Amy Price PhD
Prolotherapy prompts the body to naturally heal damaged and degenerated tissues. This is not a steroid which can block healing by inhibiting the natural inflammation cycle whereby new cells can regenerate and repair tissue, but a natural substance that promotes healing. In Roman times, soldiers with joint injuries would have those wounds cauterized to promote healing and reduce infection. While modern techniques are much more sophisticated, the concept is the same.
Prolotherapy works by prompting your body's natural repair mechanisms to heal damaged or degenerated tissues. It's done when ligaments have been stretched/damaged or torn. This technique can be used in most joints that are unstable. It's most commonly used for SI joint dysfunction with instability or chronic low back pain. This technique can help repair some of the ligaments and provide normal support to the joint. While most of our daily injuries heal completely, severe ligament tears, degenerated and worn out tissues, and those with a poor blood supply (such as in the knee) don't usually mend themselves. This is because low grade inflammation is taking place and causing pain but it is not strong enough to signal initiation of the repair process.
Prolotherapy practitioners start by injecting a growth factor stimulant which is not a growth hormone or steroid, but contains a mild irritant such as glucose mixed with local anesthetic to trigger healing response in the damaged area. This otherwise harmless, natural substance, causes a brief period of inflammation 3-5 days after the injection which triggers inflammation that causes the body to release it's own natural growth factors in the injured tissue.
Most practitioners do these injections in a series, with 3-6 times being considered the norm. This technique can be used in most joints that are unstable. It's most commonly used for SI joint dysfunction with instability or chronic low back pain.
These go to work immediately, directing your body's natural healing mechanisms to repair damaged and degenerated tissue. The first stage of healing usually takes about a week, but the tissue continues to restore itself for 4-6 weeks after the injection.
It is very important that this treatment is done with fluoroscopy guidance. Fluoroscopy is like an xray movie. Some doctors inject with out xray guidance. For this treatment to be effective it needs to be precisely targeted and done by a practitioner who is getting consistently good results for treatment. It may be good to ask the doctor for the name of a couple of satisfied recipients. They will be able to tell you about the procedure and what to expect as well.
For more information:
Http://prolotherapy.org
Http://prolotherapy.com
Mayo Clinic
This site has links to research, news and more information
http://www.getprolo.com/
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