--- title: "Why I Use Prolotherapy for Chronic Pain (and What My Own Recovery Taught Me)" entity: "blog" canonical_url: "https://www.drbreckon.com/blog/prolotherapy-for-chronic-pain-calgary" markdown_url: "https://www.drbreckon.com/llms/blog/prolotherapy-for-chronic-pain-calgary" lastmod: "2026-10-21T13:00:00.000Z" --- Before I ever offered prolotherapy to a patient, I was the patient. I know what it's like to have your body stop cooperating with no warning. To plan your week around whether your back is going to cooperate. To try everything and still end up right back where you started. So when I talk about prolotherapy and injection therapy, I'm not just talking about something I learned in school. I'm talking about something that changed the direction of my life. ## How I got hurt I competed in track and field at the university level. One season, I decided to dabble in bobsled. Between crashing down the track and getting back into the weight room too soon, I injured part of my thoracic spine (the middle of my back). After that, I was in and out of chronic back pain almost one week out of every month. When it went out, it really went out. The muscles around my spine would lock up so tightly that I'd be stuck in a twisted shape, sometimes unable to even lift my head properly. And it happened without warning. I never knew when the next week of my life was going to disappear. ## Trying everything Like a lot of my patients, I tried a bunch of different things. I saw a chiropractor. I saw an osteopath. I got massage. Each of them helped in the moment, but my back kept going out. Then I met a naturopathic doctor who happened to be training for an Ironman with my boyfriend at the time (now my husband). He suggested I try prolotherapy. ## What happened after prolotherapy I had one treatment, and I went six months without my back going out or locking up. When it did finally go out at the six-month mark, it wasn't anything like before. It lasted a day or two instead of over a week. I didn't need any medication, and I could still function for most of the day. I was pretty impressed. So I went back for a second treatment. After that, I went two years without any issues. Since then, the only times that area has given me trouble were about three months postpartum with each of my three kids. During pregnancy, your body makes a hormone called relaxin that loosens connective tissue so your hips can open up for childbirth. But relaxin doesn't just work on your hips. It works throughout your body, and it created a bit of laxity in the area where I'd been injured. After each baby, I went in for a prolotherapy touch-up, and I really haven't had much of an issue since. Which is fantastic. ## Why it changed my career path I'd always considered going to conventional medical school. But prolotherapy made such an impact on me that I realized naturopathic medicine was the right fit. I wanted to help people stay moving, break the pain cycle, and get their lives back. When I look back, I think about where I'd be if I hadn't broken that cycle. I wouldn't have gone back to track and had my best season. I wouldn't have made my first national team or won national medals. And it goes beyond sport. When you're in a lot of pain, you don't sleep well. You can't move your body the way you want to, and over time that changes your strength, your body composition and your mood. If I hadn't found prolotherapy, I could have spent the last 20 years losing a week of every month to a back that wouldn't move properly. ## What is prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is an injection therapy that's designed to stimulate your body's own healing response in an area that's been injured or is wearing down. It's most often used for tendons, ligaments and joints. Today, I offer prolotherapy along with a number of other [regenerative injection therapies](https://www.drbreckon.com/regenerative-medicine-injection-therapies), including perineural injection therapy, neural therapy and ozone therapy. I find they often work better together, so I tailor the plan to what's going on for each person. (PRP is only available at my Fernie, BC location because of differences in scope of practice between Alberta and BC.) One thing I want to be upfront about: my story is a little unusual. I was in my early 20s, young, fit and healthy when I had prolotherapy, and I think that's a big part of why I responded so well without needing a full series. For most of my patients, I recommend a series of treatments to get the best results. ## Who is prolotherapy a good fit for? Prolotherapy and other injection therapies can be a good option if you're dealing with pain from: - A tendon issue - A ligament injury or a joint that feels unstable - Arthritis in a joint - Tight muscles that keep locking up - An area that's been injured or is showing signs of wear and degeneration ## Who might not be a good fit? Prolotherapy works by supporting your body's own healing response, so what you do between visits matters. It may not be the best fit if you're not able to do the things that support healing between treatments, like eating as well as you can and cutting back on inflammatory foods. If you have more complex health concerns, like blood sugar dysregulation, your healing response may not be as strong. Some autoimmune conditions may also not respond as well. That's why I always look at your overall health history and give you my honest opinion on how well I think prolotherapy might work for your concern. And here's something I've learned: sometimes a patient wants to try it even when I don't think it looks like the best option on paper. In a number of those cases, we've still seen really great results. Prolotherapy is a very safe treatment with not a ton of downtime, so it can be worth having the conversation. ## What my recovery taught me Looking back, my injury didn't come from one thing. It came from a crash, and then from not listening to my body and doing too much in the gym too soon. That's a lesson I carry into how I work with patients: your body usually tells you when something isn't right. It's worth listening. The other lesson is about timing. The thing I hear from my patients over and over again is that they wish they'd come in sooner. Full stop. If you're losing days, weeks or months to pain that keeps coming back, you don't have to keep waiting it out. ## Prolotherapy FAQ How many prolotherapy treatments will I need? It depends on the area, how long you've had the problem and your overall health. I responded after one treatment, but I was young and healthy at the time. For most of my patients, I recommend a series of treatments to get the best results. Is there downtime after prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is a very safe treatment, and there isn't a ton of downtime. Most people get back to their day fairly quickly. We'll go over what to expect for your specific treatment at your visit. Can prolotherapy help back pain? It helped mine. Prolotherapy is often used for back pain, along with tendon, ligament and joint pain. Whether it's a good fit for you depends on what's causing your pain and your overall health history, which is what we'd look at together. Where can I get prolotherapy? I offer prolotherapy and other injection therapies in Calgary at BioRevive Regenerative Medicine and the Mount Royal University Injury & Prevention Clinic, and in Fernie, BC. ## Prolotherapy in Calgary and Fernie: your next step If you're wondering whether prolotherapy or another injection therapy could help, book a discovery call and we can talk through your pain, your health history, and whether it's likely to be a good fit. If you already know you're ready, you can book an initial visit. [See how to book at each location](https://www.drbreckon.com/how-to-book) Dr. Tricia Breckon, ND Founder, BioRevive This article is for general education and isn't a substitute for individual medical advice. Results vary from person to person. If you have questions about your pain or whether prolotherapy is right for you, please speak with a qualified healthcare provider.