Prolotherapy
What is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy (short for proliferative joint injection therapy) are injections of specially formulated solutions into joints that have sustained damage, either chronic or recent injury. These injections can often avoid or reduce the need for more invasive treatment such as surgery.
How does Prolotherapy Work?
Prolotherapy works by triggering the body's healing response to come into the joint and heal damaged tissues. It does this by improving blood flow to the joint and stimulating a healing inflammatory process - yes, some inflammation is good inflammation!
What is in the Prolotherapy Solution?
Our prolotherapy solutions at our office are a solution using dextrose, an anesthetic agent such as procaine or bupivicaine, and saline.
Is the Treatment Painful? What are the Side Effects?
The injection itself may be painful initially and may increase inflammation in the joint temporarily (remember this is how the therapy works!) but then the inflammation subsides and healing begins! Temporary pain management using therapies like acetaminophen can help to manage the temporary increase. Anti-inflammatory treatments like ibuprofen/naproxen are not recommended as they can damper the healing inflammatory effect.
What kind of conditions can prolotherapy treat?
Any kind of joint instability including tendon laxity, chronic rolled ankles, MCL/LCL/ACL/PCL tendon issues in the knee, meniscus tears, cartilage degeneration, rotator cuff tendon issues, osteoarthritis, and many more!
What kind of conditions does prolotherapy NOT treat?
*Inflammatory arthritis like infectious arthritis or Rheumatoid arthritis are not good candidates for prolotherapy
*Anyone on immunosuppressive medications or daily prednisone (short term past history okay).
*Recent history of cortisone injections.
Have more questions or want to schedule a consult?
Call us at (541) 851-9320 for more information!
We also welcome referrals from other healthcare providers, please fax us at (541) 851-9322. Copies of imaging reports/films appreciated when available.
Want to learn more? Here are some research studies showing the benefits of prolotherapy:
A Systematic Review of Dextrose Prolotherapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
Effectiveness of prolotherapy in the treatment of chronic rotator cuff lesions