 What is Prolotherapy?
How it works. Prolo- means to proliferate, because the treatment causes proliferation of new ligament tissue, namely collagen. The injection solution contains dextrose (simple sugar), lidocaine or procaine (local anesthetic), and nutrients such as B12. These injected solution ingredients create a local controlled inflammatory process that stimulates the body to send blood and nutrients to the area of damaged tissue allowing your body’s own natural healing response to occur. This strengthens and repairs the damaged ligaments and tendons and in turn brings stability to the joints. After several treatments, pain may be significantly reduced because proper function of the joints can be restored.
Is Prolotherapy right for you? Do you have pain or weakness associated with your joints? Does the pain limit your range of motion and/or affect your daily life? Do you occasionally have flare ups of pain with certain actions? Do you have muscle pain or soreness around the affected joint? Does the pain occasionally travel elsewhere in your body? Do your joints pop or click easily? If this sounds familiar prolotherapy may provide benefit for you.  Conventional treatments for joint pain vs Prolotherapy. Conventional medical treatments for joint pain include ice, anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), cortisone shots, and if all else fails surgery. Besides surgery, all of the previous treatments have one thing in common: they inhibit inflammation. Inflammation after injury can be painful but it is necessary in order to protect the joint from further injury. Inflammation is the body’s own signaling system to begin the repair process. If the process is disrupted, the entire healing process may not be completed. With prolotherapy, the premise is to stimulate the natural healing response by initiating a local inflammation at the area of injury. With the start of inflammation comes the rest of the healing cascade which recruits cells that repair and rebuild damaged tissue. Over time the tissues can be restored. Using prolotherapy, the need for surgery may even be eliminated.
Alternative treatments vs Prolotherapy. Alternative treatments such as acupuncture, trigger point injections, physical therapy, massage may be helpful at reducing joint pain. But if the source of the pain is originated from damaged tendons and ligaments, these therapies may only provide temporary relief. Prolotherapy used in conjunction with these other treatments can provide more lasting pain relief than conventional treatments.
How to optimize healing. There are other factors that may improve healing alongside prolotherapy. First of all, nutrition is important to the healing process. The body must have the proper and adequate amounts of building blocks required to rebuild tissue. Therefore, intake of quality nutrition must be a priority. Second, many behavioral or environmental factors may interfere with healing such as smoking. Third, there may be underlying medical conditions that can delay the healing process such as diabetes. Dr. Lee will evaluate you to see if you are a good candidate for prolotherapy. Finally, proper exercise and joint mobilization is essential in maintaining the health of the joints. Physical therapy or chiropractic care can provide this service. In order to optimize the healing process all of these factors must be addressed. As a Naturopathic Doctor, we are trained to treat all aspects of the person and can provide you with the care you need for your journey toward pain-free optimal health.
Conditions Treated but are not limited to:
For more information please check out the links section on prolotherapy. New York Times article about Prolotherapy. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/health/07brod.html Written by: Clement K. Lee, NMD  Disclaimer: Contents of this site are for education purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose or treat in any way. Please consult with your healthcare provider before initiating treatment. Copyright 2011 Clement K. Lee, ND. All rights Reserved |
