Tired of being injured? Chronic Joint Pain? Keep reading!
Prolotherapy, “Prolo” for short, is a successful injection treatment used to stimulate the repair of a damaged or injured joint, ligament or tendon. This treatment is also known as Regenerative Injection Therapy or RIT. It is used in musculoskeletal conditions for back pain relief, knee arthritis, or sports injuries to permanently fix the originating cause of the pain.
The physician promotes natural healing of tendons, ligaments and joints by means of injecting a proliferant that stimulates the body’s own wound-healing cascade by initiating micro-trauma. What that means is that the injections are causing small micro-injuries, much like what happens in muscle building. The subsequent result is an influx of wound repairing cells and activity, stimulating collagen and connective tissues to repair themselves. The new collagen fibres lay down on the injured tendon or ligament and contract over time, thus re-establishing the integrity of the previously injured or stretched ligament. The injections can include a variety of substances ranging from dextrose and procaine to fish oil derivatives, human growth hormone and stem cells. The proliferant used depends in part on the location and tissue being treated as well as physician preference and provincial or state laws.
Conditions that may benefit from Prolotherapy:
- Athletic injuries: ligament & tendon injuries, sprains, strains, tears
- Overuse injuries: golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, shoulder tendinitis & rotator cuff, achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel
- Low back pain: musculoskeletal tension, sciatica, arthritis, herniated and degenerative discs
- Arthritis pain: back, hip, knees, shoulders, hands, wrists, feet
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint disorders
- Weak, loose, unstable joints: hypermobility, subluxations, nerve impingement
- Whiplash injuries: neck, upper back, shoulders, low back
Typically, prolotherapy is required 3-6 times, although relief is often felt after the first or second treatment. For athletes and active individuals that find themselves chronically injured or have a ‘bad shoulder’ that holds you back, you may want to consider prolotherapy. Talk with Dr. Emina Jasarevic, ND at The Core Centre of Health during your initial visit to determine whether or not this treatment is suitable for you.
