Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
Clicking, clunking, or locking of the jaw often indicates instability of the TMJ. PRP injections into the TMJ can reduce pain and improve jaw function and mobility. Studies report improvement in joint pain in approximately 70% of treated joints.
Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash can cause widespread injury to cervical muscles, fascia, ligaments, tendons, and facet joints. Our comprehensive approach to treating the soft tissues of the neck makes our clinic one of the most advanced in Canada for treating whiplash injuries.
Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy & Tears
PRP promotes repair of torn or degenerated rotator cuff fibres — ideal for tendinopathy or partial tears wishing to avoid surgery.
AC Joint (Acromioclavicular) Injury
Also known as a "separated shoulder". The acromioclavicular joint is stabilized by several ligaments that are commonly injured in falls or contact sports. PRP injections targeting these ligaments can strengthen the joint, improving stability and reducing pain.
Shoulder Joint Instability (Glenohumeral)
The glenohumeral joint is held together by a joint capsule and several ligaments. When these structures are loose, the shoulder can feel unstable, weak, or prone to partial dislocations (subluxations). This is usually not caught on MRI. Many of our patients have reported reduced subluxations, improved stability, and improved strength following treatment.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Chronic overuse injury of the common extensor tendon. PRP stimulates collagen repair in this notoriously slow-healing location. This is one of the conditions with the most research supporting the use of PRP. Even WorkSafeBC will cover this for work injuries.
Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Chronic overuse injury of the common flexor tendons. Responds similarly to tennis elbow to PRP treatments.
Low Back Pain
Mechanical low back pain can be caused by chronic tears in muscles, fascia, ligaments, and tendons. The term "non-specific low back pain" is a pet peeve of ours because there are very specific structures that cause low back pain! PRP injections can target multiple contributors to low back pain, offering a regenerative alternative for patients who have not responded to other treatments.
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
The SI joint is stabilized by numerous strong ligaments and fascia. Our approach treats both the SI joint itself and injuries in other parts of the body which contribute to poor SI joint control. We also collaborate closely with physiotherapists who are world-renowned for SI joint treatment to give patients an extra boost in recovery.
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Previously known as "greater trochanteric bursitis", this condition often caused by degeneration or tears in the gluteus medius and minimus tendons where they attach to the greater trochanter. Cortisone injections are often used for this condition and can provide short-term relief, but in our experience, regenerative treatments like PRP work much better.
Hip Osteoarthritis
Similarly to knee osteoarthritis, hips can respond well to PRP injections, improving both pain and mobility for patients seeking to delay or avoid hip replacement surgery.
Hip Labral Tears
The hip labrum is stabilized by a network of surrounding ligaments. PRP injections targeting both the labrum and these supporting ligaments can improve joint stability, reduce pain. In our clinical experience, patients with this condition have achieved as much as 80% pain reduction with a single PRP treatment.
Knee Osteoarthritis
PRP stimulates cartilage and meniscus repair within the knee joint. PRP also stabilizes the surrounding ligaments that degenerate alongside the joint — providing more complete pain relief and better knee stability.
MCL & LCL Injuries
Sprains or partial tears of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments are a common cause of persistent knee pain and instability. PRP injected directly into the injured ligament promotes collagen repair and restores structural integrity.
ACL & PCL Injuries
The skill of injecting ACL and PCL are not commonly found. We have the skills to inject them at White Oak Pain Clinic. This is because they are deep structures that are technically demanding to inject. Reaching them requires premium high-resolution ultrasound and a high level of training. We have patients whose knee stability have improved significantly after PRP injections.
Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee)
Degeneration of the patellar tendon, is common in athletes. PRP injections directly into the tendon combined with treatment of the surrounding knee structures significantly improve outcomes.
Chronic Ankle Sprains
Repeated ankle sprains cause progressive ligament laxity. PRP injections into the ATFL, CFL, and other stabilizing ankle ligaments promotes repair and restore ankle stability.
Achilles Tendinopathy
Although research shows mediocre results with PRP, some patients do experience improvement in mid-portion Achilles tendinosis. We generally do not recommend PRP as a first-line treatment for Achilles tendinosis, but we do have other types of injections, such as hydrodissection, which can be very helpful.
Plantar Fasciitis
Chronic plantar fascia degeneration that hasn't responded to physiotherapy or cortisone injections is an excellent candidate for PRP, stimulating healing.
How Much Does It Cost?
