PRP

PRP services offered in Portland, OR

What if the secret to pain relief was already in your body? As a naturopathic physician at Open Wellness PDX, David Chang, ND, LAC, understands that your body already has the tools to repair itself; he just needs to help facilitate the healing process. That’s why Dr. Chang offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy at his office in Portland, Oregon. PRP therapy uses the platelet-rich plasma in your blood to heal damaged tissues and relieve pain. For more information, call Dr. Chang, or book an appointment online.

PRP Q&A

What is PRP therapy?

PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that harnesses the platelet-rich plasma in your blood to heal damaged tissues. Plasma itself helps circulate red blood cells and white blood cells throughout the body, while platelets carry transforming growth factor (TGF) to stimulate new cell growth.

When injected back into the injured site, PRP therapy reduces pain and stimulates tissue repair without addictive medications or surgery. It’s most often used to treat advanced chronic pain, joint degeneration, sports injuries, and debilitating injuries.

For what is PRP therapy used?

PRP therapy can treat and speed up the healing process for a number of different conditions, such as:

Labral tear of the shoulder
Rotator cuff tear
Tennis elbow
Labral tear of the hip
Knee arthritis
Meniscus tear
Hamstring strain
Achilles tendinosis
Ligament injuries
Disc degeneration
Neck pain
Back pain
Chronic ankle sprains

Because PRP therapy uses your body’s healing factors to repair damage, there’s little to no risk in the treatment. It can even be used in conjunction with other pain interventions to maximize healing and restore function to the injured site.

How does PRP therapy work?

First, Dr. Chang takes blood from your arm and runs it through a centrifuge. This helps isolate the platelet-rich plasma or PRP and separate it from your blood and platelet-poor plasma. Next, he injects the PRP directly into your injured site. Over time, these platelets break down and begin releasing their healing growth factors to stimulate tissue regeneration.

Each PRP treatment takes about 30 minutes, and because they’re minimally invasive, you can resume your normal activities immediately after leaving the office. Most patients require two to four treatments, but the initial injection can begin relieving pain within two to three weeks. You can expect the most noticeable results after three to six months.

PRP therapy does not provide instant pain relief, and it’s normal to experience minor soreness and inflammation at the injection site after the treatment.

For patients relying on over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatories or prescription opioids to reduce chronic pain, PRP therapy can provide lasting pain relief. To learn more about the benefits of PRP therapy, call Open Wellness PDX for David Chang, ND, LAC, or schedule an appointment online.