If you have joint or tendon pain and want to avoid surgery, two injections come up again and again: a steroid (cortisone) injection and a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection. They work in very different ways — one calms inflammation, the other supports healing — so the right choice depends on your diagnosis. This consultant-led guide explains how each works, who each suits, how long they last and what each costs in London.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr James Thing (MBBS, BSc, MRCGP, FFSEM), Consultant in Sport & Exercise Medicine.
A steroid injection reduces inflammation and eases pain quickly, but the effect is temporary — it is excellent for settling a painful flare so you can move and rehab. A PRP injection uses your own concentrated platelets to support the body's own healing; it works more slowly but aims for longer-lasting improvement, which is why it is often chosen for stubborn tendon problems. Because the right choice depends on the exact diagnosis, every treatment here starts with a diagnostic ultrasound and consultation.
A steroid injection delivers a powerful anti-inflammatory directly to the problem area under live ultrasound guidance. Relief tends to come on quickly — often within days — and typically lasts from a few weeks to a few months. It is a great option when inflammation and pain are the main problem, such as an arthritis flare or an inflamed bursa. Around tendons it can give useful short-term relief, but because repeated steroid injections into a tendon are used cautiously, it is not always the best long-term answer for tendon pain.
A PRP injection uses a small sample of your own blood, concentrated to increase the platelets, which is then injected under ultrasound guidance to support healing. It works more gradually than steroid — often over several weeks — but aims for more durable improvement. PRP is frequently chosen for long-standing tendon problems such as tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, rotator cuff pain, patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy, and is also used for some cases of knee osteoarthritis.
| Steroid (cortisone) | PRP | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Inflammation & painful flare-ups | Stubborn tendon problems; healing |
| How it works | Reduces inflammation | Supports the body's own healing |
| Speed of relief | Fast (often within days) | Gradual (over several weeks) |
| Aim | Short-term pain relief | Longer-lasting improvement |
| Price (all-inclusive) | £525 | £660 |
Both prices are for a consultant-delivered, ultrasound-guided injection. A first appointment with consultation and diagnostic ultrasound is £405. See the full price list.
London pricing varies enormously, and the figure that matters is what is included — is the injection consultant-delivered and ultrasound-guided, and does the price cover the consultation, the scan and follow-up, or are those billed separately? At Joint Care London everything is included: a steroid injection is £525 and a PRP injection is £660, with no hidden extras. For the full picture across every injection type, see our complete guide to injection costs in London.
As a rough guide: if the main problem is inflammation and short-term pain — an arthritis flare or an inflamed bursa — a steroid injection is often the quickest route to relief. If the problem is a long-standing tendon issue that has not settled with rest and rehab, PRP is often the better long-term option. Many people benefit from a considered plan rather than a single injection. If your knee arthritis is the issue, you may also want to compare steroid vs gel (hyaluronic acid) knee injections.
Your first appointment includes a consultation and a diagnostic ultrasound scan so your consultant can confirm the diagnosis and recommend the right injection. The injection itself takes only a few minutes and most people return to normal activities the same or next day. Typical wait to be seen: 0–1 weeks, compared with 14–21 weeks on the NHS.
Every injection is ultrasound-guided and delivered by Dr James Thing, a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine with over ten years’ experience in musculoskeletal ultrasound. You will be seen within 0–1 weeks at our clinics in Notting Hill, Golders Green and Henley-on-Thames, with transparent, all-inclusive pricing.
They do different jobs. Steroid settles inflammation and pain quickly but temporarily; PRP supports healing and aims for longer-lasting improvement, so it is often chosen for stubborn tendon problems. A diagnostic ultrasound helps your consultant recommend the right one.
For long-standing tendon problems such as tennis elbow, PRP is often preferred because it targets healing rather than just masking pain, and because repeated steroid around a tendon is used cautiously.
Steroid typically helps for a few weeks to a few months; PRP takes longer to work but aims for more durable improvement.
Steroid may be covered by private health insurance; PRP is usually self-pay. Check with your insurer — either way we provide clear all-inclusive pricing.
Not sure which injection is right for you? Book a consultation or call 0333 011 1885 — we will confirm the diagnosis on ultrasound and recommend the best option.
