Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma with Wellington Chen, M.D.

& the Gecko Team.

Years of experience and training in the field of regenerative injections are why you might choose Dr. Chen as your doctor for these treatments. Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy or PRP is Prolotherapy using your own blood. Your blood is placed into a machine that looks like a record player. The platelet rich plasma is spun down and this solution is then injected into area’s that are damaged or arthritic.

Click on one of the button’s below to explore how Gecko’s Regenerative therapies work on some specific conditions.

About PRP therapy:

Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma with Dr. Wellington Chen. Years of experience and training in the field of regenerative injections are why you might choose Dr. Chen as your doctor for these treatments.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy or PRP is Prolotherapy using your own blood. Your blood is placed into a machine that looks like a record player. The platelet rich plasma is spun down and this solution is then injected into area’s that are damaged or arthritic.

PRP as well as prolotherapy is often done in our office under ultrasound guidance. The new ultrasound machines are of such good clarity that the images are often more helpful than MRI and it is used to place the Prolotherapy using PRP or dextrose into the exact area that is damaged.

See this Video of PRP Under Ultrasound Guidance

 

 

This next video is a 93 yr old patient who had PRP done for rebuilding cartilage in his knee’s.

The term prolotherapy is for proliferate or grow. The gold standard is to use a dextrose solution mixed with lidocaine. This is injected into ligaments or tendons to stimulate a certain type of inflammation that leads to tissue growth and repair. It’s typically the less vascular structures that aren’t able to heal due to low blood supply. This low blood supply makes it hard for your body to bring nutrients in that are used to create mew cells and tissues. Using Prolotherapy and Prolotherapy with PRP are cutting edge non-surgical orthopedics.

This video is an explanation of PRP.

For an Appointment Call (941) 330-8553.
E-Mail us at AskDrJL@Gmail.com

Interested in learning more about these regenerative

treatments then please read on.

Prolotherapy

is a form of injection treatment. The ligaments of the body are subject to injuries; these are usually termed “sprains” or “strains”. The natural healing of the ligamentous sprain is predicated on the inflammatory process. There are occasions when the healing of sprained ligaments is incomplete. The healing reparative process leaves the ligament less strong and less elastic than before the injury. The cycle of healing can be re-provoked without the need of re-spraining the ligament. This re-provocation can be achieved by triggering the inflammatory process through the injection of appropriate medication into the sprained ligament, particularly at its periosteal attachment. This process is called prolotherapy.

Prolotherapy is helpful for what conditions?

The treatment is useful for many different types of musculoskeletal pain, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, unresolved whiplash injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, partially torn tendons, ligaments and cartilage, degenerated or herniated discs, TMJ and sciatica.

What is prolotherapy?

First, it is important to understand what the word prolotherapy itself means. “Prolo” is short for proliferation, because the treatment causes the proliferation (growth, formation) of new ligament tissue in areas where it has become weak.
Ligaments are the structural “rubber bands” that hold bones to bones in joints. Ligaments can become weak or injured and may not heal back to their original strength or endurance. This is largely because the blood supply to ligaments is limited, and therefore healing is slow and not always complete. To further complicate this, ligaments also have many nerve endings and therefore the person will feel pain at the areas where the ligaments are damaged or loose.
Tendons are the name given to tissue which connects muscles to bones, and in the same manner tendons may also become injured, and cause pain.

Prolotherapy uses a dextrose (sugar water) solution, which is injected into the ligament or tendon where it attaches to the bone. This causes a localized inflammation in these weak areas which then increases the blood supply and flow of nutrients and stimulates the tissue to repair itself.
Historical review shows that a version of this technique was first used by Hippocrates on soldiers with dislocated, torn shoulder joints. He would stick a hot poker into the joint, and it would then miraculously heal normally. Of course, we don’t use hot pokers today, but the principle is similar-get the body to repair itself, an innate ability that the body has.

How long will it take to complete a course of treatments?

The response to treatment varies from individual to individual, and depends upon one’s healing ability. Some people may only need a few treatments while others may need 10 or more. The average number of treatments is 4-6 for an area treated. The best thing to do is get an evaluation by a trained physician to see if you are an appropriate candidate. Once you begin treatment, your doctor can tell better how you are responding and give you an accurate estimate.

Call (941) 330-8553 for an appointment.

You can E-mail us at AskDrJL@Gmail.com