Expert Foot & Ankle Treatment from Michigan’s #1 Podiatrist - Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist
Relieve Chronic Foot Pain with Prolotherapy Treatment
— Prolotherapy Doctors Near Me
Strengthen your joints and promote long-term tissue regrowth with Michigan’s leading podiatrists specializing in advanced regenerative medicine.
What a Podiatrist Can Do For YOU!
Prolotherapy injections can be an effective alternative to cortisone injections and steroid injections. The benefit is that there is less medicine side effects, but the solution can still stimulate the healing from chronic inflammatory conditions in the right circumstances. Book a no obligation consulations with our podiatrists to see if this can benefit you!
Prolotherapy Doctors Near You
Prolotherapy injections can be an effective alternative to cortisone injections and steroid injections. The benefit is that there is less medicine side effects, but the solution can still stimulate the healing from chronic inflammatory conditions in the right circumstances. Book a no obligation consulations with our podiatrists to see if this can benefit you!
What is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is an alternative treatment that involves a series of injections. These injections will introduce a sclerosing agent (which causes inflammation) to the affected tendons and ligaments. This sclerosing agent will cause temporary low-grade inflammation. Inflammation produces new connective tissue such as collagen that strengthens your ligaments and tendons, which are loosened. This results in pain relief. Prolotherapy is also known as proliferation treatment or regenerative injection therapy.
Does Prolotherapy Work?
Musculoskeletal pain broadly refers to pain affecting your bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Tendon and ligament pain is due to instability or laxity of the connective tissue around it, which can be a chronic problem. Various treatment options vary with the cause of your pain and the location. In the case of chronic tendon or ligament pain where your pain has not responded to conservative measures like physical therapy and prescribed exercises, prolotherapy can be helpful. The treatments usually consist of several sessions. Since it involves a relatively large area to be treated, it cannot be done completely in a single session.
Prolotherapy injections are most likely to benefit the pain in;
- Your knees
- Ankles
- Elbows
- Lower back at the sacroiliac joint
Although it works for ligament and tendon pain, it is not meant to be used in bony pain or nerve-related pains, and it is not used to treat arthritis or muscular pain.
Research has shown that prolotherapy provides significant improvement in pain and other symptoms while improving mobility and function. But, how exactly prolotherapy works has not been proven yet.
What Are The Prolotherapy Side Effects?
As long as your doctor is an expert in prolotherapy with training and experience, you need not worry as it is likely to be safe. But, since it involves injecting a substance into a joint, ligament, or tendon, there may be potential side effects.
These include;
- Bleeding
- Pain and stiffness following the injection
- Risk of infection
- Allergic reactions to the substance being injected
- Swelling
- Bruising
Other rare side effects include nerve, tendon, ligament damage, spinal headache, and spinal cord injury. Please discuss the benefits and risks of prolotherapy with your doctor before you decide to go ahead with it.
Dextrose Prolotherapy
Dextrose prolotherapy involves injecting a sugar solution as a sclerosing agent into a joint or ligament, where injury or damage occurs.
Dextrose prolotherapy will help to;
- Reduce the pain and stiffness
- Improve the mobility or function of the joint
- Improve the strength of the ligament or tendon
Experts say that sclerosing agents like dextrose can stimulate new tissue growth and improve your body’s natural healing process. The irritant solution not only contains dextrose (D-Glucose) but also may contain combinations of zinc, manganese, human growth hormone, phenol, or glycine. A small amount of this irritant solution is injected into the painful and degenerated sites such as ligaments, tendon insertions, joints, and adjacent joint spaces.
Dextrose concentration ranges from 12.5% to 25%. Because dextrose is water-soluble and is a normal constituent of blood, it is considered an ideal proliferant. Therefore, it can be injected safely into multiple sites, even in large quantities.
How Fast Does Prolotherapy Work?
