Prolozone Therapy in Dallas
Ozone Injections for Joint Pain
Prolozone injections for knee, shoulder, back and joint pain, given after a provider evaluation by a team trained under Dr. Frank Shallenberger.
What Is Prolozone Therapy?
Prolozone therapy is an injection technique for joint, tendon and ligament pain. A provider first injects a small amount of a solution, typically a local anesthetic (procaine) with dextrose and vitamins, into the painful area, then follows it with a measured dose of medical-grade ozone and oxygen gas in the same spot. It was developed by Dr. Frank Shallenberger, MD, and combines ideas from prolotherapy with ozone therapy. It is not FDA-approved for any medical condition.
At Regen Wellness in Dallas, Prolozone is given after a provider visit by our team, who trained in the technique under Dr. Shallenberger, and is overseen by our medical director.
Areas Patients Ask Us About
Prolozone is aimed at one specific painful area rather than the whole body. These are the areas patients most often ask about at our Dallas clinic. Your provider will tell you whether your area and your type of pain are a reasonable fit.
Knees
Ongoing knee pain and stiffness, including wear-and-tear arthritis. Knee injections are also where ozone has the most published research.
Shoulders
Nagging shoulder pain, including pain around the rotator cuff tendons and the joint itself.
Low Back & Neck
Pain from the muscles, ligaments and small joints along the spine. We inject soft tissue around the spine, not the spinal discs.
Hips
Hip and outer-hip pain, including pain around the tendons near the hip bone.
Elbows & Wrists
Tendon pain such as tennis or golfer's elbow, and other overuse pain in the arm.
Ankles & Feet
Lingering pain after old sprains, Achilles pain and heel pain.
See Prolozone Pricing
Get our pricing sheet for Prolozone and our other ozone treatments emailed to you, with no obligation. Prefer to talk it through first? Book a free info call.
Prolozone vs. PRP and Steroid Shots
Prolozone is often confused with other joint injections. Here is how they differ. Your provider can explain which, if any, makes sense for your pain.
| Injection | What's injected | The idea behind it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prolozone | Procaine, dextrose and vitamins, followed by ozone and oxygen gas | Combines prolotherapy's approach with ozone, which is studied for its effects on inflammation and the body's own antioxidant response | Not FDA-approved. Ozone injection research is strongest for knee arthritis. |
| PRP | Platelet-rich plasma made from your own blood | Concentrated platelets release growth factors in the treated area | Requires a blood draw. See our joint injections page. |
| Steroid shot | A corticosteroid, often with a numbing agent | Calms inflammation quickly | Often works fast, but repeated shots are usually limited. Available from most orthopedic and primary care offices. |
Many patients considering Prolozone have already tried physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines or a steroid shot. Prolozone is used alongside, not instead of, a proper diagnosis. If imaging or a specialist referral makes sense first, we'll tell you.
What Does the Research on Prolozone Show?
Most of the research on ozone injections looks at ozone alone, not the full Prolozone technique. Here is what the published evidence says, in plain terms.
| Area | What has been studied | Human evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Knee osteoarthritis | Ozone injected into the knee joint, compared with placebo, hyaluronic acid or steroid injections | Several randomized trials and meta-analyses. Ozone reduced pain and improved function better than placebo, with the effect strongest at 1–2 months. Against hyaluronic acid, results were similar or slightly favored hyaluronic acid at 6–12 months. Reviewers rate the overall quality of this evidence as low. |
| Spinal disc pain | Ozone injected into or beside spinal discs | Randomized trials exist, but this is a different procedure, done under imaging guidance. We don't inject discs. |
| The full Prolozone technique | Procaine and nutrient solution plus ozone, in joints and soft tissue | Mainly case series and practitioner reports, without control groups. Not enough to say how well it works or for whom. |
| Tendon & ligament pain | Ozone and prolotherapy-style injections for shoulder, elbow and heel pain | Small trials with mixed results. |
In the United States, FDA has not approved ozone for any medical use. We present Prolozone as one option for joint and soft-tissue pain, explain the evidence and its limits, and don't promise results.
Who Considers Prolozone, and Who Shouldn't
Patients usually ask about Prolozone for pain in one area that has lasted months, especially after rest, physical therapy or other injections haven't helped enough. Whether it fits depends on what's causing the pain, your history and your medications.
- Not a fit: pregnancy, an infection in or near the area to be treated, or a fever or active infection elsewhere.
- Tell us first if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder or low platelets, have diabetes (the solution contains dextrose), or have uncontrolled overactive thyroid.
- Tell us about any allergy to procaine or other numbing medicines, especially "-caine" anesthetics used at the dentist.
- Get checked first if your pain came from a recent injury, comes with swelling, redness, fever, numbness or weakness, or wakes you at night. These need a diagnosis before any injection.
Evaluation First
Before your first Prolozone injection, a provider reviews your history, examines the painful area and reviews any imaging you already have. Some patients also need lab work for medical clearance before their first injection.
