Treating Pain With Prolotherapy

By Erika LeBaron, DO, MSN

Vitality Integrative Medicine

. https://vitalityintegrativemed.com/

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Treating Pain With Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a regenerative treatment for tendon, ligament, or joint pain. It is a safe and effective non-surgical treatment for pain, whether your pain is from a previous injury or from the wear and tear of aging. Injuries such as sprains, which over stretch these tissues, or “tennis elbow” which over use these tissues, benefit from prolotherapy. When tendons and ligaments become loose they contribute to overstimulation of nerves, which causes pain. It is also beneficial for pain from the degenerative changes of arthritis.

Many people are unfamiliar with prolotherapy and think that it is a new treatment intervention, but it has been used for many years. There are published clinical reports of similar treatments used since 1937. In the 1950's George S Hackett, MD originated the specific term “prolotherapy” based on its ability to proliferate new cells by stimulating the body's healing response. It is also sometimes referred to as “regenerative injection therapy” (RIT). It is this proliferative benefit with regenerative healing properties that sets this therapy apart from other injection treatments. Unlike steroid injections, which help the pain temporarily but do not promote healing properties, prolotherapy injections induce the proliferation of new cells, which treats the underlying defect and not just the symptoms.

Prolotherapy consists of injections of a dextrose solution at tendon and ligament attachment sites on bone and in adjacent joint spaces to stimulate the body's natural healing response to repair and strengthen the tissue. The treatment process initiates a localized inflammatory response at the site of the injection and the body starts a healing response which promotes new tissue growth, not scar tissue, which heals and strengthens the ligament and/or tendon. This repair helps relieve pain and restore function.

The series of injections are done approximately two to six weeks apart to allow for the regenerative process to take place and each treatment builds upon the previous one for cumulative benefit. It depends on the extent of the damage to the tendons, ligaments or joints as to how many sessions will be needed. Progression of healing and pain relief is reassessed at each office visit. The procedure is done in the outpatient office with no need to visit a hospital or surgical facility. Adverse effects from the injections include post injection soreness and mild bruising at injection sites, which generally resolve in a couple days. Infections and bleeding can occur with any type of injection treatment, but are rare.

Professional athletes oftentimes receive prolotherapy as part of their medical care, especially after injury to get back into the game sooner. If pain is keeping you from doing the activities that you would like to do, or perhaps interfering with your daily activities at home or work, consider an evaluation to see if prolotherapy is right for you to alleviate your pain and get you back into the game in your day to day life.