PRP (platelet-rich plasma) uses growth factors concentrated from your own blood. For back pain it is injected into a painful disc or the small facet joints. A small randomised trial (Tuakli-Wosornu, 2016) found people with disc pain who received PRP reported better pain and function than a control group. Evidence is still limited.
Who it may suit
- Disc-related back pain that has not settled with exercise
- Facet joint pain
- People looking to avoid or delay surgery
Back or leg pain for more than 6 weeks? Get the free guide and a doctor review of your scan.
What to expect
- Blood drawn and processed the same day
- Image-guided injection
- Effects, if any, build over weeks
PRP is sometimes combined with stem cell injections. A doctor decides what could fit after seeing your MRI.
Recent research from Asia
A 2025 randomised trial from China (PMID 40881828) found PRP injected into painful discs reduced pain, improved spinal function and improved water content of the disc on MRI compared with a control injection. A 2024 analysis of trials (PMID 38505505) suggested PRP gave better disability results than other injections at 6 months or more.
How PRP is made
A small amount of your blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which carry growth factors involved in healing. The concentrate is then injected under image guidance into the disc or the small facet joints.
Back or leg pain for more than 6 weeks? Get the free guide and a doctor review of your scan.
PRP or stem cells?
| PRP | Stem cells | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Your own blood | Bone marrow, fat or screened donor tissue |
| What it delivers | Growth factors | Living cells that release repair signals |
| Typical use | Facet joint pain, milder disc pain | Degenerative or herniated disc pain |
| Combined? | Often used together | Often used together |
Many treatment plans combine both. A doctor decides after reviewing your MRI.
Recovery
Some soreness for a few days, then a gradual return to normal activity with a rehab plan. Effects build over weeks.
Who it may suit
- Facet joint pain and disc pain that has not settled with exercise
- People who want a natural, minimally invasive option before surgery