What to Expect at Your Prolozone Visit
Free info call
Tell us where it hurts and what you've tried. We'll explain whether Prolozone might fit, what the visit involves and the cost, with no obligation.
Provider evaluation
A provider examines the area, reviews your history, medications and any imaging, and explains the options, including ones we don't offer.
Your injection
The skin is cleaned and the solution is injected first, so the area is numb. Ozone and oxygen gas are then injected into the same area from a sealed, medical-grade system. The visit takes about 15–30 minutes.
The next few days
Expect soreness, stiffness or a feeling of fullness in the area for 1–3 days. Your provider will tell you what you can take for discomfort and when to return to exercise.
Follow-up
Prolozone is usually given as a short series, spaced 1–2 weeks apart. Your provider checks how you're responding before recommending more.
Is Prolozone Safe? Side Effects and Risks
Ozone injections into joints were generally well tolerated in the published trials, with side-effect rates similar to the comparison injections. Any injection still carries risks:
- Common and short-lived: pain during the injection, soreness, stiffness or a fullness feeling for a few days, and bruising at the injection site.
- Less common: a temporary flare in pain, lightheadedness or fainting, and a reaction to the numbing medicine.
- Rare but serious: infection in the joint or tissue, nerve or blood vessel injury, and, around the chest wall or upper back, a collapsed lung. Sterile technique and careful placement reduce these risks.
- Ozone is never breathed in. It is handled in closed equipment and injected only into the treated area.
Call us right away, or seek urgent care, if you develop fever, spreading redness, increasing pain after day 3, or shortness of breath after an injection.
Who Provides Your Prolozone
Our team trained in Prolozone under Dr. Frank Shallenberger, MD, who developed the technique. Injections are given by a licensed provider after an evaluation, working with our clinic director, Jose Baldazo, BSN, RN.
All ozone protocols are overseen by our medical director, Dr. Adam Parsons, MD. No one receives Prolozone without an evaluation and a clear explanation of risks and alternatives.
Medically Reviewed
Reviewed by Jose Baldazo, BSN, RN, Clinic Director, and approved by Dr. Adam Parsons, MD, Medical Director.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Related Care at Our Dallas Clinic
Ozone Therapy Overview
Every ozone option we offer, including IV ozone and insufflation, compared side by side.
All ozone therapies →Joint Injections
PRP and our other injection options for joint, tendon and ligament pain.
Joint injections →IV Ozone Therapy
Standard MAH, 10-pass and O3UV, for whole-body goals rather than one painful area.
IV ozone therapy →BPC-157
A peptide some patients ask about for recovery, prescribed after a provider visit.
BPC-157 →Lab Testing
Inflammation, vitamin D and hormone markers that can affect pain and recovery.
Lab testing →Prolozone Therapy FAQs
What is Prolozone made of?
A Prolozone injection has two parts. First comes a liquid solution, typically procaine (a numbing medicine), dextrose and vitamins. Then comes medical-grade ozone and oxygen gas, injected into the same area. Exact ingredients vary by provider, and your provider will tell you what's in yours before you start.
Is Prolozone the same as prolotherapy?
No. Prolotherapy injects a dextrose solution to prompt a local healing response. Prolozone adds ozone and oxygen gas, along with a different mix of ingredients. Dr. Frank Shallenberger developed Prolozone as an ozone-based version of the prolotherapy approach.
Do Prolozone injections hurt?
The needle stings briefly, and many people feel pressure or fullness as the gas goes in. The numbing solution is injected first to make this more comfortable. Soreness for 1–3 days afterward is common.
How many Prolozone treatments will I need?
There's no standard number. Prolozone is usually given as a short series, and your provider checks how you're responding after each injection before recommending more. Some people don't respond, and if that's the case we'll say so.
Does Prolozone work for knee pain?
Knee arthritis is where ozone injections have been studied most. In randomized trials, ozone injections reduced pain more than placebo, mostly in the first one to two months, and performed about as well as hyaluronic acid injections. The quality of the evidence is still rated low, and results vary from person to person.
Is Prolozone FDA-approved?
No. FDA has not approved ozone for any medical use, and Prolozone is not an FDA-approved treatment. It is offered in integrative medicine, and we explain the evidence and its limits before you decide.
Does insurance cover Prolozone?
Insurance usually doesn't cover it, because it isn't FDA-approved. Our services are self-pay, and many patients use HSA or FSA funds. Check with your plan administrator.
How much does Prolozone cost in Dallas?
Cost depends on the area treated and how many injections you need. Your first call is free, and you'll get a clear price before you commit. Request our pricing sheet.
Where can I get Prolozone therapy in Dallas?
At Regen Wellness, 5510 Abrams Rd, Suite 126, Dallas, TX 75214, in East Dallas near Lakewood and White Rock Lake. Patients come from across Dallas. See all areas we serve.
Get Prolozone Pricing
See what Prolozone costs at our Dallas clinic, or book a free info call to talk through whether it fits your pain.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Ozone therapy, including Prolozone, is not FDA-approved for any medical condition. Treatment requires an evaluation by a licensed provider, and individual results vary.