Please contact our clinic for current pricing. The fee covers the Arthrosamid® device and the injection procedure itself.
Consultation fees are covered by BC MSP and public health insurance from other Canadian provinces (except Quebec). If you hold provincial health coverage, your consultation with our physician costs you nothing out of pocket. If you wish to have a consultation without a referral, a private-pay consultation fee applies.
Insurance coverage for the injection: Most private insurance plans do not yet cover Arthrosamid®, but coverage is expanding. Some plans are beginning to cover it. We recommend checking with your insurer. Our team can provide documentation to support your claim.
Keep in mind that one injection can provide up to 5 years of relief. Compared to treatments that need to be repeated every few months, many patients find it to be good value over the long run.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
Most patients require 2 sessions of PRP. Some patients require up to 3 or 4. Each session is priced individually. Your physician will give you an estimate of the number of sessions likely needed during your consultation.
Third-Party Coverage
Your physician will provide a detailed quote following your consultation, once the full scope of treatment has been assessed.
Health Spending Accounts (HSA): PRP is an eligible medical expense under most health spending accounts. If your employer provides an HSA, you may be able to use it to cover part or all of your treatment cost.
CRA Medical Tax Credit: PRP injections qualify as an eligible medical expense under the CRA Medical Expense Tax Credit, allowing you to claim the cost on your annual tax return.
ICBC and RCMP will sometimes cover PRP treatments. Your doctor will apply for funding on your behalf after your consultation.
WorkSafeBC is more selective with the conditions they cover. Conditions that may qualify include lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), some rotator cuff injuries, some ankle injuries, and some knee injuries. Your doctor will advise whether your case may be eligible.
What Does the Evidence Say?
PRP has been studied in hundreds of clinical trials around the world. Below is a summary of what the research shows for the most common conditions we treat.
Knee Osteoarthritis
This is one of the best-studied uses of PRP. Across dozens of clinical trials involving thousands of patients, PRP consistently outperforms both steroid injections and hyaluronic acid ("gel") injections — especially at the 6 to 12 month mark.
In one large analysis of 18 high-quality trials, patients who received PRP saw nearly 4 times more improvement in their knee scores than those who received gel injections.
In another analysis pooling results from over 9,300 knee patients, PRP ranked as the most effective injection available — ahead of gel, steroids, and other biologics.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the conditions with the most research behind PRP. The evidence consistently shows that while steroid injections work faster in the first few weeks, PRP produces significantly better and longer-lasting results at 6 months and beyond.
Across studies, pain scores typically drop from around 7 out of 10 before treatment to under 2 out of 10 at long-term follow-up.
Research also shows that PRP injections produce outcomes comparable to surgery — making it a compelling alternative to an operation.
Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy & Tears
Multiple reviews of clinical trials have found PRP to be a safe and effective treatment for long-term pain relief and shoulder function in rotator cuff conditions.
PRP outperforms steroid injections in the long term, though steroids can provide faster short-term relief.
For patients who have had rotator cuff surgery, adding PRP to the repair nearly halved the re-tear rate compared to surgery alone (from about 29% down to 16%).
Plantar Fasciitis
For chronic heel pain that hasn't improved with other treatments, PRP has been shown to be more effective than steroid injections from 3 months onward — and the advantage grows over time.
Steroid injections can provide faster initial relief, but studies consistently show PRP delivers better pain relief and function at 6 and 12 months. For patients with long-standing plantar fasciitis, PRP is one of the strongest non-surgical options available.
Tendon Injuries — Across the Body
When results are combined across all tendon injury types — shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, ankle — PRP consistently shows a meaningful benefit for reducing pain compared to control injections.
One of the largest analyses in this area pooled results from 78 clinical trials involving over 5,300 patients and found PRP produced a significant and sustained reduction in pain at both 3 months and 1 year.
Where the Evidence Is Less Clear
We believe in being honest with our patients. Not every condition has strong evidence behind PRP.
Achilles tendinopathy is one area where the research has been mixed — most studies have not found PRP to be clearly better than placebo. We will be upfront about this during your consultation.
Your physician will always review the current evidence for your specific condition so that you can make a fully informed decision about whether PRP is right for you.
Your PRP Treatment, Step by Step
Consultation
1
The doctor will ask you questions and perform a physical examination to identify the specific structures that are causing your pain. We also review any available imaging such as X-ray, MRI, or ultrasound.
