ProloMD.com

INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW

As an M.D. who specializes in musculoskeletal medicine and non-surgical orthopedics, I often see patients who have persistent joint, neck or back pain due to arthritis, disc problems or other degenerative conditions or injuries. What is often not appreciated in the medical field is the root cause of the pain in about 80% of these cases is actually the ligaments and tendons that hold the joints together. The importance of recognizing these highly innervated connective tissues as the primary pain generators is that there is a little-known but highly effective medical procedure called Prolotherapy that can often actually heal the pain, simply and permanently!

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy or Regenerative Injection Therapy is a minimally invasive medical procedure that involves small injections of a natural proliferant (usually hyperosmolar dextrose) into the attachments of the weakened and/or stretched ligaments and tendons. The solution, which is injected with a very thin needle at the precise points of tissue weakness or damage, sets up a local proliferation and brings new blood flow to the area, allowing the body to rebuild and regenerate the damaged structures. Prolo has been used highly successfully to treat a wide array of orthopedic conditions including whiplash and neck pain, low back pain, cervical or lumbar disc problems, rotator cuff injuries, tennis/golfer’s elbow, wrist problems, knee arthritis and pain, hip pain, ankle sprains, achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.

A skilled Prolotherapist can identify candidates for Prolo with a simple physical exam. Treatments are done in the office setting and involve peppering the damaged areas with multiple small injections. Multiple medical studies over the last 60 years have demonstrated an approximate 85% success rate in dealing with chronic pain of musculoskeletal origin. Dr. C. Everett Koop, our former U.S. Surgeon General, considers “Prolotherapy as an effective and useful technique that deserves much more recognition by the conventional medical community”. Dr. Koop had first-hand experience with Prolo as he used it to cure his own long-standing back pain that had failed to respond to conventional treatment modalities.

Prolotherapy works synergistically and increases the effectiveness of other healing modalities such as acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage therapy. Acupuncture can relieve muscle spasm and settle nerves while Prolo helps the body rebuild damaged connective tissue. Chiropractic puts bones back in their proper place; Prolo keeps them there. Physical therapy helps to build up surrounding muscle support for damaged joints and accelerates healing. Massage and NeuroMuscular Therapy can reduce pain and enhance healing by relieving muscle spasm and encouraging blood flow.

Is It Safe?

The wonderful thing about Prolo is that it has an outstanding safety record. Dr. Koop commented, “ The nice thing about Prolotherapy, if properly done, is that it cannot do any harm.” The key to successful treatment is to find an experienced Prolotherapist who has had proper training. The injections are usually well tolerated and cause only mild, transient discomfort. The only common side effect is that the shots can cause soreness for a day or two but most patients report that the discomfort is much less than their usual pain and is well worth it if they have a good chance at getting rid of their pain once and for all. It is important to be patient and allow time for the Prolo to work; it does usually take six to ten treatments over two or three months for optimal healing of a given problem. However, once it takes, it should be a permanent improvement.

In short, Prolotherapy is a safe, effective, and elegant treatment that can permanently heal many causes of joint, neck and back pain. If you have some persistent pain I would highly suggest that you evaluate it with a Prolotherapist before you consider any type of surgery, cortisone injection or even taking painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication for any length of time. In many cases we may be able to Prolo your pain away – safely, effectively and permanently!