What is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for the hip?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are a type of regenerative therapy. They help you manage pain in tendons, ligaments, muscles and other injuries. The injection uses your body's own healing properties in blood to treat pain and stimulate healing.How platelets help hip pain
Platelets make up blood, along with white and red blood cells. They help with clotting when you get a cut. They also contain proteins and growth factors that help with healing cuts. Plasma is the liquid part of your blood. It's made mostly of water. PRP contains a higher concentration of platelets than normal blood does.
Before your doctors consider a surgical treatment for managing hip pain and other injuries, they exhaust all non-surgical options first. Doctors often use PRP in treating pain in your hips and restoring function and range of motion.
What to expect from a platelet-rich (PRP) injection for the hip
Before your PRP injection appointment, your doctor may give you instructions to prepare, such as stopping anti-coagulant, steroid and NSAID medications. You also need to drink plenty of water in the days just before your appointment.
At your appointment, the healthcare staff draws a vial of your blood. It's typically less than two ounces. The healthcare staff runs the blood through the centrifuge for approximately five minutes. This is a machine that spins very fast to separate the components of your blood.
Next, they clean the skin on your hip and use an ultrasound to see inside your body. This helps them guide the needle. The goal is to inject the PRP infusion directly into the injured part of your hip. The entire process takes about 45 to 90 minutes.
You may experience some soreness in your hip following the procedure. Use cold compresses to ease the pain. The doctor may give you crutches if you need to keep weight off of the injury during the healing time.
Your doctor may prescribe this treatment once a week for three weeks at a time. They administer the injections six weeks apart if necessary for managing pain and injuries in your hips.
Common conditions requiring platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
People suffering from pain in the ligaments, tendons, muscles, bones and cartilage in the hips benefit from PRP injections. This includes people who suffered an injury or have a degenerative condition. Common conditions treated with PRP injections are:
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Bone injuries
- Torn ligaments
- Muscle injuries
- Hip osteoarthritis