Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

Striving To Cover All Your Foot & Ankle Needs

Dr. Farajian’s office offers a new way to heal the foot with blood therapy that takes advantage of the patient’s own blood to create what is often referred to as “liquid gold.” The principle is to take advantage of the body’s ability to heal its own wounds and to combine this natural healing ability with modern medical technology.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy

This new blood therapy is called “Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy,” and it can be used to treat several conditions of the foot, including foot pain and heel pain. Medical professionals are expecting that this new therapy will spread throughout the sports world and the orthopedic industry as it has been shown to be instrumental in healing the ligaments and tendons as well as the muscles and bones. This remarkable treatment is gaining ground after headlines touting its use by elite athletes including golfer Tiger Woods, tennis’s Rafael Nadal and basketball’s Kobe Bryant.

The Process of Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy

Medical professionals have known that when the body is injured, platelets gather at the site to form a clot. Then, several growth factors are released at the injured spot and healing begins. By adding more of the body’s platelets directly to the injured area, a foot doctor can increase the body’s ability to heal itself. In addition, the healing process may even be faster and more complete than it ordinarily would have been.

In order to perform this procedure, a foot doctor will draw blood from the patient and place it in a centrifuge so that the red blood cells and platelets can be separated. The podiatrist will then give the patient anesthesia so that the platelets can be injected into the injured area. After the procedure is over, some patients will feel soreness in the area, but this is actually a positive sign. This means that the healing process has begun.

The Healing Process

Patients who receive this new procedure must be prepared to allow the healing process to continue over several days. This means that they will need to tolerate the soreness without taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications because these pain relievers can interfere with the healing process. Patients will, however, be able to take Tylenol. If needed, they can also place an ice pack on the area and elevate the foot for relief.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy is a long-term commitment for people who are experiencing pain in feet. It can take eight to 12 months for the collagen in the injured area to complete the re-generation process after treatment. Dr. Farajian will allow three to four weeks to pass after the first injection. If everything appears to be in order, no further injections will be required, but some people will need to have several injections to ensure that the healing process is advancing properly.

PRP Therapy Is Safe

Dr. Farajian has been using this advanced treatment for many foot, ankle and leg related problems and has had excellent results.  The appropriate research has been conducted on this new treatment, and it has shown that PRP Therapy is very safe. No significant side effects have been discovered, and it is not likely that the body will reject its own platelets or cause the patient to suffer an allergic reaction. Although the injection carries a risk of infection, this risk is lower than the risk of an incision. In addition, the foot doctor only needs about 20 minutes to complete the entire process.