Now that you decide to go for prolotherapy injections, naturally, you may want to know how long it takes for prolotherapy to kick in. Well, if you want very quick results, you will be disheartened. Usually, it may take around 4-6 weeks to notice an improvement in your condition. Although some patients will experience pain relief and improvement in their symptoms, it needs repeat prolotherapy injections for the healing process to complete.
Prolotherapy Healing Stages
There are three stages of healing and restoration induced by prolotherapy:
- Inflammation
- Proliferation
- Tissue remodeling
When injected, the cells at the injection site get dehydrated because dextrose is hypertonic. This leads to local tissue trauma. The injected proliferate will mimic your natural healing process. Tissue damage starts an inflammatory process that attracts inflammatory cells like granulocytes and macrophages. This will trigger the release of growth factors and collagen deposition. The cells will start increasing, and healing will be promoted.
The new connective tissue which was formed will be strengthened by tissue remodeling. With time joint stability will increase, and the pain will reduce while improving the function.
The mechanism of action behind prolotherapy is not completely understood. Although the US FDA has approved dextrose as an injection, it is not yet approved for prolotherapy. However, it is being used for many years by medical specialists for prolotherapy.
Trusted by Thousands Across Michigan
Real Relief, Real Results
“I searched for prolotherapy doctors near me and found Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist. The team explained the treatment clearly and made me feel comfortable every step of the way. My foot pain has improved, and I can walk longer without discomfort.”
— Michael R., Michigan
“After months of foot and ankle pain, I visited Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist in Michigan for prolotherapy. The care was professional, and the treatment plan felt personalized. I finally feel confident being active again.”
— Sandra L., Michigan
“Finding a trusted prolotherapy doctor near me was important, and Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist exceeded my expectations. The staff was knowledgeable, patient, and focused on long-term relief—not just a quick fix.”
— David P., Michigan
“Finding a Michigan podiatrist home visit was a huge relief for our family. Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist provided compassionate care right in our home, which made the entire experience stress-free and comfortable. The doctor was professional, patient, and thorough.”
— Linda M., Michigan
Frequently Asked Questions
Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment that helps stimulate the body’s natural healing response. It is commonly used to treat chronic joint, ligament, and tendon pain by strengthening weakened or injured tissue.
A prolotherapy doctor may treat conditions such as chronic foot and ankle pain, ligament instability, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon pain, arthritis-related discomfort, and certain sports injuries.
Most patients experience mild discomfort during the injection, followed by temporary soreness. This usually resolves within a few days and is often managed with rest and post-treatment care instructions.
The number of sessions varies depending on the condition and severity of pain. Many patients require a series of treatments spaced weeks apart for optimal results, as recommended by their doctor.
Look for a licensed medical professional with experience in prolotherapy and musculoskeletal care. Reading patient reviews and choosing a clinic like Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist can help ensure safe, effective treatment.
You may consider prolotherapy if chronic pain has not improved with conservative treatments such as rest, physical therapy, or orthotics, and you want a non-surgical option to support healing.
Accepted Insurance
We work with most major insurance providers and offer affordable options for self-pay patients. Contact us anytime for coverage verification.
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Meet Your Prolotherapy Doctor in Michigan
Trusted. Experienced. Compassionate.
Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM
Board-certified podiatrist specializing in diabetic care, senior foot health, wound care, and mobility restoration. Known for a compassionate, gentle approach.
Dr. Carl Jay,
DPM
Experienced in geriatric foot conditions, chronic pain treatment, and difficult toenail management. Highly rated by Michigan seniors for comfort-focused care.
Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM
Dr. Gutkin is experienced in treating a variety of conditions including diabetic foot care, foot pain and trauma.
Dr. Nakya Graham DPM
Dr. Graham brings a fresh, patient-focused perspective to foot and ankle care, combining her medical expertise with a strong passion for helping others.
Find a Trusted Prolotherapy Doctor Near You
Get expert, non-surgical pain relief from experienced prolotherapy doctors at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist. Convenient care in Michigan to help you move comfortably again.