Combined Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Prolozone Treatment at Drummartin Clinic

Revolutionary Joint Treatment: PRP Combined with Ozone Therapy

Drummartin Clinic is now offering combined platelet rich plasma treatment combined with our very popular ozone/prolozone joint treatment. Administered at the same time for an added synergistic effect.

Individualized Treatment Approach

It’s worth stressing that we individualise all of our treatments. We do not take a ‘one size fits all’ approach. For the vast majority of our patients the less-expensive prolozone-alone treatment is what we recommend. We have seen it work reliably again and again, time after time in a high percentage of cases. However sometime prolozone may become less-effective over time or in some clinical situations the extra regenerative effect of PRP is needed.

Why We’re Adding PRP After Nearly a Decade

Why are we only now adding in platelet-rich plasma almost ten years later? Let me share my experience with my very first ozone joint injection (prolozone) patient which was in 2016.

My First Prolozone Success Story

When we first introduced ozone treatment for joint problems I was amazed by what it achieved. My very first prolozone patient sticks in my mind:

The patient, a theatre nurse had come to see me for medical problems which had now resolved. At the end of the consultation I asked: “is there anything else I can do to help?” The answer was: “no nothing, else thanks” followed by throwaway comment: “I have long term knee severe osteoarthritis to help but nothing can be done I’m told the only thing I can do is to have a knee replacement but I feel a bit young for that. So I have decided to just live with it”.

I find it hard to be ‘medically passive’, to see someone unnecessarily resigned to accepting pain. I said: “Mary (not the patient’s real name) I have just come back from a training course in the United states on prolozone therapy and I would love to get your knee better…”. To make matters even more attractive I offered a series of prolozone injections free of charge. In truth I was madly keen to see the effects for myself. No matter how many positive anecdotes on hears nothing beats one’s own eyes and ears.

I prepared and gave the first injection. The outcome was quite amazing. The pain went away and this lady went back in short order to playing eighteen holes of golf. No knee replacement. This was almost ten years ago. I don’t have recent follow-up but there was a sustained positive response from the first injection onwards.

Personal Experience: Becoming My Own Patient

Then I became my own second prolozone patient As I was doing this lady’s third injection having had surgery on both my knees in the 1990s and, since then, have frequently been a bit difficult and sore I then decided I would treat myself. The results were equally amazing. That was 2016.

The Evolution: Why Combine PRP with Prolozone?

Why are we now adding in platelet-rich plasma for a small percentage of patients almost ten years later? The short answer is that prolozone-alone is sometimes not quite enough. I discovered this for myself as, over the decade, the previously magical relief for me lasted for less time.

Dr. Magovern’s Personal Journey with Combined Treatment

Roll on to 2025, nine years later. One Patrick Magovern, of Drummartin Clinic, was observing that when he sat in cinemas his knees were aching. There is a condition referred to as ‘movie-goers knee’ which is attributed to frictional issues between the patella (kneecap) and the lower border of the femur (thigh) bone. Likewise when he got up after a consultation his knees were stiff. Sitting in a restaurant knees were getting sore over the course of the evening. The self administered ozone injections we’re only working for a limited period of time. Time to do something more. Those knees were really getting to be a nuisance.

Dr. P decides to inject his knees with Platelet rich plasma and ozone together. So I decided to inject the platelet rich plasma and the ozone together into my own knees. Nurse Kathryn took my blood sample and we prepared the platelet rich plasma and yours truly injected himself.

I really should not have been expecting anything miraculous because platelets take time to work however I was secretly hoping that I might feel instantly better in my knees at least! Over the next few days I felt pretty well how I would usually feel after I had injected ozone – not the near miraculous improvement of the early days of ozone injection on my younger knees but more the “that’s a fairly good response” feeling which I had become used to having been using injections for almost 10 years. So the jury was out. I inwardly thought: Is this PRP all hype?

The weeks roll on and suddenly I noticed I am not feeling stiff and sore in my knees when I rise from my chair to say goodbye to a patient at the end of a consultation. I am not suffering from seriously sore knees sitting in restaurants or cinemas or on long drives. So I suddenly became a convert to combining prolozone with plasma.

Who Needs Combined PRP and Prolozone Treatment?

What percentage of patient need PRP and prolozone combined? In my experience only a minority of patients need both. Interestingly the research data points to more prolonged benefits form combining PRP with ozone treatment especially as time since first treatment goes on.

The Science Behind Combined PRP and Prolozone Therapy

Here is a brief resume of the scientific reasoning behind combining prolozone treatment with platelet-rich plasma:

Combining PRP (platelet-rich plasma) with Prolozone therapy (which uses ozone) can enhance regenerative processes by stimulating growth factors from PRP and increasing oxygen and reducing inflammation through ozone. This synergy aims to promote tissue repair, improve function, and provide pain relief for various musculoskeletal conditions, potentially yielding better outcomes than either therapy alone.

How the Therapies Work Together

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) concentrates a patient’s platelets, which are rich in growth factors (like PDGF and TGF), into a liquid plasma. When injected, these growth factors stimulate the body’s natural healing process, attracting stem cells and promoting the repair of damaged tissues.

Prolozone Therapy (Ozone Therapy) involves injecting ozone (a mixture of oxygen and ozone) into the affected area. Ozone is thought to improve the delivery of oxygen to tissues, reduces inflammation, and induces a mild oxidative stress that promotes healing and tissue regeneration.

Synergistic Effects

Amplified Regeneration: occurs since the combination of PRP’s growth factors and ozone’s improved oxygenation and anti-inflammatory effects can create a more potent environment for tissue healing and regeneration this leads to reduced pain and improved function: Clinical studies suggest that the combined therapy can be more effective than either PRP or ozone alone in reducing pain and improving physical function in conditions such as knee osteoarthritis.

Preventing Cartilage Damage: For conditions like osteoarthritis, the combination of PRP and ozone may prevent further cartilage destruction and restore the balance of tissue repair and breakdown processes.

Treatment Applications

PRP combined with ozone/prolozone is relevant to most joint and tendon problems. The aim is to alleviate pain, improve function, and slow the progression of cartilage degeneration. This combined approach is particularly being researched for treating knee problems with combined PRP and prolozone but its potential use is much broader i.e. to address injuries to muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues by promoting overall tissue regeneration.

The patient mentioned above was the first of many patients being treated with ozone for a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems including:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Ankle pain
  • Knee pain
  • Wrist pain
  • Elbow pain
  • Shoulder joint pain
  • Trapezius pain
  • Neck pain
  • Low back pain

Important Note About Hip Pain Treatment

A word on hip pain

Hip pain is a much less reliable responder to prolozone compared to most other body areas/joints. Hip pain may be worth a trial of treatment with prolozone in certain circumstances but it is a much less predictable responder. Certain types of hip pain may be worth a try. If you phone our Reception they will try to guide you regarding the hip issue.

Prolozone with or without PRP is not an alternative to orthopaedic surgery especially with respect to hip issues. As someone who also is conventionally-trained I wish to emphasize that joint replacements generally work well and are life-changing. However, hip problems aside, for the vast majority of joint and musculoskeletal problems prolozone is well worth a try.

I never make promises but tell people regarding prolozone treatment problems: Its very likely that, at worst, you will be able to put off surgery and be able to buy some extra time.

Important Treatment Limitation

PS: An important note

Prolozone is a treatment for pain, inflammation and/or degeneration in joints. It will not alter joint or skeletal deformity e.g. scoliosis.

For more information about our combined PRP and Prolozone treatments, contact Drummartin Clinic today.