Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
Our sports doctor specializes in Platelet Rich Plasma in Vancouver, WA, and Camas, WA. PRP is an effective drug-free pain relief treatment option for your chronic pain.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a versatile, safe, effective drug-free treatment used to promote healing and repair for chronic pain. PRP harnesses your own body’s ability to self-heal without surgery, aligning to the osteopathic philosophy that your body has the solution to repair itself. Founder of Musculoskeletal & Sports Medicine, in Camas, Washington, Dr. Jennifer Stebbing DO is a leading provider of personalized, comprehensive evaluation and treatment of injuries that have created pain and dysfunction. To find out if you are a candidate for PRP, schedule an appointment by phone or online today.
What is platelet-rich plasma (PRP)?
The use of platelets in the treatment of injuries has been available for over 30 years. In more recent years, high profile athletes have brought its benefits to recovery and quick return to sport to the forefront. Now Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is considered a first-line treatment to muscle, fascial, ligament or joint injuries that cause pain and/or dysfunction. Its use in other areas of the body, such as aesthetics (Vampire facials), for erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease in men (P-shot) and incontinence, lichen sclerosis, lowered libido and dyspareunia in women (O-shot), Platelet-Rich Plasma is offering options for healing and repair, changing the medical paradigm.
Where does Platelet-rich plasma come from?
Platelet-Rich Plasma is derived from your own blood. A centrifuge is used to remove red blood cells, white blood cells and most of the plasma, the yellow liquid form of blood. The platelets are concentrated in a smaller amount of plasma.
How does Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) work?
The platelets in your blood contain proteins and growth factors that promote healing throughout the body. Platelet-rich plasma helps support the healing process of damaged tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints by encouraging blood flow to these damaged tissues. Dr. Stebbing uses PRP alone or pairs it with other treatments to promote a speedy, successful recovery. PRP injections harness your body’s own healing abilities to improve function and reduce pain. Once injected into damaged tissue, the healing properties of PRP help regenerate or heal tissue, leading to less pain and increased mobility.
What are some of the conditions that are treated with Platelet-Rich Plasma?
- Sprains, Strains
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Back Pain, Neck pain
- Trigger finger
- Repetitive motion injury
- Arthritis
- Knee pain
- Pain after surgery
- Tendinitis, Tendinosis
- Falls
- Car accidents, especially whiplash and low back and hip pain
- Female and male sexual dysfunction
- Facial treatment to revive sun damage tissue
- Scars
Process & After Care
Understand the unique process to set the right expectations on your treatment day.
Pre-injection Preparation
Dr. Jennifer Stebbing uses platelets found in your bloodstream. Blood is removed in the same way as when you donate blood. It is centrifuged a few times, and most of the plasma is removed, leaving a high concentration of platelets suspended or mixed in a smaller volume amount of plasma. The red blood cells are removed.
Ultrasound-guided Injections
An anesthetic numbs the treatment area and reduces pain or discomfort. Each needle injection, no matter what is being injected, is precisely placed with the help of an ultrasound machine, which allows for visualization of the body part and the needle.
The imaging is done in real-time as if it were a movie, not a snapshot. The needle is guided to its destination, and Dr. Stebbing watches whatever substance she injects through the entire process. The ultrasound is used during the entire treatment process to identify the injured areas.
Aftercare Expectation
After the procedure, it’s normal to experience swelling or pain for a few days. Depending on your injury, you may have to wear a brace, sling, or crutches to ensure you heal correctly. In many cases, physical therapy is required to achieve a full recovery.
Let Your Body Heal Through Inflammation
The body recognizes these injections as small injuries and signals for the platelets circulating in your bloodstream to come to the area to stop the bleeding. The use of platelets, called platelet-rich plasma, allows for a larger number of platelets to be injected into the area, creating a much stronger healing response.
The First Phase:
The first is an inflammatory phase, which begins when platelets are drawn to a site and become activated, releasing the growth factors necessary for healing. This phase lasts 3-5 days, and is an important time to avoid anti-inflammatories (such as Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Diclofenac, Aleve), as inflammation promotes healing.
The Second Phase:
The second phase, the proliferative phase, occurs over a period of weeks. During this time, cellular material forms in a layered approach, and new blood vessels form. The layers of differentiated cells form a matrix that strengthens the injured tissue. This is the phase of healing when tissues are most prone to re-injury. It is important to moderate activity to avoid re-injury during this time.
