What Is a Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is a non-surgical technique that stimulates healing.
Prolotherapy is a safe, effective injection treatment, which provides increased strength in joints, ligaments and tendons by making new connective tissue. The injection technique is designed to stimulate healing in injured parts of your body that may be slow to heal or may not have healed completely.
Prolotherapy is a long-term solution rather than a temporary measure as it works to repair weak and painful areas.
How does Prolotherapy Work?
Prolotherapy works by causing a temporary, low-grade inflammation at the injection site, activating fibroblast to the area, which in turn synthesize precursors to mature collagen, therefore allowing reinforcement of connective tissue. It has been documented that exposure of fibroblast to growth factors causes new cell growth and collagen deposition.
The inflammatory factor of Prolotherapy raises the level of growth factors to resume or initiate new connective tissue repair.
Reasons for Prolotherapy
- Ligament Strain – Strained ligaments leave muscles and joints weak and unprotected leading to instability and muscle spasm. Ligaments also become strained if constantly overstretched. The use of prolotherapy has been shown to increase mobility. This is due to the stiffness being a protective muscle spasm, and once the pain from the ligament is released the muscle spasm goes.
- Tendonopathy – When tendons are overused they become painful and occasionally fail to heal. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) occurs when blood circulation is inadequate. The glucose in prolotherapy solution inhibits VEGF and allows the healing to occur more quickly.
- Neuropathic Pain – Pain can be due to injury to the nerves themselves. If there is restriction of nerve fibers of a nerve, the nutrients can’t flow down the fibers, so the nerve becomes painful and tender. Inflammation of the nerve causes inflammation in the soft tissue and joints, preventing healing. The glucose allows healing in the nerve itself and the tissues it supplies. It is done with very fine short needles as the nerves are cutaneous nerves, and close to the skin.
- Osteoarthritis – Ligaments are vital for joint stability. If strained or loose, the joint moves out of the track, causing the cartilage to become worn causing osteoarthritis. Prolotherapy involves treatment of the ligaments around the joint and usually an injection into the joint. In some cases it can also stimulate regrowth of the cartilages.