Why You Shouldn’t Mix Steroids with PRP in Dallas & Plano
- cassis101
- Sep 27
- 2 min read
By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano
You Shouldn’t Mix Steroids with PRP Because PRP Needs “Good Inflammation” to Work
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is designed to harness your body’s own repair system. Platelets release powerful growth factors that rely on a controlled inflammatory phase to begin the repair cascade. Adding a steroid injection into PRP may feel like a shortcut—but it actually cancels out the very biology that makes PRP effective.
PRP is not about masking pain. It’s about sparking the body’s natural response to restore strength, resilience, and performance. Steroids mute that signal, leaving patients frustrated and wasting both time and resources.
PRP vs Steroid Injection: What the Science Shows
Cartilage damage: In a 2-year randomized trial of knee osteoarthritis, triamcinolone (steroid) led to greater cartilage volume loss compared to saline, with no significant improvement in pain. PRP, on the other hand, consistently shows better long-term outcomes.
Cell toxicity: Studies reveal that adding corticosteroids to PRP reduces tenocyte proliferation and viability, and steroids can be toxic to mesenchymal stem cells—the very cells PRP recruits to repair tissue.
Expert consensus: Clinical guidance cautions against mixing PRP with corticosteroids or local anesthetics, as they inhibit cell proliferation and can increase cell death.
The Risks of Steroid Injections in Joints
Steroid injections may provide temporary pain relief, but they also carry risks:
Accelerated osteoarthritis progression and cartilage loss
Tendon weakening and rupture
Local tissue atrophy, skin depigmentation, and increased infection risk
Systemic effects: impaired immunity, osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, and bone cell death with repeated use
These effects undermine quality and long-term resilience—two of the values that matter most in my practice.
Smarter Pain Control for PRP Treatments in Dallas & Plano
For high-performing individuals, relief matters—but not at the cost of tissue integrity. That’s why at my Dallas and Plano clinics, we:
Use precision PRP protocols that respect dosage and preparation.
Deliver treatments under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance for accuracy.
Avoid agents known to harm regenerative cells.
Create whole-joint strategies that include ligaments, tendons, fascia, and subchondral bone—not just cartilage.
This is regenerative medicine built on excellence, trust, and transformation, not shortcuts.
The Solution: PRP Without Steroids
If you’re considering PRP, choose a clinic that protects the biology you’re investing in. Steroids may temporarily numb pain, but they sabotage the long-term benefits of regenerative care.
My approach: preserve the good inflammation, protect your cells, and invest in treatments designed for performance and longevity. of effect.
Schedule Your Appointment
If you’re in Dallas, Plano, or surrounding areas and were told to “add a little steroid to PRP,” it’s time for a second opinion.
Schedule a private consultation at Pain Experts. We’ll design a plan that honors your biology and your goals—so you can move forward with confidence, strength, and resilience.
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