Prolotherapy is one of numerous nonsurgical treatments for tissue repair and pain management that is administered at Nonsurgical Orthopaedics, PC. The full name for this treatment is “proliferation therapy”, and is considered regenerative healing because it causes your body to ultimately heal itself naturally. It is often called regenerative injection therapy.  Musculoskeletal pain is often caused by damaged and weakened connective tissue, which is essential to joint movement and support. This is where this groundbreaking treatment comes in. It helps with pain by correcting the source of the problem: damaged tissues in ligaments, joints and tendons. The treatment has minimal side effects and is fairly affordable when compared to other surgical and nonsurgical treatments.

Prolotherapy is most effective for people who are experiencing localized pain or are undergoing the healing process for an injury. This is because it helps the body to strengthen and heal itself through the rebuilding of healthy tissue. Prolotherapy can improve a host of different problems including stiffness, function and strength. People suffering from things like herniated or bulging discs can also find some relief through this treatment, because prolotherapy can stabilize the ligaments, allowing discs to position themselves properly. As with any medication or treatment, there are some side effects including bleeding or bruising in the area, increased pain, infection, stiffness, and swelling.

Prolotherapy has been studied many times with a success rating of over 80% with most patients experiencing a reduction in pain of at least 50%. Many will experience a reduction in pain, enhanced range of motion and enhanced function of their joints and ligaments. Administration is fairly simple, as injections are put at the attachment of joints where pain is found, around 4 to 6 weeks apart. Typical therapy lasts anywhere from 4 to 6 months. However, it may take as long as 3 to 4 treatments to notice significant improvement.

There are some things you can do before therapy to improve your experience with the injections. For example, Lidocaine cream applied before treatment can help reduce pain in the skin that can be caused by the injection. Also, squeezing a stress ball and conscious sedation can also be utilized. With all of this said, it is important to realize that for prolotherapy to work as well as it could, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital. During and after treatment, it is essential to maintain a healthy diet, incorporate stretching into your daily routine, and utilize heat and cold therapy (such as warm, moist towels and ice packs).

For more information on prolotherapy and how you can receive treatments, visit our website at www.lowbackpain.com.

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