PRP injections for Bethesda patients
Platelet-rich plasma for joint, tendon, and bursa pain that hasn’t settled — performed by a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, and seen at the Washington, D.C. office.
Where Bethesda patients are seen
Bethesda patients are seen at the Washington, D.C. office, a short drive south down Wisconsin Avenue, or the Germantown office, with quick I-270 access and free on-site parking — whichever is easier for you.
From central Bethesda the Washington, D.C. office is a straight run south on Wisconsin Avenue into the West End, and most patients find it a shorter trip than the map suggests once they are past the Beltway.
The Germantown office is the easier option if you are coming from the northern side of Bethesda or travelling at rush hour — straight up I-270, with free on-site parking rather than a garage.
Either office works for PRP. The injection takes about twenty-five minutes start to finish, and you drive yourself home afterwards, so pick whichever is a simpler trip on the day.
Washington, D.C. office
1015 18th Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 835-2222
Joints, tendons, and bursae
Most commonly hip and knee arthritis where there is still cartilage to work with, and the bursal and tendon problems around those joints. The full list, and who PRP is and is not likely to help, is on the regenerative medicine page.
What it costs, and what happens
$800 per injection · recommended course of two, two weeks apart
PRP is considered investigational, so insurance doesn’t cover it — but it is eligible for FSA and HSA funds.
- A board-certified orthopedic surgeon performs the injection, not a technician
- An honest answer about whether PRP is likely to help your particular joint
For the full picture — how PRP works, who it helps, what the evidence does and doesn’t support, and how it compares with cortisone and with replacement — see regenerative medicine and PRP.
How PRP differs from a cortisone shot
This is the comparison patients ask about most, usually because they have already had cortisone and are deciding whether to have it again.
Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory. It works quickly, often within days, and for a genuinely inflamed joint it can be very effective. What it does not do is change anything about the joint — and repeated injections into the same joint are not something to do indefinitely, which is the part patients are rarely told.
PRP works differently and on a different timescale. It is your own platelets, concentrated and injected back, and it does not produce the rapid relief cortisone can. What the literature supports is a longer duration of benefit where it works — in the range of six to twelve months — rather than a faster onset.
The honest framing I give patients: if you need relief this week, cortisone does that better. If you have had cortisone, it helped, and it wore off faster each time, PRP is a reasonable next conversation. And if the joint is bone-on-bone, neither one is going to change the mechanics.
See whether you’re a candidate
Tell us which joint is bothering you and what you’ve already tried. Our team will get you scheduled at the Washington, D.C. office — and if PRP isn’t the right answer for your problem, you’ll be told at the visit rather than after.
Also serving Montgomery County, MD
Find out whether PRP is worth it for your joint
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Harb to discuss your hip or knee and build a plan to get you back to the activities you love.
Not ready to book? Read how to choose a hip or knee surgeon