PRP Injections or Stem Cell Therapy: Which Is Best for Tendinitis?

Your elbow hurts. Or maybe your knee or the back of your heel.

You’re dealing with tendinitis, or the inflammation that can occur on any tendon in your body, and you just want the pain, swelling, and discomfort to stop. You’ve heard that PRP therapy and stem cell therapy can help, but you’re not sure which one might be best.

Here at PRO Institute, Dr. Gayan Poovendran and our team specialize in regenerative medical treatments such as these. When we evaluate your tendinitis for treatment, here’s what we’re thinking through:

What is PRP therapy?

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections harness your body’s natural healing power to jump-start the healing process. We take a sample of your blood and spin it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which contain essential proteins called growth factors that are part of your body’s regenerative healing mechanism.

We inject these concentrated platelets into the site of your injury, and your body responds by increasing new cell production, increasing collagen production, reducing inflammation, and improving blood flow, all of which promote tissue repair and healing.

Common conditions we treat with PRP injections include Achilles tendinitis, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, frozen shoulder, and more.

What is stem cell therapy?

The stem cell therapy process is similar. Stem cells in your body naturally produce new cells and promote healing, so we source some of these stem cells from either your bone marrow or your adipose (fat) tissue and use a centrifuge to concentrate the stem cells and platelets before using ultrasound guidance to inject the cells into the site of your injury.

Over time, these stem cells generate new cells and tissue (such as cartilage) while promoting your body’s healing response.

We use stem cell therapy to treat conditions such as osteoarthritis, meniscus and rotator cuff tears, hip bursitis, and tennis elbow.

Which is best to treat tendinitis?

Both PRP injections and stem cell therapy are good options to relieve pain and inflammation as a result of various orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions. In general, however, PRP therapy is better suited to help repair soft tissue injuries such as tendinitis, ligament tears, muscle strains, and arthritis. 

Stem cell therapy is usually a better treatment for conditions that have caused more serious tissue or organ damage, such as bone fractures, blood disorders, cancer, and serious muscle or ligament injuries.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule here, and the best treatment may vary depending on each individual situation. Stem cell therapy is a more complex, invasive procedure and it’s usually more expensive, so those factors may play into your decision as well.

Your best bet is to set up a consultation with Dr. Poovendran so he can assess your injury and determine the best course of regenerative treatment.

You can schedule that consultation by calling our Davie, Florida, office or requesting an appointment with our online scheduler.