As we age and live an active life, injuries to knees, shoulders, back, etc are quite common. Therapies you probably know about include steroid injections, physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, massage, and medication. Have you heard of Prolozone?
Prolozone is a therapy in which ozone is directly injected to the area of pain. To obtain the ozone, medical grade oxygen is turned into ozone by a calibrated ozone generator. The ozone, along with the vitamins and procaine that were injected first, stimulates your body to heal itself. The healing takes place over 1-2 weeks but relief can be felt the next day.
Prolozone is amazingly effective. Unlike a steroid injection, which just reduces inflammation and can cause tendon rupture; ozone actually stimulates healing. It is a unique treatment therapy that is used in several countries before surgical intervention is even considered. Sadly, it is still largely unknown in the USA.
The only downside is that insurances do not recognize Prolozone and therefore, it is not a covered procedure. However, the ability to obtain healing and regain quality of life typically outweighs any cost.
Prolozone treatments do not require the use of an ultrasound or any of your blood or bone marrow, which is why the cost is dramatically less than the cost of PRP and Stem Cell treatments. There are also no restrictions the day after a Prolozone injection. Right after an injection, it is recommended to avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day.
When getting a Prolozone injection, a mixture of vitamins and procaine are first injected. This numbs the area and provides important micronutrients to enhance healing. The ozone is then injected into the site slowly, using the same needle (avoiding a second needle poke). You may feel some pressure from the gas during the injection but this dissipates shortly.
Because Prolozone does not mask the symptoms, there is not a lot of immediate relief.
The body is stimulated to begin healing and typically you start feeling better the next day. Over the next two to three weeks, the body continues to utilize the ozone and heal. You may require another treatment or two, depending on the severity of the repair that is required and the location of the pain. If a second treatments is needed, it is spaced out about three weeks from the first treatment, to ensure maximum results from the first treatment.
Prolozone is a safe and effective alternative treatment for your aches and pains. I always advise that people also get help from a physical therapist, trainer, or chiropractor to prevent injuries and to strengthen their bodies.