blood, but they also contain hundreds of proteins called “growth factors” that help heal injuries.
PRP begins by taking blood drawn from the patient and separating the platelets from the other blood cells. This spinning process is called centrifugation and results in platelets that can be five to 10 times richer than usual. The platelet rich plasma (extracted from the blood) is then injected into the injured tissue.
“It can take several weeks for the healing to begin,” said Dr. Benson. “After that, the area will continue to improve over the next three to six months.”
Most people only require one or two PRP procedures at a single site (e.g., elbow, shoulder, knee). Injections into several sites can be safely administered at the same time. Recovery from the procedure is fast with most people returning to their normal activity in a day.
Dr. Benson performs the 45-minute PRP procedure at YRMC PhysicianCare’s Spine Center, 1001 Division Street in Prescott.
For more information about PRP, contact YRMC PhysicianCare’s Spine Center at (928) 445-4818.