Prolotherapy

How does prolotherapy work?

Prolotherapy, also known as regenerative injection or proliferation therapy, is an injection treatment designed to promote healing and reduce pain. The injections contain varying amounts of saline, dextrose, and lidocaine.

Dextrose is a type of sugar that acts as a mild irritant. This triggers a cascade of healing responses in the area as your body sets to work soothing tissues, repairing damage, and producing new cells. While this takes place, lidocaine numbs the area for prompt relief.

What conditions can prolotherapy treat?

Prolotherapy is versatile because it works with your body’s natural healing abilities. The team may recommend it as a stand-alone treatment or as a part of your personalized care plan to address conditions like:

• Tendinitis
• Back and neck pain
• Joint pain and instability
• Meniscal tears
• Whiplash
• Osteoarthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• IT band syndrome
• Knee or ankle pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Rotator cuff tears
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder

If you’ve long suffered from chronic low back pain, tendon injuries, or sports injuries, prolotherapy may be able to help. It’s not recommended if you have:

• Gouty arthritis
• A fracture or abscess
• Cellulitis
• Septic arthritis

Prolotherapy, like any injection therapy, has some risks. However, it’s generally well-tolerated, and while other forms of injections focus solely on pain relief, prolotherapy aims to restore healthy function to damaged or painful areas.

What can I expect during my prolotherapy appointment?

When you come in for your prolotherapy treatment at PRO Institute, the team cleans the skin around the painful area and the injection is given. A cold spray can be used to ensure your comfort.

You may apply heat packs for 10-15 minutes after the injection. Including this recovery time, your appointment will take about 30 minutes. While some swelling, bruising, or stiffness is common after treatment, it should subside after a few hours.

How long does it take to experience the full benefits of prolotherapy?

Because prolotherapy relies on your natural ability to heal rather than just masking internal signals, the full benefits follow the slow and steady timetable your body recognizes. You’ll likely notice a difference after 6-8 weeks, with the full benefits becoming apparent over several months.

A better quality of life is possible. To start the process and determine whether prolotherapy can benefit you, schedule your evaluation at PRO Institute by phone or online today.