Prolotherapy, also known as proliferative therapy, is a non-surgical treatment designed to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. It has been safely used for over 80 years with multiple studies confirming its effectiveness in managing chronic musculoskeletal pain and improving function. This therapy helps reduce inflammation, repair injured tissues and relieve pain by encouraging the body to strengthen and restore damaged areas. It involves injecting a natural solution, most commonly a sugar solution called dextrose, into the injured tissue. The dextrose acts as a mild irritant, prompting the body to respond by increasing blood flow, activating growth factors, and stimulating tissue repair. As the treated area heals and strengthens, patients often experience significant pain relief and improved joint or tendon function.
Prolotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions, including osteoarthritis, ligament sprains or laxity, tennis elbow, tendinopathy, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and Achilles tendinopathy. The procedure is performed in the clinic, with minimal to no downtime. Numbing agents are used prior to the injection. Using imaging guidance, a small needle is used to inject the prolotherapy solution into the damaged area with precision. Depending on the extent of the injury, a series of sessions spaced a couple weeks apart may be recommended. Pain relief can be felt immediately while improvement in strength and stability may take several weeks.
Because it targets the root cause of pain rather than masking it, prolotherapy offers a natural, minimally invasive, and long-lasting solution for those seeking to heal and regain mobility without surgery.
