What is the Difference Between Having a Cortisone Shot and a PRP Treatment?

Dr. Pagdin discusses the differences and benefits of having a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment instead of a cortisone injection.

I want to address the question of what is the difference between having a cortisone injection versus platelet-rich plasma for a sports injury, say tendinitis or plantar fasciitis. There have been some very good studies published comparing these two head to head, and what we find is that cortisone produces a good anti-inflammatory response fairly quickly, but it also wears off quite quickly. Your inflammation could be settled down for a few weeks and then the cortisone wears off.

The advantage of platelet-rich plasma is it is actually more powerful at reducing inflammation, and it lasts far longer, often in excess of 12 months. Many times we find that a treatment with platelet-rich plasma will cure a problem, whereas a treatment with cortisone might just provide a temporary Band-Aid.

Another thing to be cautious with cortisone is that it can actually cause some destruction of tissue. It can make your tendon a little bit more mushy and more subject to rupture. Or, if you're injecting it into a joint, it can deteriorate the cartilage, whereas platelet-rich plasma will improve the integrity of the tissue rather than cause it any harm.

So if you had to choose between the two, I would be very much more in favour of platelet-rich plasma.

[stefanosestylianidis]

i did everything.i did also a prp injection and there was still a lot of pain.the only thing i haven't done yet is the cortisone injection.I might do this now...

[mikev]

Can you still get and expect good results from PRP after Cortisone injections?


Or you can only do either or?

Would it be too late to get PRP after Cortisone injection?