Regenerative joint therapy with Prolozone

Prolozone is a modification of Prolotherapy and can also be referred to as a type of regenerative joint therapy or sclerotherapy.

by Dr. Paul Stallone — 

If you suffer from any form of musculoskeletal or joint pain, including painful knees, hips, back, rotator cuffs or shoulders, or if you have been suffering from degenerative hips, knees or arthritis, Prolozone can offer much needed relief.

Prolozone is a modification of Prolotherapy and can also be referred to as a type of regenerative joint therapy or sclerotherapy. The words Prolotherapy and Prolozone are derived from the Latin term “prolix,” meaning to proliferate, regenerate and rebuild.

Prolozone is an injection of a tailored oxygen/ozone gas mixture, which is administered directly into the site of pain. This injection corresponds with vitamin and nutritional supplementation that complements the procedure. (This is in lieu of treatment options that combat pain symptoms only.) Prolozone combines both alternative and conventional medicine to allow your body to begin to heal itself.

Not only is the Prolozone process an excellent treatment for people who have already undergone surgeries of the hand, knees, hip or back, but it also can eliminate the need for surgery altogether, in many cases.

Prolozone requires an injection similar to a Prolotherapy injection. This blend is essential for healing and is the component that sets Prolozone apart from other injection therapies. This injection allows painful bones, ligaments, joints, tendons and cartilage to heal. To stimulate cartilage, ozone is used, which is the most active form of oxygen.

The increased blood flow transports oxygen and nutrition into affected areas and allows for growth and strength and, in the case of injections, these vitals reach pain areas with ease (as gases distribute better than liquid). Prolozone stimulates through oxidation to increase activity in fibro and chondroblasts, resulting in growth of collagen and cartilage. Overall strengthening of the area occurs and allows for pain reduction.

Compared to Prolotherapy, Prolozone is often a less painful option for most people, due to the oxygen/ozone. These modalities are similar in that a break — on average two weeks — is required after treatments, and results are expected in a shorter time with Prolozone than with Prolotherapy alone. Depending on the level of pain, two to eight injections may be necessary.

The drawbacks of conventional treatments should also be noted. Regular pain medication is hard on the liver and inhibits natural healing capabilities. Steroids can lead to weakened tissue in the injection areas; cortisone works by not only suppressing pain, but also suppressing other healing capabilities in the body, like collagen production and inflammation, which are both beneficial.

It is very rewarding for me to witness patients ridding their bodies of debilitating pain and see the hope in their eyes for the possibility of complete healing. Patients who are healthier overall respond better with Prolozone alone; patients who come in with other health issues benefit from a combination of treatments, including vitamin and nutritional therapies, which will help restore health before healing can begin.

Patients generally begin seeking out alternative and integrative approaches to pain relief after many disappointments in traditional medicine — sometimes after having undergone surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. This is unfortunate because, by this point, their health has often become worn down and damaged by pain medication and/or surgery.

You can find great relief, leading to the possibility of complete healing, by turning to Prolozone treatments. I recommend looking into these treatments more thoroughly if you have tried surgery or conventional methods and have not found the relief you were looking for.

The most common issues for patients seeking Prolozone:

• Chronic pain from sports, automobile or work-related injuries
• Migraines
• Plantar fasciitis
• Neck, including whiplash, upper and lower back, or sacroiliac joint pain
• Shoulder (rotator cuff injury) pain, tennis/golfer’s elbow, wrist (carpal tunnel)
• Hip, groin sprain, knee, foot or ankle pain
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Degenerative disc disease in the neck, upper and lower back
• Cervicogenic headaches (originating in the neck)
• Myofascial pain syndromes
• Osteoarthritis and spondylosis (spinal arthritis)
• Piriformis syndrome
• Sciatica and TMJ

Paul Stallone, N.M.D., founded the Arizona Integrative Medical Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. He combines natural, alternative and conventional treatments to best fit each individual patient’s needs. 480-214-3922 or www.drstallone.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 4, Aug/Sept 2010.