If the doctor thinks that you have a high likelihood of benefitting from PRP, a separate appointment for doing the PRP injections will be booked for you.
How Many Treatments Are Needed?
Typically 2 to 3 PRP sessions are required, spaced approximately 6–10 weeks apart. Because PRP triggers genuine tissue repair — not just temporary relief — the benefits are expected to last years to decades. Each PRP session delivers the regenerative equivalent of at least 3 prolotherapy sessions.
Premium Ultrasound Guidance
If PRP doesn't land precisely on the damaged tissue, its healing power is wasted. At White Oak Pain Clinic, every PRP injection is guided by premium, high-resolution ultrasound in real time — this is our standard, not an add-on.
Premium Machines
Ultrasound machines range from entry-level units costing around $5,000 to high-end systems exceeding $80,000. Both can be marketed as "ultrasound-guided" — but the image resolution, tissue detail, and needle visibility are worlds apart. We have invested in premium, high-resolution machines so that our physicians can see exactly what they are treating.
Real-Time Needle Tracking
We watch the needle tip in real time as it travels to the target. There is no guesswork — we confirm placement before releasing a single drop of PRP.
Diagnostic Accuracy
High-resolution ultrasound also allows us to identify structures that are injured. Ultrasound imaging allows for real-time dynamic testing of tissues, which can reveal injury in structures that may not show clearly on MRI.
Maximum Safety
Visualizing the needle in real time protects surrounding nerves, blood vessels, and healthy tissue throughout the procedure.
Are You a Candidate for PRP?
How Much Do Pain Management Treatments Cost?
Your pain management treatment may be covered under your Medical Services Plan (MSP). However, some treatments, such as PRP, are typically not covered. We will work with you to determine the best course of action.
How It Works
SERVICES
During our initial consultation, we will get to know you and learn more about the discomfort you are experiencing.
Initial Consultation
Step 1
After we've learned more about your situation, we will determine which treatments would be best for you.
Develop a Plan
Step 2
We will work closely with you to ensure that our plan provides you with the relief you need.
Begin Treatment
Step 3
Talk to a Pain Management Doctor Near You
Pain doesn't have to consume your life any longer. If you are dealing with persistent muscle pain and other treatments haven't worked, contact White Oak Pain Clinic in Burnaby, near Vancouver, today.
You May Be a Good Candidate If You…
Have a tendon, ligament, or joint injury that hasn't fully resolved with physiotherapy, chiropractic, or other conservative treatments
Have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and want to manage pain without or while awaiting surgery
Have a partial tendon or ligament tear that does not require immediate surgical repair
Want to avoid long-term dependence on pain medications or repeated steroid injections
Are looking for a regenerative treatment that promotes true tissue repair rather than symptom masking
Have chronic pain that has persisted for 3 months or more
If you are also considering Arthrosamid® for your knee, the two treatments must be spaced at least 3 months apart
Certain chronic medical conditions can reduce how much benefit you get from PRP — including uncontrolled diabetes, severe kidney or liver disease, and conditions or medications that suppress the immune system. This is because PRP works by triggering your body's own healing response, which may be impaired in these cases. Your physician will discuss this with you during your consultation
Younger patients in good overall health tend to experience the greatest benefit from PRP
Important Considerations
Diagnostic Injections
2
Where needed, the doctor will perform diagnostic injections using local anesthetic to precisely pinpoint the structure that is causing your pain. By temporarily numbing a specific structure and observing whether your pain improves, we can confirm exactly what needs to be treated. This level of diagnostic precision means the PRP is directed at the right targets — maximizing the benefit of every treatment. It can take 1 to 3 sessions of diagnostic injections to identify all the targets. Diagnostic injections are covered under BC MSP.
Make the PRP
3
Blood is drawn from a vein in your arm, just like a blood test. This takes a few minutes and is done right at the clinic immediately before your injection. The amount of blood taken can range between 100mL for simple cases to 300 mL for complex cases. Your blood is then placed immediately into our centrifuge and spun down to separate and concentrate the platelet-rich plasma. This happens on-site while you wait — the PRP is used fresh, right after processing.
Inject the PRP
4
Using ultrasound guidance, the doctor precisely injects the PRP into the injured structures — exactly where healing is needed.
