Prolotherapy

WHAT IS PROLOTHERAPY?

Prolotherapy stimulates the body’s natural healing process and can be used effectively for chronic pain, strengthening injured tissues, treating musculoskeletal conditions and restoring function. It is a much less invasive alternative to surgery, pain medication and steroid (cortisone) injections. Prolotherapy is a non-surgical regenerative injection therapy used to repair injured tendons, ligaments and joints. Joints, ligaments and tendons usually have a limited blood supply, meaning that incomplete healing is common after an injury. These types of injuries can become a chronic source of pain and/or weakness.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Prolotherapy is both natural and non-surgical. It is based on the principle of injecting a mild irritant solution (dextrose) directly into the weak or damaged ligament or tendon (where it attaches to the bone). This irritant solution “tricks the body” into thinking the area is re-injured and this initiates an inflammatory response which promotes the body’s natural tissue/wound healing mechanism to increase blood and nutrient supply to the area. As part of this process, the body recruits connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) into the injured area to lay down new tissue in the weakened areas. This encourages growth of collagen and new ligament and tendon fibers, resulting in a tightening of the weakened structures. The regenerated tendons and ligaments produced after prolotherapy are remodeled by the body in the final stage of healing, resulting in tissue that looks and functions very similarly to the original tissue. Procaine is also added to the dextrose solution injection. Procaine is a short-acting anesthetic that helps to control pain and stop the constant pain signal to the brain. Procaine is also helpful in stopping muscle spasms, increasing muscle strength, helping to break up scar tissue and resetting malfunctioning nerves

WHAT TO EXPECT?

Prolotherapy involves mild to moderate manageable discomfort, with treatment plans tailored to each patient's unique needs and health status. Typically, 3-6 sessions are required at 2-3 week intervals, with some patients feeling relief after just 1-2 sessions. Recovery can be influenced by factors such as exercise, health, age, and nutrition. For those at risk of reinjury, a maintenance schedule or stronger therapies like PRP might be considered. Unlike cortisone injections, which temporarily reduce pain but inhibit healing processes, prolotherapy aims to stimulate the body's natural healing response by enhancing the acute inflammatory process. Cortisone can be useful in controlling chronic inflammation but may hinder tissue repair. Prolotherapy is generally safe with low risk, commonly causing temporary pain, stiffness, and swelling post-treatment. Avoiding NSAIDs during treatment is recommended to ensure the effectiveness of the healing process