Information About Prolotherapy 

The treatment is used for many different types of musculoskeletal pain, such as arthritis, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, unresolved whiplash injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic tendonitis, partially torn tendons, ligaments and cartilage, degenerated or herniated discs, TMJ and sciatica.

What is prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is natural technique that stimulates the body to repair itself when the natural healing process needs some help. A dextrose (sugar water) solution, is injected into the ligament or tendon where it attaches to the bone. This causes a localized inflammation in the weak area and increases the blood supply and flow of nutrients to stimulate the tissue to repair itself. The word prolotherapy, "Prolo" (short for proliferation), means causing growth, formation of new ligament tissue.

Prolotherapy involves the treatment of two specific kinds of tissue: tendons and ligaments. Ligaments are the structural "rubber bands" that hold bones to bones in joints. Tendons are tissue which connect muscles to bones. Ligaments and tendons can become weak or injured and may not heal to their original strength or endurance. This happens because the blood supply to ligaments and tendons is limited, and therefore healing is slow and not always complete. Ligaments also have many nerve endings which can become the source of chronic pain and weakness. An injured or stretched tendon is defined as a strain; a stretched or injured ligament is defined as a sprain.

Historical review shows that a version of this technique was first used by Hippocrates on soldiers with dislocated, torn shoulder joints. He would stick a hot poker into the joint, and it would then miraculously heal normally. Of course, we don’t use hot pokers today, but the principle is similar —get the body to repair itself naturally.

How long will it take to complete treatments and
how effective is prolotherapy?
The best thing to do is to get an evaluation by a trained physician to see if you are an appropriate candidate. Once you begin treatment, your doctor can give you an accurate estimate. The response to treatment will vary from individual to individual, and depends upon one's healing ability. Some people may only need a few treatments while others may need 10 or more. The average number of treatments is 4-6 for an area treated.

The ligament and tendon tissue which forms as a result of Prolotherapy has been shown to be thicker and stronger than normal tissue, up to 40% stronger in some cases! Prolotherapy has the potential of being 100 percent effective at eliminating chronic pain due to ligament and tendon weakness, but it depends upon the technique of the individual Prolotherapist and one's healing ability. The most important aspect is injecting enough of the solution into the injured and weakened area. If this is done, the likelihood of success is excellent.

How is Prolotherapy administered?
The area of injury is properly identified and marked using musculoskeletal ultrasound. The injection is performed using ultrasound guidance to ensure that the appropriate target is reached within a millimeter.

The patient rests afterwards for 5-10 minutes and is discharged home with post procedure instructions. Increased pain may result for approximately 7 days following the injection which is not uncommon. This represents part of the healing process.

If you have any questions, please contact Deborah Grote, R.N. at 908-362-8767.