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Prolotherapy effectively treats musculoskeletal pain resulting from ligament and tendon tears, damaged cartilage, arthritis, sprains and strains, poorly healed injuries and degeneration of the connective tissue. Prolotherapy may effectively treat radiating nerve pain resulting from herniation of a vertebral disc.

Prolotherapy is therapeutic for conditions of the low back, neck, ribs, pelvic region, temporomandibular joint and all joints of the upper and lower extremities such as shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, ankles and digits.

Treatment is administered by a series of carefully placed injections into the injured or damaged area along and within the joint. Treatments are best spaced three to six weeks apart depending on the age of the person and the condition being treated.

Prolotherapy is well tolerated by most individuals. Local anesthesia is used with each injection and topical anesthesia is available. Although Prolotherapy is administered by injection, most individuals find it to be far more tolerable than imagined. Aching experienced after treatment typically lasts for several hours or less and is easily managed.

Since it takes the body months to fully repair connective tissue, the same amount of time is needed for Prolotherapy. Therefore, Prolotherapy is not necessarily fast but offers healing in a joint that would otherwise not heal. That being said, improvements in pain and function are often noted in as few as two or three treatments while full response typically occurs within four to six treatments.

Typically a joint needs four to six treatments to fully repair, however some problems may need fewer or more treatments. The number of treatments depends on the joint affected, the severity of the problem and your general state of health and age. During your assessment we will give you our best estimate of how many treatments you can expect to need.

Prolotherapy can be done with a variety of substances. PRP holds a few special benefits in Prolotherapy. It promotes a stronger healing response compared to dextrose-based solutions, employs growth factors and promotes and recruits your own stem cells. Therefore, PRP should be strongly considered when there is suspicion or documentation of a connective tissue tear, when there is more significant arthritis of the joint, when the individual is older or if outcomes were unsatisfactory after a series of dextrose based Prolotherapy. During your evaluation we will advise you of the most appropriate solution to use based on your situation.

According to research in Prolotherapy, treatment with each of the most used ingredients, dextrose, platelet-rich plasma, and stem cells have all shown the ability to stimulate regeneration of articular cartilage. Findings even include an increase in cartilage thickness on x-rays. In the practice setting evidence shows that these treatments play a clinically meaningful role in cartilage regeneration as well. Compared to ligaments and tendons, cartilage regeneration appears to occur more slowly, with the amount of cartilage preceding treatment important in the overall outcome.

The short answer is maybe. There are situations where even “bone on bone” arthritis responds well. The outcomes seem to depend on a few factors. One factor is the degree of cartilage that is lost. Prolotherapy is likely to make a very positive impact in cases where the cartilage loss is relegated to a small portion of the joint, while being less likely to help when wide areas are affected. Another factor is the joint affected. The cartilage of some joints is less responsive to Prolotherapy compared to others. Age and overall health are relevant factors as well. Severe osteoarthritis does not rule out the possibility of a good outcome from Prolotherapy. With an evaluation, we can help determine if Prolotherapy will help your situation.

To ease any post-treatment discomfort from Prolotherapy, herbal anti-inflammatories, acetaminophen and ice can be used. Mild narcotics can also be taken temporarily for more significant discomfort that may accompany Platelet-rich Plasma. All steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications should be avoided before treatment and as you heal.

To get the most of each treatment and to promote the best healing response possible there are a few steps to follow. If you smoke, start a cessation program right away. Nicotine restricts blood flow to the joints which hampers healing. Avoid steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications as both inhibit the action of the special compounds needed to activate the healing process. If you are diabetic get your blood sugar under the best control possible. Chronically elevated blood sugar suppresses both your immune system and your healing. Lastly, move your body at least to the level appropriate to your state of health. Fitness promotes blood flow and a robust healing response.