PRP Injections for the Shoulder

What is PRP?

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has received a lot of attention for helping treat injured ligaments and tissues within the shoulder and elbow joints, as well as easing the symptoms of arthritis. PRP uses the body’s natural ability to accelerate healing after an orthopedic injury. Laboratory studies have confirmed that an increased concentration of PRP’s growth factors can speed up a patient’s healing process.  Platelet rich plasma injections are becoming more widely used and recognized around the world as a safe, effective and non-invasive treatment option for damaged muscles, ligaments and tendons. For patients in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and the surrounding communities of the Treasure Valley the treatment has some promise as a treatment alternative for painful tendinopathy about the shoulder and elbow and some practitioners advocate its use for treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms.

What are PRP injections?

Human blood is composed of platelets, plasma, white blood cells and red blood cells. When the body is injured, the brain signals platelets to move toward an injured area and release growth factors to help it heal. Growth factors are capable of stimulating cellular growth and accelerating healing.

PRP is obtained by drawing a sample of blood from the patient. The blood is placed in a centrifuge, which spins the blood and separates it into it’s four main structures.  By spinning the blood in a centrifuge, gravity can then separate the different cellular parts which allows one to remove the platelet rich plasma from the other parts of the blood.  The platelet rich plasma is then injected directly into the damaged area of the shoulder or elbow. If you have questions regarding whether this treatment is an option for your shoulder or elbow condition we would encourage you to speak with the orthopedic specialists at The Shoulder Clinic of Idaho

Does PRP work?

Platelet rich plasma and PRP therapy holds great promise in the sports medicine and orthopedic fields of medicine. Scientists have proven that PRP injections release 3-5 times the growth factors compared to regular human blood. This could be highly beneficial to injured soft tissue because it accelerates healing, using the body’s natural process.  The science behind PRP injections continues to evolve; and the future of platelet rich plasma looks encouraging in healing sports injuries and other soft tissue damage to the shoulder and elbow.

Are you experiencing shoulder pain?

There are two ways to initiate a consultation with the Shoulder Clinic of Idaho:

You can call our office and schedule an appointment with one our shoulder specialists.

You can schedule an office consultation with a member of our shoulder team.

What can be treated with PRP?

Platelet rich plasma injections have shown promise in a number of orthopedic injuries including:

What does Platelet Rich Plasma Cost?

PRP varies in cost, depending on the severity of the injury and how many injections are needed. Since PRP injections are still considered experimental in the medical field, some insurance carriers do not cover the procedure.  The orthopedic specialists at The Shoulder Clinic of Idaho will gladly discuss the pros and cons of PRP treatment as well as its cost.  Many patients in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and the surrounding communities of the Treasure Valley find comfort after discussing PRP with the orthopedic specialists at The Shoulder Clinic of Idaho as they will help you decide if you are an ideal candidate for platelet rich plasma injections.

To learn more about platelet rich plasma (PRP injections), or platelet rich plasma cost in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and the surrounding communities of the Treasure Valley, please contact the orthopedic shoulder specialists at Shoulder Clinic of Idaho.