Unlike many of the typical treatments for injuries that result in ongoing pain, PRP treatments are non-invasive, restorative, and have minimal side-effects. Pain medications are commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain; however, these medications only mask pain and do not treat the injury itself. Additionally, pain medications are accompanied by a host of negative side effects, including drowsiness, constipation, gastrointestinal discomfort, and possible addiction. Cortisone injections are also offered as treatment for ongoing joint pain; however, long-term use of cortisone injections comes with the risk of developing early osteoarthritis. Surgery is also a possible treatment for various painful injuries, but it is invasive and is associated with its own risks and side-effects.

PRP injections, however, have rare and minimal side-effects. In addition to being safe and non-toxic, these injections are believed to promote the natural healing process within your body, helping to strengthen injured tissues and decrease pain and inflammation, rather than masking the symptoms, as pain medications do. PRP injections have the additional benefit of utilizing autologous cells (meaning cells from your own body), which precludes the risk of an allergic reaction. While more high-quality research is needed, studies on the safety and effectiveness of PRP are certainly promising at this time.