Shoulder PRP Injections
Ultrasound-Guided Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

A PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection, uses a concentrate of the healing platelets and growth factors found in your own blood, injected into a painful or damaged area of the shoulder to support the body’s natural repair process.

In the shoulder, PRP is most often used for rotator cuff tendinopathy (wear and inflammation of the cuff tendons), partial rotator cuff tears that have not responded to physiotherapy, and the pain of mild to moderate shoulder osteoarthritis. It is a regenerative, steroid-free option that aims to improve the underlying tendon or joint rather than only masking the pain.

Because PRP is prepared from your own blood, there is no risk of allergic reaction to the injected material. An ultrasound assessment first confirms which structure is causing your pain so the treatment can be aimed precisely.

PRP tends to help people with persistent shoulder pain from a tendon or joint problem that has not settled with rest, activity changes or physiotherapy, and who would prefer to avoid, or have already tried a steroid injection.

You may be a good candidate if you have:

• Rotator cuff tendinopathy or a small, partial-thickness cuff tear.
• Mild to moderate shoulder osteoarthritis.
• Pain that limits sleep, work or activity despite conservative care.
• A preference for a regenerative, steroid-free approach.

PRP is generally not the right choice for a large, full-thickness tendon tear that needs surgical repair, or for shoulders with severe end-stage arthritis. The only way to know is with a proper assessment, which is why every appointment begins with a consultant musculoskeletal doctor’s ultrasound review.

At the Harley Street Ultrasound Group, your appointment begins with a diagnostic ultrasound assessment, performed by your specialist consultant doctor. Ultrasound shows the rotator cuff tendons, the joint surfaces and the surrounding soft tissues in real time, and is used to confirm the source of your pain and to rule out other causes such as a full-thickness tear, calcific tendinopathy or bursitis, which can feel similar but need different treatment.

Diagnosing the problem accurately first is what makes the treatment precise. Because the same ultrasound is then used to guide the injection, your consultant can place the needle exactly into the target structure, rather than by external approximations.

If the assessment shows that a different treatment would serve you better, your consultant will tell you on the day. See “What if I don’t need an injection?” below.

PRP works by concentrating the healing platelets from a small sample of your own blood and injecting them, under ultrasound guidance, into the damaged tendon or joint where they are needed. The process has three simple steps:

• A small blood sample is taken from your arm, exactly as in a routine blood test.
• The sample is spun in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood.
• Your consultant injects the concentrated plasma into the target tendon or joint under real-time ultrasound, confirming the needle is in exactly the right place.

The concentrated platelets release growth factors that stimulate the body’s natural repair response, supporting healing in the tendon or joint rather than simply suppressing inflammation. Performing the injection under live ultrasound is what makes it both effective and safe, allowing nearby nerves and blood vessels to be identified and avoided.

Most patients find PRP more comfortable than expected. The blood draw feels like a routine blood test, and local anaesthetic is used for the injection, so you typically feel a small sting followed by a sensation of pressure as the plasma is placed, this is normal and settles quickly.

The appointment usually takes around 30–45 minutes from assessment to completion:

• Your consultant scans the shoulder to confirm the diagnosis.
• A small blood sample is taken and prepared in the centrifuge.
• The skin is cleaned and local anaesthetic is applied.
• The PRP is injected under live ultrasound guidance.
• You rest briefly and are given aftercare guidance before you leave.

There is no general anaesthetic and no overnight stay. You can usually drive yourself home, though arranging a lift is sensible if your shoulder feels sore afterwards.

Your treatment is performed by a consultant specialist doctor, not a physiotherapist, nurse or GP. This matters, as the majority of MSK injections in the UK are delivered by non-consultant practitioners, often without image guidance.

At the Harley Street Ultrasound Group you receive both the clinical judgement of a senior specialist and the precision of real-time ultrasound in a single appointment. Your consultant assesses the shoulder, confirms the diagnosis, prepares and delivers the PRP, and explains your aftercare personally.