The Third Phase
After the procedure, it’s normal to experience swelling or pain for a few days. Depending on your injury, you may have to wear a brace, sling, or crutches to ensure you heal correctly. In many cases, physical therapy is required to achieve a full recovery.
Why Choose Us
Dr. Stebbing is a highly rated independent female Sports Medicine doctor and osteopathic physician in Camas, WA.
Integrity
She and her staff pursue open, honest relationships, working to establish trust to ensure the best possible outcome for each patient.
Dedication
Dr Stebbing is dedicated to providing the optimal treatment options for each patient. With this in mind, she works tirelessly to find complementary providers (physical therapist, naturopathic physicians, exercise specialists, nutritionists, physicians and other healers) to assist with improving nutrition, exercise and mindset while healing. She encourages patients to take ownership of their health.
Resourcefulness
She thinks outside the box, gathering comprehensive information, thoughtfully problem solving, and actively incorporating new ideas and strategies, all with the aim of optimal results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has there been any research on platelet-rich plasma?
The research on platelet-rich plasma is extensive. There are many studies evaluating the benefit on tendinopathy (tendon injuries > 6 weeks old have lost their blood supply. They heal great with 1 treatment with PRP), osteoarthritis (early arthritis has great success), muscle strains/tears (faster return to sport), and Nerve (easier to treat immediately after the injury).
Why would I consider Platelet-rich Plasma in my arthritic joint?
Chronic injury to the supporting ligaments of a joint can lead to arthritis. Chronic injury to a tendon leads to tendinopathy. In both situations, the tissue quality is compromised; as is blood supply, further detracting from healing.
PRP is used to treat injured ligaments, tendons, and capsules around a joint to improve joint stability and improve healing in, for example, knee and hip arthritis, as well as back pain and most other joint pain. Injuries to ligaments, tendons and capsules cause about 60% of the pain people experience around their knees. It is important to understand that prior to pursuing surgical treatment, as not all pain will be resolved by surgery and sometimes treatment of these areas prior to surgery can improved the success of the surgery.
PRP can also be injected into joints to assist with repair of the articular cartilage and meniscus. The addition of bone marrow concentrate may be important in these situations to augment healing, depending on the degree of damage.
How painful are the injections?
The injections are never performed without local anesthesia both superficial and deep. If you have difficulty getting numb or experience more pain or are extremely needle phobic, there are other ways to make you more comfortable. Prolotherapy is an injection that occurs at the attachments of ligaments and tendons to bone. When the bone is injected, people experience a buzzy discomfort. Some people describe it as nervey. This dissipates immediately. Usually a bruised like discomfort remains for the next 24- 72 hours. There can be a sense of tightness during the first day. On occasion, patients experience pain for 3-5 days. Anything longer should be a reason to call.
What can I do after I get injected?
Avoid all anti-inflammatories. Move gently during the immediate 3-5 days after treatment. You may return to your normal activity after the initial pain and swelling have gone away, avoiding injury. For example, substitute running with elliptical, swimming or stationary cycling if the treatment was to a hip, ankle, knee or foot. Likewise avoiding swimming for shoulder injuries, substituting swimming with walking, stationary cycling, elliptical or the like. Weight lifting for the upper body is fine when the lower body is treated (and vice versa) if it is already part of your routine. Avoid the temptation to get a project done if the pain subsides and you start to feel better. Healing typically takes about 6 weeks. We usually repeat the prolotherapy injections as 2-4 weeks. Correcting the biomechanics of how you move can also prevent further injury. Many chiropractors, athletic trainers, physical therapists can assist with correcting posture and biomechanics. If you have a relationship with someone skilled in this, we will communicate with them as part of the treatment plan.
Do I need to take a day off work?
On the day that you receive PRP treatment, going back to work is not a common practice. However, returning to work the next day should not be an issue.
How does PRP injections compare to prolotherapy?
