Can PRP Injections Help Heal My Tendonitis?

Are you an athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply someone whose daily routine involves constant, repetitive motion? If so, you might be all too familiar with the stiffness and discomfort of tendinitis.

When joint pain has you sitting on the sidelines, find effective solutions at Internal Medicine Partners in Naples, Florida. Alejandro Blanco, MD, and Ralph Rodriguez, MD, offer advanced treatments to get you back in action, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.

Understanding tendonitis

Tendonitis occurs when one or more of the tough, fibrous bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone — your tendons — become inflamed or irritated. It typically results from overuse or a sudden injury. Certain factors including age, arthritis, diabetes, and gout can raise your risk.

While it can affect almost any tendon, common sites for tendonitis include the:

• Hip
• Knee
• Shoulder (rotator cuff tendonitis)
• Elbow (tennis or golfer’s elbow)
• Base of the thumb

What makes tendonitis particularly frustrating is how long it can take to heal on its own — from six weeks to several months, in some cases. Unlike other tissues, tendons have a limited blood supply, which causes them to heal more slowly.

Without proper intervention, a temporary case of tendonitis can easily become chronic, causing prolonged pain and limiting your mobility. Worse still, untreated tendonitis increases the likelihood of a tendon rupture, a severe injury that may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

What is PRP and how does it help heal tendons?

PRP therapy harnesses your body’s own healing capabilities. We obtain the PRP from a small blood sample, processing it to concentrate its platelets. Platelets are packed with powerful growth factors — proteins essential for tissue repair and regeneration.

When we introduce PRP into an injured area, such as a damaged tendon, these growth factors trigger that natural healing response. They promote new cell growth, increase collagen production, and improve blood flow, repairing and strengthening tendon tissue that may struggle to heal on its own.

PRP injections also help calm the inflammation that goes along with tendonitis, which leads to more complete, lasting tissue repair and effective pain relief. Our goal is to resolve the underlying damage rather than simply masking symptoms.

What to expect from the PRP injection process

After we collect your blood sample, we prepare the PRP serum using a specialized centrifuge. This step isolates and concentrates the healing elements for your treatment. Next, we use ultrasound guidance to carefully inject the platelet-rich serum directly into your damaged tendon.

There’s typically minimal discomfort during the injection itself, comparable to any routine needle you get at the doctor’s. The entire procedure generally takes under an hour, and you can head home as soon as you’re done.

Immediately following your treatment, you may feel some mild soreness or swelling at the injection site for a few days — this is normal, and a sign that deep tissue regeneration is underway. While the results aren’t instant, many patients start seeing noticeable improvements in pain and stiffness within two weeks. 

Your body then continues to rebuild and strengthen the tendon at an accelerated rate, helping you regain lost strength, reduce the risk of re-injury, and achieve a more complete, lasting recovery. Our team supports this process with personalized guidance on activity modifications and regular follow-up appointments to ensure the best possible outcome.

If tendonitis pain is getting in the way of your active lifestyle, Dr. Blanco and Dr. Rodriguez are here to help you find relief. Schedule your consultation online or by phone today for comprehensive, patient-focused care.