Recovery & Aftercare
5
Most patients can resume normal daily activities the same day, although you can expect to be quite sore from the PRP injections. Some patients cannot work for 1-2 days after the procedure. The worst of it usually improves in the first 4-5 days, although about 10% of patients can feel sore for up to 2 weeks. Less than 2% of patients feel more sore for up to 6 weeks. We ask patients to avoid high-impact activities such as jumping, downhill skiing, and lifting heavy weights, for at least 6 weeks after the first PRP treatment. Improvement typically begins about 3.5 weeks after the injections and continues to build. It can take some patients up to 2 months to feel an improvement.
Trigger point injections are used to treat tight and painful muscles. A trigger point is the medical name for a “knot” in your muscles. Releasing the knots restores normal muscle function, improves range of movement, and reduces pain.
Nerve blocks can provide pain relief for several weeks to months. In some cases, releasing nerves that are trapped by surrounding soft tissues can lead to permanent improvements.
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer.
Prolotherapy is an injection treatment that triggers your body to heal yourself for ligaments and tendons that have been injured. Once the injured ligament or tendon has been healed, function, range of movement, and pain levels improve.
PRP is a stronger version of prolotherapy. It also triggers healing of damaged tendons and ligaments. We use PRP for injuries that are more severe or for patients who want to recover faster. Each session of PRP is equivalent of several prolotherapy sessions.
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer.
Trigger Point Injections (TPI)
Trigger point injections are used to treat tight and painful muscles. A trigger point is the medical name for a “knot” in your muscles. Releasing the knots restores normal muscle function, improves range of movement, and reduces pain.
TPI is a powerful way of releasing muscles quickly. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment to release a muscle that is in spasm, such as when you wake up with a kink in your neck or strain your back with lifting.
TPI can also be used along with rehabilitation to correct muscle movement patterns.
We usually inject 1% lidocaine, but normal saline can be used if you have an allergy or sensitivity. Most patients need 5-10 sessions. Each session is spaced 1-3 weeks apart.
Is PRP Right for Your Condition?
PRP is highly effective for a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative conditions. Below are the most common conditions we treat with PRP injections at our clinic in Burnaby, near Vancouver.
Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks can provide pain relief for several weeks to months. In some cases, releasing nerves that are trapped by surrounding soft tissues can lead to permanent improvements.
1% lidocaine is the injected solution, spaced 2-8 weeks apart.
We provide peripheral nerve blocks for the following conditions:
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Migraine headaches
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Occipital neuralgia
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SI joint pain
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Nerve entrapment syndromes
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Chronic pain conditions that are not well-managed with oral medications
We do NOT provide the following injections:
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Epidural injections
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Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks (we DO perform lateral branch blocks for SI joint pain)
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Nerve root blocks
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Brachial plexus blocks
Perineural Injection Therapy (PIT)
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer. This is also known as the Lyftogt Technique, and was previously known as neural prolotherapy.
The injected medication is 5% dextrose.
For conditions that are curable, 5-10 sessions are needed. Some conditions require long-term treatment for pain management. Treatments are spaced 1-3 weeks apart.
Please see this external website for more information: https://www.lyftogtmed.com/about
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is an injection treatment that triggers your body to heal yourself for ligaments and tendons that have been injured. Once the injured ligament or tendon has been healed, function, range of movement, and pain levels improve.
15-25% dextrose is injected. It causes inflammation, which then triggers the healing process. Since we are repairing the damage, we expect improvements to last years to decades.
Injections are given about every 4 weeks. Typically, 2-6 treatments are required.
Prolotherapy is not covered under MSP.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
PRP is a stronger version of prolotherapy. It also triggers healing of damaged tendons and ligaments. We use PRP for injuries that are more severe or for patients who want to recover faster. Each session of PRP is equivalent of several prolotherapy sessions.
Blood is drawn from your arm in a procedure similar to getting a blood test. The portion of your blood called platelet rich plasma is separated from the rest, then it is injected back into the injected area.
Injections are given about every 6 weeks. Typically, 1-2 treatments are required.
We expect benefits from PRP to last years to decades.
Conditions that respond well to prolotherapy and PRP:
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Rotator cuff tendinosis/tears
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Whiplash injuries
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Low back pain caused by SI joint instability
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Greater trochanteric pain syndrome
PRP is not covered under MSP.
Fascia Hydrodissection
Fascia hydrodissection is a cutting-edge treatment for chronic soft tissue pain which is not available at the majority of other pain clinics.
