PROLO THERAPY
What is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is an established injection technique for tightening and healing stretched or torn joint ligaments and muscle tendon attachments. The goal of prolotherapy is to improve quality of life through the improvement of joint function and the reduction of pain. The injection is of a natural proliferating solution directed into the injured structures.
The solution can consist of various combinations of procaine (or other local anesthetics), glucose, phenol, vitamin B12 or other proliferating agents. There may be benzyl alcohol in the injectables which is added as a bacteriostatic agent. If you have any known allergies any specific component it is important to inform the physician. The exact combination is determined on a case-by-case basis aimed to produce the best regenerative response.
This objective is to have a controlled, localized inflammatory response which leads to a wound-healing cascade. The resulting increased blood flow carries oxygen, nutrients and immune cells which are all necessary for tissue healing. The treatment also stimulates the release of growth factors which prompts the cells, called fibroblasts, to make new collagen. The new collagen, which is the tissue that makes up ligaments and tendons, is laid down in place of the injured collagen. As the collagen matures it shrinks and tightens making it thicker and stronger. This results in the repair of the damaged structure and support of the surrounding joint.
What kind of conditions can be treated?
Arthritis pain
Hip, knee, ankle and foot pain
Neck pain
Wrist, elbow and shoulder pain
Headaches
Post injury/Trauma pain
Fibromyalgia
Sports injuries
Loose joints
Tendonitis and More!
What kind of conditions can be treated?
Prolotherapy technique requires a small volume of proliferating solution injected into the various injured tissues (ligaments, tendons, joints). There is often several needle insertions to access all the necessary spots of injury. We use different techniques such as skin sliding to minimize the number dermal entries.
The injection of the proliferating solution into the injured tissue is likely to elicit some pain since the tissue is already injured and tender. The local anesthetic in the prolotherapy solution will help to reduce this discomfort. It is common for the joint to be sore for several days after the treatment as it progresses through the normal healing cascade.
Frequency and total number of treatments
The frequency of treatment sessions depends on several factors: The nature of the injury, the severity of the injury, the patient response to treatment, the patients specific goals. The most common frequency of repeated treatment sessions is every three to six weeks. The total number of treatments is dependent on the individual patients pre-existing health status and their own unique healing ability.
Typical more severe injuries, older injures, patients with poor nutritional status, and cigarette smokers take more treatment sessions. Most commonly, patients require four to ten treatments though they may require more. This is determined on a case-by-case bases and is determined by degree of success of previous treatments, physical exam results and patient’s wishes.