Cortisone Injection VERSUS Prolotherapy?

BY: DR. MELINA ROBERTS

A cortisone injection reduces inflammation and patients will experience immediate relief of pain BUT will have no long-term benefits. You will likely do more damage to the joint as the pain receptors in the joint are shut down therefore you will not be alerted to stop movement due to pain.

With a prolotherapy injection, we are stimulating the healing cascade, therefore there is typically increased inflammation and potentially pain with the injection and approximately 24hrs following the injection, but healing is initiated therefore there will be a long-term benefit of a stronger joint. Therefore a prolotherapy injection is short-term pain with long-term gain.