Regenerative Medicine and PRP for Spine Pain in Covina

Most of the Covina patients who walk into our office for chronic back, neck, or joint pain are not actually looking for surgery — they are looking for someone who will tell them honestly whether they need it. Conservative-first care matters, and for the right patient, regenerative medicine and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are part of that conservative toolbox. Dr. Kambiz Hannani's West Covina office is about three miles from downtown Covina — a 5 to 10 minute drive on local streets like Citrus Avenue or Badillo Street — making it one of the closest options for Covina residents who want a real evaluation from a board-certified spine surgeon before considering anything invasive.

Dr. Hannani's surgical home is Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital right here in Covina, but the majority of patients he sees never end up needing surgery at all. PRP and regenerative options are part of how we keep it that way — when they are the right answer. They are not a miracle cure, and they will not fix every spine problem. What they will do, for the appropriate patient, is meaningfully reduce pain and improve function — sometimes enough to delay or avoid surgery altogether.

What is PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)?

Platelet-rich plasma is a concentrated preparation of your own blood. A small sample is drawn from your arm — typically 30 to 60 cc — then spun in a centrifuge to separate out the platelets, which are the cells in your blood responsible for healing and tissue repair. The concentrated platelets, suspended in a small volume of plasma, are then injected directly into the painful area under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance.

The platelets release growth factors that signal nearby cells to begin repair — laying down new collagen, recruiting stem cells, calming inflammation, and improving the local healing environment. Because PRP comes from your own body, the risk of allergic reaction or rejection is essentially zero.

What Conditions Can PRP Help?

PRP is most useful for chronic, soft-tissue, and degenerative conditions where the tissue has stopped healing on its own. In spine and orthopedic care, the most common indications include:

• Facet joint pain in the lower back or neck

• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction

• Mild to moderate disc degeneration (discogenic pain)

• Chronic ligament or tendon pain around the spine and pelvis

• Knee, hip, and shoulder osteoarthritis

• Post-surgical recovery support for selected patients

Why Patients in Covina Choose Dr. Hannani for Regenerative Care

There is a particular kind of trust that builds when a doctor and a patient live in the same community. Many of the Covina patients we see for PRP came in originally for a surgical opinion — and were told, after a real exam, that they did not need surgery at all. That kind of honesty is rare in pain management clinics that exist to sell injection packages. Dr. Hannani is a board-certified spine surgeon with more than two decades of experience and his primary hospital, Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital, is in Covina itself. A surgeon who can operate has no incentive to oversell injections. If PRP is the right option for you, he will say so. If it is not, he will say that too.

For longtime Covina residents, the practical advantage is just as real: a 5 to 10 minute drive on local streets instead of an hour into Beverly Hills or downtown LA, easy parking, and a follow-up plan that can include local physical therapists you may already know. PRP works gradually, so the ability to come back for follow-up visits without dreading the trip matters more than patients realize on day one.

Honest Talk: What PRP Cannot Do

A surgeon who only owns a hammer sees every problem as a nail — and a clinic that only offers regenerative injections will tell you everything is treatable with PRP. That is not honest medicine. PRP will not:

• Re-grow a herniated disc that is compressing a nerve and causing severe leg or arm weakness

• Open up a severely narrowed spinal canal (advanced spinal stenosis)

• Stabilize a spine with significant instability or spondylolisthesis

• Replace surgery for patients with progressive neurologic deficits or severe pain that has failed every conservative option

Patients who fall into those categories are usually better served by a properly indicated decompression, fusion, disc replacement, or endoscopic procedure — and Dr. Hannani performs all of them, primarily at Emanate Health in Covina, when surgery truly is the right answer.

A Word on Stem Cells

Patients often ask about stem cell injections for the spine. As of 2026, the FDA has not approved any stem cell product for spinal indications, and clinics that aggressively market "stem cell therapy for back pain" are operating in a gray area that has prompted FDA warning letters and California medical board attention. PRP — which uses your own platelets, not donor or cultured cells — is well-established, defensible, and supported by a growing body of clinical evidence. We do not currently offer stem cell injections for the spine because the science and regulatory environment do not yet support doing so responsibly.

What the Procedure is Like

A PRP appointment typically takes about 60 to 90 minutes:

• A blood draw from your arm (about the same as a routine lab)

• 15 to 20 minutes to spin and prepare the PRP

• A guided injection (ultrasound or fluoroscopy) into the target area, with local anesthesia

• A short rest period before driving home

Most patients return to desk work the same or next day. Heavy activity is usually restricted for about a week. It is normal for the injected area to feel a little sore for 2 to 5 days as the inflammatory healing response activates — that soreness is the treatment doing its job. Improvement is gradual, with most patients noticing changes between 2 and 8 weeks. Some patients benefit from a series of 2 to 3 injections spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart.

Getting to Our Office from Covina

Our West Covina office is about 3 miles from downtown Covina, and the drive runs roughly 5 to 10 minutes via Garvey Avenue, Badillo Street, or Citrus Avenue. The 10 and 210 freeways are nearby alternatives if you are coming from Charter Oak, San Dimas, or further north. Free patient parking is available at the building with a short, level walk to the entrance — important when you are coming in for a back or neck issue.

A Covina Patient Story

A retired Covina school district employee in his late 60s came in with chronic low back pain centered over both sacroiliac joints — pain that had not responded to physical therapy, oral anti-inflammatories, or two rounds of cortisone injections elsewhere. Imaging ruled out a surgical problem. We performed bilateral SI joint PRP under fluoroscopic guidance. He had typical post-injection soreness for about a week, then steady improvement over the next two months. At three months he reported pain about 70 percent improved and he was back to walking his dog around Heritage Park every morning without sitting down halfway through. PRP did not cure him — but it gave him his routine back, and he avoided ever needing surgery.

Cost and Insurance — The Reality

PRP is generally not covered by insurance, including Medicare and most Medi-Cal plans, regardless of where you have it done. This is industry-wide; it is not specific to our practice or to the Covina area. The reason is that the FDA has not yet granted broad approval for PRP as a covered indication for spine pain. Costs vary depending on the joint, number of injections, and imaging guidance used. Our office will give you a clear, written cost estimate before you commit — no surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions from Covina Patients

Where do you perform surgery if I end up needing it? Dr. Hannani's primary surgical hospital is Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital, right in Covina. PRP injections are performed in our West Covina office.

How quickly can I get an appointment if I live in Covina? New patient consultations are typically available within 1 to 2 weeks. Urgent cases — significant weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, severe escalating pain — are seen sooner, often within 24 to 48 hours. Call 626-939-5900.

Do you take Covina-area insurance plans and Medi-Cal? We accept most major commercial insurance plans used in the Covina area, including PPO and many HMO products, plus Medicare. Medi-Cal participation depends on your specific managed care plan. PRP itself is generally not covered by any insurance — the consultation visit usually is.

How is PRP different from a cortisone shot? Cortisone reduces inflammation quickly but can degrade tissue with repeated use. PRP encourages your body to repair tissue. Cortisone is fast and short-lived; PRP is slow and (when it works) longer-lasting.

How do I schedule a consultation? Call our office at 626-939-5900 or visit our contact page. Bring any prior MRI imaging on disc — this lets Dr. Hannani give you an honest assessment of whether PRP, surgery, or continued conservative care is the right next step.