We will never give you an injection you do not need. If, after your ultrasound assessment, your consultant decides PRP is not the right treatment for you, the procedure simply won’t go ahead. You will be charged at our standard diagnostic ultrasound rate, not the full treatment price.

This is a deliberate commitment to clinical integrity. Some providers treat every appointment as a guaranteed procedure; we don’t. You can book knowing that you will receive a genuine specialist assessment first, and that treatment only proceeds when a senior clinician believes it is genuinely warranted.

If PRP isn’t appropriate, your consultant will explain why and set out the alternatives. This may include physiotherapy, a different injection, such as PRP, or onward referral, meaning you still leave with a clear plan.

PRP works gradually. Unlike a steroid injection, it does not give instant relief; instead, improvement builds over several weeks to a few months as the growth factors support healing in the tendon or joint. Some patients notice early benefit within 3–6 weeks, with continued improvement after that.

For many shoulder conditions a course of two or three injections, spaced a few weeks apart, gives the best result, though some people respond well to a single treatment. PRP has a good success rate for reducing pain and improving function in rotator cuff tendinopathy and mild to moderate shoulder arthritis, but results vary with the severity of the problem and individual factors. Your consultant will give you a realistic picture, and a planned number of sessions, based on your own assessment.

There is no significant downtime. You can return to everyday activities the same day, though it is sensible to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous shoulder use for a few days. Some mild soreness or aching in the shoulder for a day or two is normal and is actually part of how PRP works.

Importantly, avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and other NSAIDs for the period your consultant advises, usually a couple of weeks before and after treatment. These medicines can blunt the very inflammatory healing response that PRP is designed to trigger. Use paracetamol instead if you need pain relief, unless told otherwise.

A short course of gentle, progressive physiotherapy often works well alongside PRP to rebuild strength and movement. You will receive clear written aftercare guidance, and our team remains available if you have any questions as you recover.

Both can help shoulder pain, but they work in very different ways. A steroid (cortisone) injection is a powerful anti-inflammatory that often gives faster, short-term relief, which makes it useful for settling an acutely painful, inflamed shoulder. PRP works more slowly and aims to support actual healing in the tendon or joint, so the benefit tends to build over weeks and can last longer.

PRP is often preferred when the goal is to improve the underlying tendon rather than only calm inflammation, when a steroid has already been tried, or when a patient wants to avoid the potential effect of repeated steroids on tendon tissue. Steroid may be the better first step where rapid pain control matters most.

The right choice depends on your diagnosis and your goals, which is exactly what your consultant will discuss after the ultrasound assessment. You can also read about our steroid injection for the shoulder service to compare the two.

An ultrasound-guided PRP injection for the shoulder at The Harley Street Ultrasound Group is £545, all fees inclusive. There are no extra charges for the consultant assessment, the diagnostic ultrasound, the blood draw and PRP preparation, the procedure itself, or your written report.

What’s included in the price:

• Consultant specialist assessment and diagnostic ultrasound
• Blood draw and platelet-rich plasma preparation
• Ultrasound-guided PRP injection
• Local anaesthetic and all consumables
• Written report and tailored aftercare guidance

There's no referral required and no waiting lists. Importantly, if your consultant assesses you and decides an injection is not clinically appropriate, you are charged only at our standard diagnostic ultrasound rate, not the procedure price. Where a course of PRP is recommended, your consultant will set out the number of sessions and the total cost in advance. We accept self-pay; please note PRP is not always covered by private health insurers, so confirm cover before booking.

Coming to us privately does not affect your NHS care. Our goal is to get you answers and treatment quickly, PRP is rarely available on the NHS, and even conventional injection therapy often involves long waits.

You are seen by a consultant specialist who can assess, diagnose and, where appropriate, treat your shoulder in a single visit. Your report and images can be shared securely with your NHS GP or any specialist, and if your situation needs onward NHS care your consultant will write to your GP accordingly.

We don’t want you waiting months in pain when effective treatment is available now.