Fascia is a layer of connective tissue that covers all your muscles. One of its functions is to allow gliding between different tissues during movement. Fascia can become thickened and stuck, which causes pain and reduced range of movement. The thickening can be caused by trauma, whiplash, repetitive use, and aging.
Injection into this layer breaks up the areas that are stuck to restore normal gliding.
5% dextrose is the injected solution. 3-6 sessions are generally required for each area of pain.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
White Oak Pain Clinic provides high quality PRP treatments for pain management for patients in Burnaby, Vancouver, and the Lower Mainland. Our physicians treat both inside and around your joint — a more complete approach that most clinics don't offer — for deeper pain relief and lasting recovery. Harness your body's own healing power.
Nerve hydrodissection
Nerve hydrodissection (HD) is a technique used when treating entrapped nerves which involves the injection of an anesthetic, saline, or 5% dextrose in water to separate the nerve from the surrounding tissue, fascia, or adjacent structure. The most commonly used solution is 5% Dextrose.
This treatment is always done under high resolution ultrasound at White Oak Pain Clinic to ensure accuracy and effectiveness. It would usually only require 1-2 treatments if the correct nerve is identified and the location of entrapment is found.
This technique can treat various conditions but not limited to carpel tunnel syndrome, neck and shoulder pains, meralgia parenthetica, and any commonly known nerve entrapment syndromes.
Your Body's Own Healing Concentrate
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a regenerative treatment derived entirely from your own blood. Platelets are the cells in your bloodstream that initiate healing — they release growth factors that signal your body to repair damaged tissue.
When a tendon, ligament, or joint is injured or worn down by osteoarthritis they may not heal fully on their own. PRP stimulates a strong healing response by delivering a concentrated dose of healing signals to exactly where the damage is.
PRP is not a steroid, not a synthetic drug, and carries no risk of rejection — because it comes from you.
PRP vs. Other Injections
Repeated steroid injections can cause long-term tissue damage. At White Oak Pain Clinic, only about 1 in 100 treatments involve steroids.
We Treat the Whole Joint — Not Just the Inside
Most pain clinics that offer PRP perform a only single injection for the inside of the joint. At White Oak Pain Clinic, our physicians go further.
Intra-Articular + Extra-Articular Injections
Our physicians are trained to assess and treat the structures both inside the joint and outside around it — including tendons, ligaments, and fascia that contribute to joint stability and pain.
By treating the complete picture, we optimize joint function, restore stabilization, and achieve greater pain reduction than a single intra-articular injection alone. This comprehensive approach requires specialized training that our physicians have undergone extensively.
THE WHITE OAK APPROACH
Intra-Articular Injection Only
A single injection is placed inside the joint space. This can reduce pain and inflammation within the joint, but it does not address the tissues surrounding the outside of the joint that are frequently also injured or degenerated.
When a joint is damaged — whether from trauma or osteoarthritis — ligaments, tendons, fascia, and other stabilizing structures outside the joint are affected too. Leaving these untreated means there are pain-generating tissues that go untreated, leading to persisting pain.
Treating the Source, Not Just the Site
Our comprehensive approach doesn't stop at the joint. The human body functions as a connected kinetic chain — and pain at one location is often driven, at least in part, by dysfunction somewhere else entirely.
Our physicians are trained to identify biomechanical problems far away from where a patient feels pain. When we find a distant contributing factor, we treat it. This allows us to address the true root cause of your pain rather than only the end point where symptoms appear.
Our clinic is on the innovative edge of recognising and treating these cross-body connections as part of a comprehensive, whole-body treatment approach — going well beyond what most pain clinics consider.
To learn more about our approach to cross-body connections, read our blog post on this topic →
How a distant injury contributes to local pain
Old Whiplash Injury Contributing to Hip Pain
Physical exam reveals an old whiplash injury in the neck
By treating the neck alongside the hip, we address both the local pain generator and the upstream cause driving it — something a standard single-site injection cannot do.
The neck injury alters the automatic coordination of the muscles around the hip
Hip pain develops due to osteoarthritis or degeneration of tendons
Abnormal load is placed on the hip joint or hip tendons over time
What Does PRP Cost?
PRP is not covered under BC MSP. The cost of each session depends on the number and complexity of the structures being treated.
Simple Cases
$700
per session
Straightforward cases involving a small number of structures.
Typical Range
$700–$1,500
per session
Most patients fall within this range.
Complex Cases
Up to $2,500
per session
Cases requiring treatment of many structures both inside and around multiple joints.