Prolotherapy in San Diego

If you are suffering from chronic joint pain, a torn ligament, strained muscle, or other connective tissue ailments, prolotherapy may be able to provide relief. This all-natural alternative therapy has been around since the 1930’s. Prolotherapy has helped numerous patients regain strength and mobility.

What Is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy (also referred to as Proliferative Therapy or Regenerative Injection Therapy) is a non-surgical regenerative therapy. During treatment an irritant solution containing natural ingredients combined with a numbing agent are injected into the soft tissues at the site of a patient’s pain. These injections stimulate the body’s natural healing response, which helps repair damaged tissue, alleviate pain, and restore stability to injured joints.

What Does Prolotherapy Treat?

Because Prolotherapy stimulates the growth of new tissue, it can be used to treat several different ailments and conditions. Some chronic conditions this therapy can treat or reduce symptoms of include:

Tendonitis
Pain syndromes
Degenerative Disc Disease
Osteoarthritis

Prolotherapy is considered an alternative therapy and is a significantly less invasive option compared to certain surgeries, such as a knee or hip replacement surgery. Doctors sometimes prescribe prolotherapy in conjunction with platelet-rich-plasma therapy, stem cell therapy, and/or medications.

Prolotherapy for Joint Pain

Prolotherapy is most commonly used to treat injured joints, ligaments, and tendons. The healing response that happens within the body as a result of prolotherapy begins to build new tissue, which increases joint stability, and ultimately reduces pain. Over time, prolotherapy increases the strength of the joint being treated. Prolotherapy can be used on the back, hips, knees, ankles, wrists, feet, hands, and arms.

Prolotherapy for Knee Pain

Research has shown that prolotherapy can improve joint function and stiffness, as well as reduce pain symptoms in patients suffering from osteoarthritis in the knee. Prolotherapy can also be used to treat meniscal tears.

Prolotherapy for Shoulder and Back Pain

Prolotherapy is an effective treatment for a myriad of shoulder and back ailments including:

Low Back Pain
Upper Back Pain
Rotator Cuff Injuries or Tears
Muscle Sprains
Acromioclavicular Joint Separation (AC Separation)
Arthritis

Prolotherapy for Tennis Elbow

Sports medicine research found that prolotherapy effectively decreased pain caused by tennis elbow and improved elbow joint strength. These results were maintained at least 52 weeks after patients began treatments.

Who Can Benefit from Prolotherapy?

If you suffer from one of the ailments mentioned above, or are experiencing joint pain of any kind, prolotherapy may be able to help. It is important to consult your doctor and discuss your unique medical history before beginning this or any new treatments.

What Should I Expect During Prolotherapy?

The number of injections, frequency of treatments, and overall therapy regimen varies depending on the condition/area being treated and the severity of symptoms. Both before and after receiving prolotherapy injections you will need to stop taking anti-inflammatory medications and supplements including ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, turmeric, and fish oil. You’ll also want to avoid smoking, icing swollen areas, and anything that hinders the body’s natural healing process. It’s important to eat a healthy diet while undergoing prolotherapy, so that your body gets the vitamins, nutrients, and proteins it requires to build new tissue and repair damage.

On the day of prolotherapy treatment, your doctor will need to be able to access your pain site, so wearing comfortable, nonrestrictive clothing is helpful. For example, if you are receiving injections for knee pain, you may want to wear athletic shorts or loose fitting sweatpants that can be easily rolled up. Prolotherapy injections contain several natural ingredients including dextrose (simple sugar derived from plants), saline (saltwater), and a local anesthetic (such as lidocaine).

The injections may be painful at first, but discomfort should subside quickly once the anesthetic begins to take effect. A topical anesthetic may also be applied to minimize any initial pain. Once the injections have been administered, there will be some inflammation or swelling that occurs at the injection site. This is normal and is a sign that your body is responding appropriately. Your doctor will provide a post-care treatment guide, including exercise or physical therapy, to stimulate healing and increase blood flow to the treatment area.

Prolotherapy in San Diego