Prolozone therapy is an important part of regenerative medicine. It is used therapeutically in sports medicine, orthopedics, arthritis treatment and general practice. Like stem cells and platelet-rich plasma injections, prolotherapy harnesses the ability of the body to heal and repair itself.
What is Prolozone Therapy?
Prolozone therapy, also called proliferation therapy, is an injectable treatment for worn, aged, deteriorated or injured joints, ligaments and tendons. When the protective tissue surrounding these parts of the anatomy weakens or deteriorates, or when it is torn or injured, you may be in pain and you may experience reduced use of that part of your body.
Prolozone therapy may be the right way to alleviate:
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Joint pain
- Chronic pain
- Back pain
- Knee pain
- Shoulder pain
- Neck pain
- Hip pain
- Elbow pain
- Ankle pain
- Wrist pain
- Finger pain
Prolozone therapy works by causing inflammation. When you think about it, inflammation is actually a healing response. It is your body working to repair an abnormality or trauma. When this happens, the area is flooded with growth hormones, platelets and other cells sent to heal and shore up the injured tissue.
Here’s how it works:
Prolozone is an injectable therapy that uses ozone along with numbing medicine, B vitamins, minerals, and glucose. This therapy is used to incite a healing response by the body's immune system. It is not a temporary Band-Aid or pain medication.
When injected into a specific joint, tendon or soft tissue, mast cells, stem cells and cytokines localize to the area to heal the problem. We have an 80%-85% cure rate with this method.
The inflammation activates cells called “fibroblasts,” which build collagen and other supportive tissue. The fibroblasts will begin to proliferate the amount of collagen in the treatment area, which will reinforce the weakened or injured tissue. Fibroblasts are an important part of wound healing, and prolozone therapy stimulates their reparative work.
Your Prolozone Therapy Appointment
Prolozone therapy is administered directly into the area of pain or injury with injections. Lidocaine is typically used to numb the area prior to injection. The injection appointment takes about 30 minutes to an hour.
You will need a series of prolozone therapy treatment sessions. The number depends on what is being treated and the specific area of your body. These sessions are spaced out over the course of several weeks.
The injection site will be sore and red for a few days. Complete aftercare instructions are provided, including how often to ice the area to keep swelling down. We ask you to avoid anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen – they will only block the inflammatory response desired.
What is the Success Rate of Prolozone Therapy?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that prolozone therapy is highly effective in:
- Reducing pain
- Increasing the strength and stability of the treated area
- Improving the function and range of motion of the treated area
There have also been large-scale studies and clinical trials showing that prolozone therapy has reliably positive effects for a wide range of chronic pain and joint conditions.
How Long Does it Take for Prolozone Therapy to Work?
You may begin feeling positive effects within 6-8 weeks. It takes time for growth factors to proliferate in the area, and for new collagen to form. The effects are not permanent, but touch-up injections can be administered.