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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – MCLEAN, VIRGINIA – February 22, 2011 – Each year, millions of people suffering from an injury or disabled with a chronic pain condition, consider undergoing surgery to find relief. While there is a time and a place for surgical intervention, there are also novel treatments available such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy that can help individuals avoid surgery by maximizing their healing potential. In the last few years many athletes, including golfer Tiger Woods and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu, have used PRP to help heal their injuries and return to their sports more quickly.
“There are many benefits to being treated with PRP,” says Dr. David Wang, an expert in PRP therapy who has trained physicians from across the world on the proper administration of regenerative injection treatments during medical mission programs organized by the American Association of Orthopedic Medicine and the Hackett Hemwall Foundation. “It is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that does not require general anesthesia, results in minimal recovery time, causes no visible scarring, is relatively inexpensive compared to surgery, and best of all, enhances the body’s own healing capacity.”
PRP has been found to be useful in treating osteoarthritis; non-healing wounds; and cartilage, tendon, and ligament injuries. It can be applied to nearly any joint or muscle area in the body, including the neck, back, shoulders, ankles, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, and feet. Specific conditions that can be treated with PRP include:
· Osteoarthritis
· Back and neck pain
· Sprained ligaments (e.g., ankle sprain/strain), bursitis, plantar fasciitis, and nerve entrapment problems; such as carpel-tunnel syndrome
· Tendon injuries like hamstring strain, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, jumper’s knee, or Achilles tendinitis
· Rotator-cuff and labral tears of the shoulder
· Rehabilitation of joints post-surgery
How does it work? After conducting a comprehensive physical evaluation, your physician will arrive at a diagnosis and determine whether your condition can be successfully treated with PRP. A multi-step process that is completed in one doctor’s visit, PRP therapy involves 1) drawing a small amount of a patient’s blood, 2) placing it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets that contain numerous growth factors responsible for tissue healing and blood-clotting, and 3) injecting the plasma solution back into the patient’s body at the site of the injury to promote healing. The high concentration of platelets in the plasma solution replicates and magnifies the body’s natural healing response, stimulating the growth of healthy ligaments, tendon fibers, muscle, cartilage, and bone. By enhancing the body’s own healing processes, PRP has the potential to help many individuals avoid or postpone surgery.
“Many people are surprised when they meet with me and learn that they may be able to avoid surgery with PRP,” adds Dr. Wang. “Patients are even more surprised after they undergo the therapy and experience just how effective the results are. Even In the cases where surgery cannot be avoided — for example, where a bone has been fractured or a nerve impinged — post-surgical PRP treatments often can be instrumental in maximizing healing of the wound site and allowing individuals to return more quickly to an active life.”
About David C. Wang, D.O. and the The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine
Board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. Wang joined The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine in McLean, Virginia in January 2011. Prior to this, Dr. Wang established practices at two Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals — Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Newton Wellesley Hospital. He also served as an instructor at Harvard Medical School. His special interests include musculoskeletal and sports medicine, non-surgical spine care, prolotherapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound, osteopathic manual medicine, and medical acupuncture.
The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine has been finding solutions for individuals suffering with acute injuries and chronic pain and illness for over 25 years. The Kaplan Center’s team of physicians, physical therapists, psychotherapist, dietitian and other health care providers combine the best features of conventional and alternative medicine to help patients achieve optimal health for life. To learn more about The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, visit the website at www.kaplanclinic.com.
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