At your first appointment, you will meet with your Physician Rehabilitation therapist will evaluate your condition or injury and determine whether you could benefit from PRP injections. If you are a good candidate for PRP therapy, you will receive a comprehensive plan to address your specific needs.

PRP therapy is an office procedure. It involves a blood draw, preparation of the PRP, preparation of the area to be treated, and the injections. The entire procedure usually takes about an hour or two from start to finish.

In preparation for the procedure, you will be advised to restrict the use of anti-inflammatory medications before, during and after the therapy, as they can interfere with healing. You will receive specific instructions on preparing for your procedure.

What to expect from PRP Therapy

First, a small amount of your blood is drawn to obtain a blood sample.

Next, the blood is put into a centrifuge, a machine that spins the blood to separate the blood components. The blood will be spun for about 5-10 minutes to separate and concentrate the platelets containing the biologically active proteins.

In preparation for the injections, PRP may be mixed with local anesthesia to reduce any discomfort; and the area to be treated will be antiseptically cleaned and marked.

Your Physician Rehabilitation therapist will use ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance to visualize the injured or damaged tissues, and to assist them in pinpointing the specific areas for injection. Then, they will carefully inject the PRP solution into the diseased or damaged tissues.

After the injection, you may experience mild pain and irritation at the site of the injection, which usually resolves within a few hours. You can expect some swelling and post-injection pain in the affected area, that usually lasts just a few days. If you are uncomfortable, you can take Tylenol to help. Ice and heat applications can be useful.

You will be advised to avoid exercise for a short period of time before gradually returning to your normal activities. When to return to your normal activities will be determined by your response to the treatment and therapist’s recommendations.

How many treatments are needed?

At Physician Rehabilitation each individual patient’s injury and condition is evaluated and a comprehensive treatment plan is created including the the number of treatments needed to provide optimal recovery.

PRP therapy provides a solution to soft tissue injury by ramping up the body’s natural ability to heal. Symptom relief is not instant, rather it takes a few weeks to see improvement, and continues to improve as you heal.

Physicians Rehabilitation has offices in Fort Myers, Lady Lake, Wildwood at the Villages, Naples, and Port Charlotte Florida. We treat patients with knee pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain or hip pain using PRP injections at any one of our Florida clinics. If you have joint pain and you are looking for PRP and an alternative less-invasive treatment than surgery, consider platelet rich plasma joint injections. During your initial complimentary consultation one our of expert team members will have the opportunity to better understand your condition and recommend treatment options. We’re here to help.