Does platelet rich plasma injection work?

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) – A Comprehensive Guide

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest interventional injection advancements in medical treatments, you may have heard of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. PRP is a treatment that uses your own blood to stimulate healing and tissue regeneration. In this article, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about PRP therapy.

Is Platelet Rich Plasma Covered by Insurance?

Whether PRP therapy is covered by insurance depends on your specific insurance plan and the reason you’re receiving the treatment. Generally, PRP therapy is considered an elective procedure and also an experimental procedure and is not generally covered by insurance. However, in some cases, such as for the treatment of osteoarthritis or tendon injuries, insurance may cover PRP therapy.

Are Platelet Rich Plasma Injections Covered by Medicare?

Similar to insurance coverage, whether PRP therapy is covered by Medicare depends on the specific circumstances. Medicare may cover PRP therapy for certain conditions, such as chronic non-healing wounds or diabetic foot ulcers.  However at the time of this writing, PRP therapy for pain from degenerative joint disease is not a covered benefit.

Does Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Work?

Many studies have shown that PRP therapy can be an effective treatment for a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, and muscle strains. PRP works by using growth factors in your own blood to stimulate tissue regeneration and healing. While results can vary depending on the individual and the condition being treated, many patients have reported significant improvement after receiving PRP therapy.

What Are Platelet Rich Plasma Injections Used For?

PRP therapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Tendon injuries
• Muscle strains
• Ligament injuries
• Chronic non-healing wounds
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Skin rejuvenation

Is Platelet Rich Plasma the Same as Stem Cells?

While PRP and stem cell therapy are both regenerative medicine treatments, they are not the same thing. PRP therapy uses growth factors found in your own blood to stimulate healing and tissue regeneration, while stem cell therapy uses stem cells, which can develop into various types of cells in the body. Both types of treatments are still regarded in the medical community as experimental.  Although there is research going on regarding both types of treatments we do not have large sample sized peer reviewed studies to determine the efficacy of these treatments.

What Is in Platelet Rich Plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma is a concentration of platelets and growth factors derived from your own blood. During the PRP therapy process, a small amount of blood is taken from your arm and spun in a centrifuge to separate the platelets and growth factors from the rest of the blood components. The resulting platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the treatment area, where it can stimulate healing and tissue regeneration.

What is the cost for PRP treatments?

Because this type of treatment is not covered under most insurance plans, the cost for the treatment can vary widely.  We have seen reports of anywhere between $300 dollars per treatment up to $6500 dollar per treatment advertised.  

Final thoughts

PRP therapy is a treatment that uses your own blood to stimulate healing and tissue regeneration. At the time of this writing the evidence that PRP is helpful is still lacking due to no large sample double blinded studies available.  While it may not be covered by insurance in all cases, many patients have reported significant improvement after receiving PRP therapy. If you’re interested in PRP therapy, talk to your doctor to see if it’s the right treatment for you.

Related: The 5 most common pain injections