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Cortisone or PRP: choosing the right hip injection

Which is better for hip pain, cortisone or PRP?

Cortisone and PRP hip injections work differently. Cortisone is a steroid that calms inflammation within days and often relieves arthritis flares and outer hip pain for weeks to months. PRP uses your own platelets, works more slowly and, for gluteal tendinopathy, may give longer-lasting relief. PRP is usually not covered by insurance, and neither regrows cartilage.

Our team discusses this choice with patients nearly every week. Each injection has a role, and the right one depends on which structure hurts, how quickly you need relief and whether a hip replacement may be in the future.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Stride, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeon
Last reviewed October 2026
Dr. Stride explaining a hip with a pelvis model to a patient and her husband

Side by side

CortisonePRP
What it isA steroid anti-inflammatoryA concentrate of your own platelets
Good fit forArthritis flares, bursitis, tendon flaresChronic gluteal or hamstring tendinopathy, some early arthritis
How fast it helpsUsually 2 to 7 daysOften 4 to 8 weeks
How long relief lastsWeeks to a few monthsSeveral months for some patients
GuidanceUltrasound or X-rayUltrasound or X-ray
InsuranceUsually coveredUsually not covered
Main limitationRepeat shots limited; raises blood sugarCost; evidence still developing

When cortisone makes sense

For a painful arthritis flare or outer hip pain that keeps you awake, cortisone is fast and inexpensive. Our team spaces injections at least 3 months apart and watches blood sugar in patients with diabetes. Because cortisone in the joint shortly before a hip replacement may raise infection risk, Dr. Stride avoids joint injections within about 3 months of a planned surgery.

Where PRP fits

PRP is a reasonable option for gluteal or hamstring tendon pain that has not improved with several months of good rehab. Some studies show more durable relief than cortisone for gluteal tendinopathy. For hip arthritis, results are mixed, and our team is upfront that PRP is usually an out-of-pocket cost.

Either way, pair it with exercise

An injection quiets pain; strengthening fixes the underlying problem. Patients who use the window of relief to build hip and core strength tend to get the most lasting benefit.

The bottom line

For fast relief of an arthritis or bursitis flare, cortisone. For a stubborn tendon problem when you would rather avoid repeated steroids, PRP is worth discussing. Both work better alongside a strengthening program.

Frequently asked questions

How many cortisone shots can the hip have?

Our team generally limits cortisone to about three or four injections a year in the same area, spaced at least 3 months apart. Frequent injections can weaken tendons and may harm cartilage over time.

Does PRP regrow hip cartilage?

No. PRP has not been shown to regrow lost cartilage. Its aims are to reduce pain and support healing in irritated tendons.

Can a cortisone shot delay hip replacement?

A cortisone injection can relieve arthritis pain for weeks to months and help some patients postpone surgery. Surgery is usually scheduled at least 3 months after the last joint injection to lower infection risk.

Read more

Injections

Cortisone Hip Injection

A cortisone hip injection places a corticosteroid and numbing medicine directly into the hip joint, guided by ultrasound or X-ray.

Read more →Injections

PRP Hip Injection

A PRP hip injection uses platelets concentrated from your own blood and injected into the hip joint or a damaged tendon.

Read more →Injections

Trochanteric Bursa Injection

A trochanteric bursa injection places cortisone and numbing medicine over the bony point on the outside of the hip to calm hip bursitis and gluteal tendon pain.

Read more →Diagnosis

Diagnostic Hip Injection

A diagnostic hip injection places a numbing medicine directly into the hip joint under ultrasound or X-ray guidance.

Read more →
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Dr. Stride reviewing hip X-rays with a patient in the Memorial City office
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Dr. Stride explaining a hip with a pelvis model to a patient and her husband
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SourcesReferences used for this page3

Medically reviewed by Dr. Stride, MD against current guidance from these sources. Last reviewed October 2026. How we write and review content

  1. Ultrasound-guided Platelet-rich Plasma Application Versus Corticosteroid Injections for the Treatment of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Prospective Controlled Randomized Comparative Clinical Study (opens in a new tab) Cureus
  2. Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Intra-articular Injections in Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis (opens in a new tab) PubMed Central
  3. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: a review of diagnosis and management in general practice (opens in a new tab) PubMed Central
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