Prolotherapy For Chronic Pain Or Sports Injuries

Qualified physicians perform prolotherapy by injecting mildly irritating substances directly into injured tissue, which stimulates regeneration. Individuals having arthritis, sports or work related injuries, or chronic pain may benefit from this type of treatment. Therapists use the treatment method for encouraging healing of ailing ligaments, joints, muscles and tendons in many different regions of the body. The number of treatments each patient requires varies according to individual circumstances.

After enduring injury, patients often receive over-the-counter or prescribed anti-inflammatory medications along with hot/cold treatments and possibly physical therapy. Some require surgical interventions. Even with extensive treatment, patients may not escape experiencing pain or decreased mobility. The alternative treatment sometimes called Regenerative Injection Therapy, often remedies these situations and provides long-term relief.

The therapy entails creating an inflammatory response. Following initial pain and mobility assessments, physicians inject one of three solution types around and into the site of the injury where damaged tissue attaches to bones. The nerve tissue of injured bone covering, ligaments or tendons emit pain signals. Physicians theorize that the solution initiates local irritation, which triggers cartilage and collagen formation around ligaments and tendons. In time, the fibrous tissue tightens and eliminates weakness by strengthening the area and thus eliminates pain.

For minor problems, physicians often inject dextrose combined with lidocaine or prilocaine for cellular regeneration. Therapists often combine these injections with platelet rich plasma solutions. Using the patient's blood, physicians extract growth factors, which accelerate the healing process by stimulating tissue repair. Patients experiencing knee or other soft tissue sports injury, or osteoarthritis, benefit from platelet rich plasma prolotherapy or PRPP.

This treatment requires injecting the PRP solution directly into the injured area accompanied by dextrose solution inserted into the surrounding tissue. Neurofascial therapy involves injecting the dextrose/lidocaine solution into tender muscles or other soft tissue not directly attached to bone. Specialists might use neurofascial treatment alone or in conjunction with intra-articular injections.

Stem cell therapy is another treatment alternative. Stem cells lie in bone marrow or fatty tissues of the body and have the unique ability of maturing into a variety of tissues including bone, cartilage, ligament or muscle. During an office procedure, physicians might obtain stem cells from the patient's bone marrow located in a hip or shinbone. Practitioners may also extract stem cells from the fatty tissue around the abdominal area at waist level. After the painless, sterile procedure, therapists inject the stem cells into the injured area every six to eight weeks over a span of three to six treatments. Physicians use PRP therapy for treating dozens of diagnoses from severe cases of osteoarthritis to soft tissue sports injury tears.

Physicians gauge treatment success by the degree of increased mobility and diminished pain experienced at injury sites. Many individuals experience up to 75 percent improvement after the first treatment. Following injection therapy, patients commonly see bruising and experience stiffness, swelling and tenderness at the affected location. These symptoms may last for up to one week after treatment. If inflammation and pain persist or intensify, patients should seek the advice of the prolotherapist. These symptoms, especially if accompanied by a fever, may indicate an infection process requiring antibiotic therapy. The risk of infection increases along with possible tissue injury when untrained personnel administer this type of therapy. Physicians must take great care when administering injections around spinal areas as spinal fluid leakage may occur.