Prolozone sits between two treatments you may already have read about: prolotherapy, which uses a dextrose solution to prompt tissue repair, and ozone therapy, which introduces a controlled oxidative stimulus. Prolozone combines them, delivered directly into a joint or soft tissue.
This page explains what is in a prolozone injection, how it differs from prolotherapy, what the evidence currently supports, and how we decide whether it makes sense for you.
Important information
Prolozone therapy is investigational and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment, cure, mitigation, or prevention of any disease. Ozone is not an approved medical therapy in the United States. Nothing on this page is a claim of efficacy, and no outcome is promised or implied. Individual results vary. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not establish a doctor–patient relationship. Prolozone is offered only following individual evaluation, is not appropriate for everyone, and is not a substitute for established medical care.
What prolozone is
Prolozone is an injection into a joint or the soft tissue around it, containing three components delivered in sequence:
A local anaesthetic, typically procaine or lidocaine, which reduces discomfort during the injection and may also improve local circulation.
Nutrients, commonly including B vitamins, magnesium and other cofactors, on the reasoning that repair requires raw material and that damaged tissue is often deficient in it.
Ozone, in a measured concentration, introduced last.
The proposed mechanism is that ozone increases local oxygen availability and prompts a repair response in tissue that has been struggling with poor circulation and inadequate oxygenation. Chronically injured ligaments, tendons and joint surfaces often have poor blood supply — which is a large part of why they heal slowly and incompletely.
That is the theory. It is a reasonable one, and it is worth being clear that a reasonable theory is not the same as a demonstrated outcome. We return to that below.
Prolozone is an injection procedure. It is minimally invasive — not non-invasive — and involves a needle placed into or around a joint.
Prolozone compared with prolotherapy
These are the two treatments patients most often confuse, and the distinction matters.
Prolotherapy uses a dextrose solution to create a controlled inflammatory response, restarting a stalled healing process. It works slowly and deliberately, over a series of sessions.
Prolozone uses ozone with nutrients and anaesthetic, aiming at local oxygenation rather than at provoking inflammation. Patients frequently report less post-injection soreness than with prolotherapy, and sometimes a faster initial response.
| Prolotherapy | Prolozone | |
|---|---|---|
| Main agent | Dextrose solution | Ozone, nutrients, anaesthetic |
| Intended mechanism | Controlled inflammatory repair stimulus | Local oxygenation and repair stimulus |
| Typical post-injection soreness | Common for 1–2 days | Usually less |
| Published clinical evidence | Multiple randomised trials, strongest for knee osteoarthritis | Little direct trial evidence; some evidence for intra-articular ozone |
That last row is the one to pay attention to. We will not tell you prolozone is the better treatment, because the research does not currently establish that.
How a session actually works
- Evaluation first. We examine you, take a history, and identify which structure is generating your pain. This matters more than the injection itself.
- Preparation. The site is cleaned and the anaesthetic component goes in first.
- The injection. Nutrients, then ozone, delivered into the joint space or surrounding tissue. Ultrasound guidance is used where it improves accuracy.
- Monitoring. You are observed afterward before leaving.
- A series, not a single visit. Prolozone is typically given as a course. How many sessions depends on the site and your response, and is discussed after evaluation rather than promised beforehand.
Ozone is generated on site from medical-grade oxygen immediately before use, in measured concentration. It is never inhaled.
What we use it for
- Knee pain and knee osteoarthritis
- Shoulder pain and rotator cuff problems
- Back pain and sacroiliac joint pain
- Neck pain and cervical instability
- Tennis elbow and chronic tendinopathies
- Arthritis in the hands, hips and knees
- Plantar fasciitis and other chronic soft tissue problems
How we decide whether it is appropriate
Prolozone is considered case by case, after an evaluation. We look at:
- Your full history and what has already been tried
- Current medications, particularly blood thinners
- Recent bloodwork, including G6PD status — ozone in any form requires this screening
- Imaging where relevant, since some findings point toward surgery rather than injection
- Whether a better-established option should come first
Some people are not candidates. G6PD deficiency, active infection at the site, bleeding disorders, certain anticoagulants, pregnancy, and uncontrolled hyperthyroidism all make prolozone inadvisable. If that is you, we will say so.