Many of the same principles apply. PRP is not comfortable and requires anesthesia. Nerve blocks and local anesthesia are done to give local relief. Because PRP is viscous and there are other pain pathways, besides nerve pain, there may be some injection discomfort that lingers. Injecting PRP slowly improves pain tolerance. In certain patients, oral medications can be used to assist with pain. Nitrous oxide is available and is extremely beneficial. In addition, we welcome having patients bring in their own music. Tapping, meditation and other techniques are also helpful. That being said, the benefit is significant. (see testimonials). The pain compared to having joint replacement is days, not weeks.
What should be expected post procedure?
The inflammatory response is greater with PRP, so 3-5 days of increased swelling with or without pain is normal. Some people have little to no swelling or pain after 24 hours and others have more. The use of crutches for 1-3 days to avoid weight bearing is suggested for treatment of the lower body. A sling for the upper body is helpful. Compression of the joint is helpful. Avoidance of heat during the first 24 hours helps reduce the inflammation that would be increased as blood vessels dilate. Ice slows down the inflammation, which is used at times with people who experience a lot of discomfort.
Is there any limitation to chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation?
Yes, any manipulation that can cause ligament strain of the joint treated with prolotherapy should be avoided. In general, this encompasses any High Velocity, Low Amplitude techniques, including using a drop table for the area that was treated. Soft tissue techniques, such as muscle energy, facilitated release, counterstain, balance ligamentous tension, fascial stretching, and massage are fine. There is a definite benefit with incorporation of these soft tissue techniques within two weeks of a treatment.
Is there any safe exercise?
Aerobic exercise in the form of elliptical machine or stationary bike or swimming can be continued depending on the injured area.
Stabilization exercise, such as pilates, gyrotonics and some forms of yoga work well. We want to keep the tissue pliable, but not overstretched, which can happen if you aren’t careful while doing yoga.
Avoid strength training until you have painless full range of motion and have built up some of the stabilizer or core muscles of the joint. (Usually 6 weeks after treatment). Resistive bands are a good way to build up stabilization of a joint, start with yellow bands and progress thru the rainbow. Exercises using your body weight as the resistance are a further progression of stabilization into strength exercises. Typically the earliest strength training would occur at 6 wks to 2 months.
When would Physical Therapy start?
Typically, PT is started at the earliest 2 weeks after the last PRP session. Care is taken to prevent injury from being “pushed” too fast or too early… before healing has occurred fully. For this reason, some doctors who treat patients with regenerative injections will not send their patients to PT until after the treatment is done.
PRP For Hip Pain
In October 2016, at the age of 37, I found out that I had a congenital cam lesion on the head of my right femur, along with a bone spur and osteoarthritis in the hip joint. My physical activity came to a screeching halt from the pain that I was experiencing. I was an avid runner and felt lost without the physical activity. I had trouble lifting my leg to get into the car, and putting on socks and shoes were incredibly frustrating. Conventional orthopedic doctors that I saw, suggested cortisone shots and physical therapy as the solution. Beyond that, I was told to wait until I was in so much pain that I couldn’t take it anymore, and get a hip replacement.
I knew there had to be other options. That’s when I came across Regenexx and Dr. Jonathan Fenton. He recommended additional consultation with Dr. Jennifer Stebbing. These doctors gave me hope that I could have a good quality of life without surgery. Through the use of multiple different injection techniques, I have been able to resume my physical activity. I now enjoy multi-day hikes in the White Mountains, downhill skiing, and getting into my car without pain.
When I do encounter muscle imbalances and tightness, Dr. Stebbing gets me back on track quickly. She is intuitive and gifted in her understanding of body mechanics. Her approach to healing and correcting issues is second to none and I have not met another doctor who seeks out solutions like she does. She has improved my quality of life. Dr. Stebbing has taught me along the way how my body works and what I need to do to keep it working right. If you’re looking for a treatment for the cause and not just the symptoms I highly recommend seeing Dr. Stebbing.
-Christi
Other Treatments You Might Be Interested In…
Dr. Stebbing offers many non-surgical treatment options. Here are some treatments you might be interested to consider along with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).
Get In Touch Today
We are here for you whenever you are ready. Call, email, or use the form below.
Request an Appointment Or Send a Message
Email: info@drstebbing.com
Call: 360-258-1746
Open Hours:
Monday: 9AM - 4PM
Tuesday: 9AM - 4PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 1PM - 4PM
Friday: 9AM - 4PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed