Prolotherapy for Joint Pain | IOW in Bellevue, WA

Q: Who is a good candidate for Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy may be a good option for patients who have chronic joint or soft-tissue pain linked to ligament or tendon injury, experience instability rather than severe structural damage, want to avoid surgery or repeated steroid injections, or have not improved with rest, physical therapy, or medication. Advanced imaging is often used to confirm candidacy and guide treatment planning.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is an injection-based treatment that most commonly uses a concentrated dextrose solution. The solution is precisely placed into or around selected ligaments, tendons, joints, or other musculoskeletal structures to create a localized response intended to support tissue repair and improve stability. At Interventional Orthopedics of Washington, treatment is physician-led and tailored to your diagnosis, anatomy, imaging, and goals.

Most Commonly Uses Medical-Grade Dextrose

Ultrasound or Fluoroscopy Guidance, When Appropriate

Physician-Led, Diagnosis-Based Planning

Non-Surgical, Outpatient Treatment

Prolotherapy may not be appropriate for every patient. A consultation is required to determine whether it fits your diagnosis, health history, imaging, and treatment goals. Treatment may involve more than one session, and individual responses and recovery timelines vary.

What Is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is a regenerative injection treatment that stimulates the body’s natural healing response in injured ligaments and tendons. By creating a controlled inflammatory signal at weakened tissue, prolotherapy can help improve joint stability and reduce ongoing pain. This approach is commonly used for patients seeking non-surgical options for shoulder pain relief and lower back pain solutions when instability or soft-tissue injury is part of the problem. At Interventional Orthopedics of Washington in Bellevue, WA, our providers use image-guided techniques to target the source of pain and support long-term healing.

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is a regenerative injection treatment used to support healing in injured ligaments and tendons. It has been practiced for decades and is considered one of the earliest forms of regenerative medicine. The treatment involves injecting a mild solution, most commonly dextrose, a medical-grade sugar, into weakened soft tissue to stimulate the body’s natural repair response.

At Interventional Orthopedics of Washington, prolotherapy injections are performed using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance to ensure precise placement and safety.

How does Prolotherapy work?

Prolotherapy works by creating a controlled healing signal at damaged ligaments or tendons. The injected solution triggers a localized inflammatory response, which encourages the body to produce new collagen and strengthen the treated tissue. Over time, this process can improve joint stability, reduce pain, and address the underlying cause of chronic instability rather than masking symptoms.

What conditions can Prolotherapy help treat?

Prolotherapy is commonly used when ligament laxity or soft-tissue weakness contributes to pain or dysfunction. Conditions that may respond well include:

Chronic neck or low back pain related to ligament instability
Shoulder instability or rotator cuff strain
Knee or ankle instability after repeated sprains
Tennis elbow and other tendon injuries
Plantar fasciitis
Certain cases of osteoarthritis

A comprehensive exam and imaging help determine whether prolotherapy is appropriate.

Who is a good candidate for Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy may be a good option for patients who:

Have chronic joint or soft-tissue pain linked to ligament or tendon injury
Experience instability rather than severe structural damage
Want to avoid surgery or repeated steroid injections
Have not improved with rest, physical therapy, or medication

Advanced imaging is often used to confirm candidacy and guide treatment planning.

How many treatments are typically needed?

Ligaments heal gradually, so prolotherapy is often delivered as a series of treatments, commonly 3 to 6 sessions spaced several weeks apart. The exact number depends on the severity of injury, the joint involved, and how the body responds over time.

Is Prolotherapy safe?

When performed by trained providers using image guidance, prolotherapy is considered safe. The most common side effects are temporary soreness or stiffness at the injection site. Because the treatment uses non-toxic solutions and targets the body’s natural healing response, serious complications are uncommon.

Prolotherapy

What Is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy FAQs

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