What the research currently shows
We want to be straightforward, because you will find confident claims elsewhere.
Prolozone as a specific named protocol has very little published clinical trial evidence. It was developed and popularised by Dr. Frank Shallenberger, and most of what is written about it consists of clinical experience and case reports rather than controlled trials. We are not aware of large randomised trials of prolozone as such.
What does have supporting evidence is one of its components. Intra-articular ozone injection for knee osteoarthritis has been studied in several randomised controlled trials, a number showing improvement in pain and function compared with control, though the studies are mostly small, of moderate quality, and largely conducted outside the United States. Ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation has a similar picture. That evidence supports the ozone element of prolozone; it does not automatically transfer to the full three-part protocol, which has not been tested the same way.
Prolozone is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of any medical condition, and ozone is not an approved medical therapy in the United States.
We offer prolozone as an investigational, adjunctive option — used alongside a broader plan, not as a substitute for established medical care, and not with a promised outcome. If a clinic tells you prolozone will regenerate your cartilage, permanently resolve your arthritis, or let you avoid a surgery you actually need, they are describing something the evidence does not currently establish.
What we can tell you is that we will evaluate you honestly, screen you properly, explain what is known and unknown, and be clear when we think prolotherapy, PRP, rehabilitation or a surgical opinion would serve you better.
Practical details
We are direct-pay
Venturis Clinic does not bill insurance, and prolozone is not covered by insurers. Cost per session and the likely number of sessions are discussed openly after evaluation.
Where we are
Venturis Clinic is at 7917 N May Ave, Suite B, Oklahoma City, OK 73120, in the Nichols Hills area of north Oklahoma City. We see patients from across the OKC metro — Edmond, Nichols Hills, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Midwest City — and from elsewhere in Oklahoma.
Frequently asked questions
Is there prolozone therapy near me in Oklahoma City?
Venturis Clinic offers prolozone at 7917 N May Ave, Suite B, Oklahoma City, OK 73120, serving the OKC metro including Edmond, Nichols Hills, Norman and Moore. Call (405) 848-7246 to ask about an evaluation.
Is prolozone FDA-approved?
No. Prolozone is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of any medical condition, and ozone is not an approved medical therapy in the United States.
Does a prolozone injection hurt?
The anaesthetic goes in first, so the injection itself is generally well tolerated. Most patients report less soreness afterward than with prolotherapy, though some pressure or ache is normal.
How much does prolozone cost?
It depends on the site and the number of sessions, and we are direct-pay. Cost is discussed openly after evaluation. Anyone quoting you a figure before examining you is guessing.
How many sessions will I need?
It is given as a series rather than a single visit, and the number depends on the joint and your response. This is discussed after evaluation.
How is prolozone different from prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy uses dextrose to provoke a controlled healing inflammation; prolozone uses ozone with nutrients and anaesthetic, aimed at local oxygenation. Prolotherapy has more published trial evidence. Which is more appropriate depends on your situation.
Do you take insurance?
No. Venturis Clinic is direct-pay and does not bill insurance.
Prolozone therapy in Oklahoma City
The patients who ask us about prolozone are usually the same ones who ask about prolotherapy: a knee or a shoulder that has hurt for a long time, an MRI that does not clearly call for surgery, and a history of treatments that helped for a while and then stopped.
Which of the two we recommend — or whether we recommend either — comes out of the examination, not out of a preference. Prolotherapy has more trial evidence behind it. Prolozone is often more comfortable and sometimes acts faster. Some people do better with PRP. Some people need rehabilitation and strength work before any injection is worth doing, and we will tell you that even though it is the least profitable thing we could say.
Dr. Alvin Philipose has practised regenerative injection medicine in Oklahoma City for more than 25 years. The first conversation is a consultation, not a sales pitch — you will leave knowing what we think and why.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Prolozone is investigational and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment, cure, mitigation, or prevention of any disease. Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed. Services are provided after individual evaluation and under clinician supervision, and are intended to complement, not replace, care from your physician. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.