Understanding the Treatment: What Is Low-Dose Radiotherapy?
Chronic joint pain is an inflammatory problem. Your immune system sends signals to the joint that, over time, do not turn off. The result is persistent pain, stiffness, and the feeling that your body is working against you.
How LDRT works is through a precise, carefully calibrated dose of energy delivered directly to the affected joint. That energy calms the immune response at the cellular level, giving the joint the environment it needs to stop hurting. There are no needles, no drugs, and no anesthesia involved. Each session takes about five minutes. You feel nothing during treatment. You walk out the same way you walked in.
What to Expect: A Simple, Four-Step Process
When you’re considering your first JointGlow appointment, you may be wondering how LDRT treatment works and the process is. Most patients are surprised to learn how simple it really is. Here is the complete picture.
Tell us what hurts.
Complete our quick intake online. You will answer a few questions about which joint is bothering you, how long it has been an issue, and what you have already tried. The whole thing takes about five minutes.
Get matched and confirmed.
A JointGlow physician reviews your intake and confirms you are a candidate. We then connect you with the nearest JointGlow location, whether a standalone JointGlow center or a certified partner practice near you.
6-10 sessions. 5 minutes each.
You arrive, check in, and lie down. The treatment is delivered to the affected joint. No sedation, no needles, nothing to feel. Most patients are in and out in under 15 minutes including check-in. You drive yourself home.
Long-term relief with LDRT.
Most patients begin feeling improvement within 2 to 6 weeks of their final session. Your Glow Score tracks your progress so you have a real number to follow, not just a feeling. Relief typically lasts 12 to 24 months.
Before You Arrive: What to Bring to LDRT Treatment
What to bring:
- A valid ID and your insurance card (Medicare patients: your Medicare card)
- A list of your current medications, if you have one
- Comfortable, loose clothing that allows access to the treatment area
- Your intake confirmation
- Any imaging you have (X-rays, MRI results) — helpful but not required
What you do NOT need to do:
- Arrange a ride home — you drive yourself
- Fast or restrict food or drink beforehand
- Stop any current medications before treatment
- Change into a gown or special clothing at the clinic
- Set aside recovery time after your session
Plan for about 15 to 20 minutes at the clinic for your first visit, and about 10 to 15 minutes for each session after that.
What Happens During LDRT Treatment
One of the most common questions we hear is: What does it actually feel like? The honest answer: not much at all.
You check in at the front desk.
Your sessions are typically scheduled every 2 to 3 days over a 2- to 3-week period. Check-in takes about two minutes.
You are guided to the treatment room.
The room is calm and clean. You will lie down on a comfortable table, and the treatment area will be positioned for your joint.
The treatment is delivered.
The device is positioned over the affected joint. The session runs for approximately five minutes. You will not feel heat, pressure, or discomfort. Most patients simply rest.
You’re done, ready to go!
That is it. No observation period. No waiting room recovery. No post-session instructions. Drive, work, exercise lightly, and go about your day as normal.
Patients often tell us the hardest part is finding parking. The treatment itself is genuinely that simple.
What to Expect After and When You’ll See Results
LDRT is not an instant fix. The treatment works by calming the inflammatory process, which takes time to show up as noticeable relief. Here is what the typical timeline looks like.
SESSIONS 1-3: Treatment begins.
Most patients feel little change yet. The process is working at the cellular level.
SESSIONS 4-6: Treatment completes.
The inflammatory response continues to calm after your final session.
WEEKS 2-4: First signs of improvement.
Many patients notice less morning stiffness and slightly better range of motion.
WEEKS 4-8: Meaningful relief.
Most patients are experiencing noticeable improvement. Pain scores drop. Activity expands.
MONTHS 3-6: Relief is well established.
Patients are back to the activities they had reduced or avoided.
MONTHS 12-24: Lasting results. The average duration of results is 12 to 24 months.
Many patients return for a second course at that point.
Frequently Asked Questions About LDRT
Common Conditions Treated With LDRT
LDRT works across a wide range of joint conditions. Find yours below.
Knee Osteoarthritis
The #1 joint we treat. Pivoting, walking, stairs — we help you do all of it again.
Learn More →Hip Pain & OA
Lateral movement, sitting, standing. Get back to the activities that hip pain is keeping you from.
Learn More →Shoulder Pain
Rotator cuff inflammation, bursitis, tendinopathy. Overheads, reaching, lifting — restored.
Learn More →Tennis & Golfer's Elbow
Repetitive strain from the court, the course, or the keyboard. 20% of our patients treat this joint.
Learn More →Plantar Fasciitis
85% response rate in 13,000+ patients studied. One of our most proven indications.
Learn More →Bursitis & More
Hip bursitis, knee bursitis, trochanteric pain. Plus tendinopathies, joint stiffness, and beyond.
Learn More →