Prolotherapy is a regenerative injection technique where a mild irritant solution — most commonly a dextrose (sugar) solution — is precisely injected into painful or unstable joints, tendons, and ligaments. The deliberate, controlled irritation triggers the body's natural inflammatory-then-repair cycle, encouraging the growth of stronger connective tissue over a series of treatments. It is considered a low-risk, non-surgical option for people with chronic musculoskeletal pain that hasn't improved with rest, physical therapy, or standard medications.

When the dextrose solution is injected into a weakened or damaged area, it briefly triggers a local inflammatory signal. This signals the body to send growth factors and fibroblasts — the cells that build connective tissue — to the area. Over repeated sessions, this process gradually strengthens tendons and ligaments, stabilizes joints, and reduces the pain that often stems from joint laxity or incomplete tissue healing. Think of it as gently waking up a repair process that got stuck.

Prolotherapy is always administered as an in-office injection by a trained physician, osteopath, or naturopath. Injections may be guided by the practitioner's hands alone (palpation-guided), or with real-time ultrasound imaging for greater precision — particularly useful for small tendons or deeper structures. Spinal applications sometimes use fluoroscopy (X-ray guidance). A typical course involves 3–6 sessions spaced 2–6 weeks apart, though complex cases may require more.

• Chronic low back pain
• Knee osteoarthritis and joint pain
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• Tendinopathy (tennis elbow, Achilles, patellar)
• Shoulder instability and pain
• Hip pain and labral issues
• Ankle and foot ligament laxity
• Neck pain and cervicogenic headaches
• Fibromyalgia-related musculoskeletal pain
• Hypermobility-related joint pain (e.g. EDS)

• Progression to surgery for select chronic tendon and ligament injuries when used early in the course of treatment
• Recurrence of pain in ligament-instability-driven conditions when a full treatment course is completed

• Bone broth — Rich in collagen peptides, glycine, and proline — the raw building blocks the body uses to repair and strengthen tendons, ligaments, and joint tissue. Supports the same connective tissue repair process that prolotherapy stimulates.
• Citrus fruits and bell peppers — High in vitamin C, which is essential for collagen synthesis. Without adequate vitamin C, the body can't properly form new connective tissue — making it an important nutrient to have on board during a prolotherapy course.
• Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) — Omega-3 fatty acids support a healthy, balanced inflammatory response. Since prolotherapy works through a controlled inflammatory trigger, supporting the body's ability to resolve inflammation properly helps optimize the healing cycle.
• Eggs — Provide high-quality protein, glycine, proline, and lysine — amino acids directly used in collagen and connective tissue production. A protein-sufficient diet supports the tissue-building response prolotherapy is designed to trigger.
• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula) — Supply vitamin K, magnesium, and antioxidants that support bone matrix health and reduce oxidative stress in healing tissue — a useful complement to connective tissue repair.

• Soreness and aching at the injection site (very common, typically 24–72 hours)
• Local swelling and stiffness after each session
• Temporary flare of the original pain (expected, reflects the healing response)
• Bruising at the injection site
• Mild headache after cervical or spinal injections
• Infection at the injection site (rare, minimized by sterile technique)
• Nerve irritation if needle placement is imprecise (uncommon, usually transient)
• Allergic reaction to local anesthetic or solution components (rare)

• Recommended daily: Typically 3–6 injection sessions per treatment course, spaced 2–6 weeks apart. Each session involves multiple small injections (4–20+ depending on the area) at precise anatomical landmarks. Dextrose concentration is usually 12.5–25% for joint/ligament targets.
• Best time of day: Sessions are typically scheduled during daytime clinic hours. Plan to rest or limit strenuous activity for 24–48 hours after each injection session.
• With or without food: Eating a light meal before your session is advisable to reduce the chance of lightheadedness. Avoid NSAIDs for at least 3–5 days before and after each session to preserve the healing response.
• Time to effect: Some improvement may be noticed after the first 2–3 sessions; meaningful functional gains typically emerge by 3–4 months. Full tissue remodeling can continue for up to 6–12 months after completing a course.
• How long to take it: A standard course is 3–6 sessions. Some complex or long-standing conditions — such as spinal instability or severe joint laxity — may require 6–10 sessions. Many patients complete a single course and maintain results long-term; others return for a booster session if symptoms recur months or years later.