Joint pain affects millions of people — from athletes with overuse injuries to adults coping with age-related degeneration like osteoarthritis. Traditional treatments like medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery can help, but not everyone achieves lasting relief.
That’s where platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are changing the landscape of pain management. At Interventional Spine & Pain Institute, PRP therapy is one of several advanced options we use to address joint pain at its source. Here’s how it works.
Platelet-rich plasma is a concentrated solution containing platelets derived from your own blood. Platelets are rich in growth factors and proteins that play a crucial role in healing and tissue repair, and the idea behind PRP therapy is simple: Harness and concentrate your body’s natural healing power and deliver it directly where it’s needed most.
Here’s how PRP injections work. First, we take a small amount of your blood — this process is similar to a routine lab test. Next, we put the sample in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelets.
Then, we inject the resulting PRP solution into the injured or painful joint under sterile conditions (often guided by imaging for precision). Because PRP uses only elements from your own body, it’s considered a biologic therapy with low risk of allergic reaction or rejection.
We do PRP injections in our office, and they usually take under an hour. Most people experience little to no discomfort during the injection, and we give you post-treatment guidance on activity modification, pain management, and rehabilitation as needed.
Some people begin to notice improvement within a few weeks, though full benefits may take several weeks as the healing process unfolds. Depending on your condition, we may recommend multiple injections for the best results.
We offer a wide range of joint injections at Interventional Spine & Pain Institute, including corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections. These can be great options to reduce inflammation and provide temporary pain relief, but they don’t promote tissue healing over time.
PRP injections, on the other hand, stimulate your body’s healing response rather than just suppress pain. Treatment can reduce inflammation and encourage regeneration, which may improve tissue quality in tendons, ligaments, and joints for longer-lasting relief than traditional approaches.
For many people with chronic joint pain, PRP can serve as a bridge between conservative care (like physical therapy) and more invasive options (like surgery). It offers meaningful pain reduction without major procedures.
PRP has shown promise in relieving pain for a variety of joint and soft-tissue conditions, including:
Because PRP works by promoting healing rather than simply reducing pain, we often recommend it when chronic inflammation or degeneration are present and when the goal is improved function over time.
Research continues to support PRP’s effectiveness for certain types of joint pain, especially when combined with other therapies like physical therapy and tailored activity plans. At Interventional Spine & Pain Institute, we see it as one tool among many that can be customized to your situation.
Complementary treatments can include physical therapy for strength, flexibility, and movement mechanics. Medication can help get inflammation and pain under control as PRP stimulates healing, and lifestyle modifications can help protect joints and improve overall musculoskeletal health.
If you’re dealing with persistent joint pain that hasn’t improved with traditional treatments, PRP therapy might be a good option for you — and it’s especially appealing for people who want to stay active, delay or avoid surgery, and promote natural healing.
Schedule a consultation at Interventional Spine & Pain Institute online or call our offices in Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Vero Beach, Florida, to find out if PRP injections are right for you. Your path to better movement and less pain starts with informed care.
