PRP (platelet rich plasma) is an injection that includes platelets and various growth factors that can limit inflammation and promote healing.
PRP for arthritis: When injected into joints with arthritis the PRP helps control inflammation in a more natural way than steroid (“cortisone”) injections which produce at least temporary softening of the joint surface cartilage. Repeated injections may theoretically lead to accelerated joint deterioration, and while helpful should be limited as much as feasible. There is NO evidence that PRP injections can heal cartilage in arthritic joints, just evidence that it decreases pain and swelling. PRP injections have also been shown to be more effective than hyaluronic acid injections.
PRP and hyaluronic acid together for arthritis: Interestingly, for arthritis, the use of PRP and hyaluronic acid injections together may produce even better results than PRP alone in multiple studies. Both hyaluronic acid injections and PRP avoid the potentially negative effects of steroid (“cortisone”) injections and their combined effect may be more than either alone. Combined PRP/hyaluronic acid injections are recommended in a series of 2 injections 10-14 days apart.
PRP for soft tissue inflammation/bursitis/tendonitis: When used in situations where there is either tendon injury or overuse damage to tendons like tennis elbow or rotator cuff problems, researchers believe that PRP can stimulate healing in ways that other types of injections such as steroid injections do not. Used in cases of lateral elbow tendonosis (tennis elbow) where steroid injections have failed, there is good evidence that PRP injections can help.
What to do after your PRP injection
There are different ideas about this. Most current recommendations suggest avoiding use of NSAID type medications (ibuprofen/aleve/naprosyn/meloxicam/celebrex etc) after PRP injection for a period of time. We therefore recommend avoiding NSAID medications for ten days after injection, unless doing so would result in significant increase in other joint pain. If you have increased pain and swelling after injection, you may use cold and compression over the involved area. Some experts believe caffeine should be avoided or at lease minimized after injection as well for 72 hours but there is less firm rationale for this idea. If you are so inclined, consider this recommendation.