Prolozone Therapy in Oklahoma City

Prolozone therapy is an injection of an oxygen-ozone gas mixture into or around a painful joint, ligament or tendon, used for chronic musculoskeletal pain. At Venturis Clinic in Oklahoma City, prolozone is part of our prolotherapy service, performed by licensed medical staff under our medical director after a Good Faith Exam. Below: how ozone injections for pain work, how prolozone compares with dextrose prolotherapy, what the research shows, its regulatory status, risks and what a visit looks like.

What ozone joint injections are

An oxygen-ozone gas mixture is injected into or around a painful joint, ligament, or tendon. Proposed effects studied in research include reducing inflammatory signaling, influencing the body’s antioxidant response, and supporting a local healing response.

Ozone injections are considered a form of prolotherapy because they target chronic musculoskeletal pain in the same areas, at similar injection sites. For injectable dextrose, see our Prolotherapy in Oklahoma City page.

Prolozone vs. dextrose prolotherapy

Both approaches target the same kinds of chronic joint, ligament and tendon pain, often at the same injection sites. The difference is what is injected:

• Dextrose prolotherapy uses a concentrated sugar solution intended to provoke a local healing response.
• Prolozone uses an oxygen-ozone mixture, sometimes alongside a local anesthetic and other ingredients chosen by our medical staff.

Neither is presented as better than the other or than any other treatment. Which approach, if either, fits you is decided at your consultation. See Prolotherapy in Oklahoma City for the dextrose option.

Important regulatory information

Please read this before considering ozone treatment:

• Ozone is not FDA-approved for injection or for treating any medical condition.
• An FDA regulation (21 CFR 801.415) describes ozone as a toxic gas with no known useful medical application in specific, adjunctive, or preventive therapy.
• Use in the U.S. is off-label and unapproved. Oxygen-ozone therapy is used and studied more widely in some other countries, particularly in Europe.

We share this so you can make an informed decision.

What the research shows

• Knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomized trials (Sconza et al., Arthroscopy, 2020) found that intra-articular oxygen-ozone injections improved pain and function in the short term. Evidence for long-term benefit was limited, and ozone did not clearly outperform other injection options over time.
• Other joints and soft tissues: evidence is more limited and comes largely from smaller or non-U.S. studies.
• Overall quality: many studies are small, and protocols vary widely, making results hard to compare.

Who may be considered

• Chronic joint pain, such as mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis
• Chronic ligament or tendon pain that hasn’t responded to conservative care
• People who understand the regulatory status and evidence limits and want to explore it

Who should not receive ozone injections

• People with G6PD deficiency (ozone may pose a risk of red blood cell breakdown)
• Pregnancy
• Active infection at the injection site
• Certain bleeding disorders, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, or uncontrolled diabetes

Your full history is reviewed before any treatment.

Risks

• Common: post-injection pain, pressure, swelling, and stiffness.
• Uncommon: bruising, infection, or lightheadedness.
• Rare but serious: gas entering a blood vessel (gas embolism) has been reported with ozone injections and can cause stroke-like symptoms or other serious harm.

Risks are discussed in detail before treatment.

What a prolozone visit looks like

1. Listening consult. We review where it hurts, how long it has hurt, imaging you already have and what you’ve tried.
2. Good Faith Exam. Licensed medical staff check your health, medications and anything that would rule out ozone injections.
3. The injection. Ozone injections are performed by licensed medical staff under our medical director. The area is cleaned, and the injection is given into or around the joint or soft tissue. Most visits take under an hour.
4. Afterward. Soreness or stiffness for a day or two is common. You’ll get written aftercare and know who to call.

How many prolozone sessions?

There is no standard number. Published studies used different schedules, often a series of injections spaced a week or more apart. Your plan is set after your exam and adjusted based on how you respond. Some people notice no change.

Prolozone therapy cost

Cost is discussed at consult, because it depends on the area and the number of sessions. Venturis Clinic does not bill insurance.

When to get emergency care

Call 911 immediately after any ozone injection if you have sudden chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, weakness on one side of the body, vision changes, or severe headache.

Seek prompt care for a hot, red, swollen joint or fever.

Areas commonly treated

Prolozone and dextrose prolotherapy are used in many of the same areas. Which approach fits is decided at your consultation. Learn more about each area:

• Knee pain, including knee osteoarthritis
• Shoulder pain, including rotator cuff tendinopathy
• Low back and sacroiliac (SI) joint pain

Serving Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and all of Oklahoma

Venturis Clinic is located at 7917 N May Ave, Suite B, Oklahoma City, OK 73120, in north Oklahoma City near Nichols Hills and The Village, a short drive from Edmond, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Mustang and Bethany. We see patients from Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, including Tulsa, and from across Oklahoma. Learn more about prolotherapy in Oklahoma City and our ozone therapy services.

Frequently asked questions

Is prolozone the same as prolotherapy? It’s considered a type of prolotherapy that uses an oxygen-ozone mixture instead of dextrose.

Is ozone injection FDA-approved? No. Ozone is not FDA-approved for injection or for treating any condition.

Does ozone injection work for knee arthritis? Systematic reviews show short-term improvement in pain and function, with limited long-term evidence.

Is it safe? Most side effects are temporary soreness, but rare serious complications, including gas embolism, have been reported. Risks are reviewed before treatment.

How much do ozone joint injections cost? Cost depends on which joint is treated and how many sessions your plan calls for, so it’s reviewed with you at your consultation. Ozone injections are not typically covered by insurance.

How long do ozone injections last? Research mostly shows short-term improvement in pain and function, measured over weeks to months. Lasting benefit has not been established, and responses vary.

Do you see prolozone patients from Tulsa? Yes. We see patients from Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, including Tulsa, and from across Oklahoma.

Is prolozone the same as an ozone injection for pain?
Yes. “Prolozone” is a common name for oxygen-ozone injections used for joint and soft-tissue pain.

Does a prolozone injection hurt?
Most people feel pressure and a brief ache. A local anesthetic is commonly used, and soreness afterward usually settles within a few days.

How much does prolozone cost?
Cost is discussed at consult because it depends on the area treated and the number of sessions.

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Want to talk through your options? Book a free 15-minute discovery call or call (405) 848-7246.

Ozone is not FDA-approved for the treatment of any condition. Individual results vary. This page is for educational purposes and is not a guarantee of outcome.

By Venturis Clinic

Sources

• Sconza C, et al. Oxygen-ozone therapy for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Arthroscopy. 2020;36(1):277–286.
• 21 CFR 801.415 — Maximum acceptable level of ozone.