How PRP and prolotherapy differ
Both treatments aim to support healing rather than mask pain, but they work differently. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) concentrates the platelets and growth factors from about four tablespoons of your own blood, which Dr. Hric then places precisely in the injured area — ultrasound-guided when that improves accuracy. A typical visit runs about an hour.
Prolotherapy uses a different tool: targeted injections of dextrose, a simple sugar-water, meant to prompt your body to strengthen loose or worn ligaments and tendons. Dr. Hric offers it as a deliberate alternative to steroid or cortisone shots that only quiet symptoms. A short series of visits is common, since the strengthening tends to build over the course of the series.
Which one you need depends on the problem
There is no single winner, and the honest answer is that it depends on the tissue and what is wrong with it. PRP tends to fit ligament injuries and mild-to-moderate arthritis, where a concentrated dose of growth factors can help support repair. Prolotherapy tends to fit loose, lax, or worn ligaments and tendons — think nagging instability or a stubborn tendon — where the goal is to gradually tighten and strengthen the connective tissue.
Plenty of situations overlap, and for some problems either approach could be reasonable. It is also worth being clear about the limits: neither treatment regrows cartilage or reverses advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis, results vary from person to person, and not everyone is a candidate. Sometimes the most honest answer is that a simpler step — or no injection at all — is the smarter move.
Our Conservative First answer
Rather than deciding from a web page, the reliable way to know which you need is an exam. Dr. Hric performs every treatment personally, drawing on more than 40 years of medical experience. He reviews your history, examines the area, and recommends the least invasive option that has real evidence behind it — which is sometimes PRP, sometimes prolotherapy, sometimes focal sound wave therapy, and sometimes none of them.
Because regenerative treatments generally are not covered by insurance, Great Physician is direct-pay, with clear pricing given up front and no referral needed. The straightforward next step is a consultation, where Dr. Hric can give you a straight read on which treatment — if any — fits your situation best.
Reviewed by Dr. Jerry Hric, Great Physician Regenerative Medicine · Updated July 15, 2026. Educational information, not a substitute for an in-person evaluation.