Explore
Prolotherapy is an injection treatment used to relieve pain. Your healthcare provider will inject a small amount of an irritant into your body. Dextrose (sugar) solution is the most commonly injected irritant. Proponents of prolotherapy claim it relieves pain by jumpstarting your body’s natural healing abilities.
How is it done
Prolotherapy (Proliferative Therapy), also know as Non-Surgical Ligament and Tendon Reconstruction and Regenerative Joint Injection, is a recognized orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body’s healing processes to strengthen and repair injured and painful joints and connective tissue. It is based on the fact that when ligaments or tendons (connective tissue) …
What is prolotherapy and what is it used to treat?
Dec 26, 2020 · Prolotherapy, also called proliferation therapy, is an alternative medicine treatment used for musculoskeletal disorders. Since the 1950s, individuals with chronic pain have sought prolotherapy for the management of osteoarthritis symptoms , low back pain, and joint laxity.
What is prolotherapy and how does it work?
Prolotherapy is an alternative treatment for joint and muscle pain. It usually costs around $150 per injection and isn’t typically covered by insurance.
What is prolotherapy and is it dangerous?
Also known as proliferation therapy, Prolotherapy is a pain management technique that can treat degenerative or chronic injury to ligaments, tendons, muscle fascia and joint capsular tissue. It also can be effective for areas that are painful, but not …
Is prolotherapy a good surgery alternative?
May 28, 2020 · Prolotherapy is an alternative therapy that may help reduce pain and repair body tissues, for example, with osteoarthritis. However, not all experts recommend it.
What is prolotherapy and how does it work?
How does it work? Prolotherapy is an injection that contains a potential irritant, such as a dextrose solution. The irritant is thought to trigger the body's healing response. Once activated, the body will start to strengthen and repair damaged ligaments in the joint.Dec 17, 2017
What is the success rate of prolotherapy?
Reported success rates range from 80%-90% when performed by a physician trained in the prolotherapy procedure.
What are the side effects of prolotherapy?
Conclusions: Side effects related to prolotherapy for back and neck pain, such as temporary postinjection pain, stiffness, and bruising, are common and benign. Adverse events related to prolotherapy for back and neck pain are similar in nature to other widely used spinal injection procedures.
How many prolotherapy treatments are needed?
How many treatments do I need? The average patient requires three to six Prolotherapy treatments at 4-6 week intervals. Some patients require only 1-2 treatments to reach complete healing, which are typically younger patients or those who have sought Prolotherapy right away after an injury.
Can prolotherapy make you worse?
It is NORMAL to experience increased pain or soreness at the injection site(s) for up to a week or more. You may also notice swelling surrounding this same area. It is not uncommon to feel worse before you start feeling better. Bruising of the surrounding skin is also normal.
Does insurance pay for prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy doesn't have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and most insurance policies won't cover it. Depending on your treatment plan, you may need to pay $150 or more for each injection. The number of treatments will vary according to individual needs.
Who is a candidate for prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is most effective at treating joint injuries and conditions that cause pain. So any patient who has suffered a joint injury may be a good candidate. More specifically, prolotherapy may be right for you if you experience any of the following: Damaged or lost tissue, especially surrounding the joints.Apr 13, 2016
Is prolotherapy cortisone?
0:342:21Cortisone injection vs. Prolotherapy - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell then the joint further degenerates. Where that doesn't happen with Prolotherapy. ProlotherapyMoreWell then the joint further degenerates. Where that doesn't happen with Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy will only allow you to go running if the structure.
What is the cost of prolotherapy treatment?
Prolotherapy is an alternative treatment for joint and muscle pain. It usually costs around $150 per injection and isn't typically covered by insurance.Jun 12, 2021
How painful is prolotherapy?
Is Prolotherapy painful? While everyone's pain tolerances vary, patient's report a range of discomfort from mild to moderate with Prolotherapy injections. Small needles are used and in some cases a skin refrigerant may be used to “numb” the skin.
How long do prolotherapy injections last?
The injections are administered approximately 4-6 weeks apart, with an average number of 4-6 injections,. The typical time frame for a course of treatment is 4-6 months.
Can you walk after prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy Injections are quick and relatively painless. You may experience some mild irritation or swelling after the procedure, but that should dissipate within hours of the injections. After that you are free to walk, run, and sprint!Jun 22, 2016
What is the purpose of prolotherapy?
The purpose of prolotherapy is to promote the regeneration of damaged tissues. It is thought that injecting dextrose kills off cells and localized trauma occurs. Inflammation follows as the body responds to heal the damaged area.
What is prolotherapy for back pain?
Prolotherapy, also called proliferation therapy, is an alternative medicine treatment used for musculoskeletal disorders. Since the 1950s, individuals with chronic pain have sought prolotherapy for the management of osteoarthritis symptoms, low back pain, and joint laxity. 1 . By injecting a solution of dextrose (a natural sugar chemically ...
How long does it take for pain to go away after prolotherapy?
6 Rarely, patients may have some pain at the injection site that resolves within 72 hours.
Who is Anastasia Climan?
Anastasia, RDN, CD-N, is a writer and award-winning healthy lifestyle coach who specializes in transforming complex medical concepts into accessible health content. Learn about our editorial process. Anastasia Climan, RDN, CD-N.
What is the treatment for osteoarthritis?
Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is an alternative medicine injection of dextrose meant to treat osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. bymuratdeniz / iStock / Getty Images Plus.
Is prolotherapy safe?
While the risks of prolotherapy are usually small, there is always a risk of infection or side effects with injections. You'll want to be sure the clinic is using safe and sterile practices. Always let your doctor know about any alternative medicine treatments that you're doing.
Is prolotherapy a low risk procedure?
However, prolotherapy has the potential to make patients feel better and is generally a low-risk procedure. Aside from the financial cost, prolotherapy is an option that stands to benefit a number of patients, especially when used as part of an overall lifestyle plan to manage chronic pain.
What is the purpose of prolotherapy?
This process is meant to help repair any damaged soft tissue in your joint or muscle area, like nerves, blood vessels, and muscle tissue. Prolotherapy is an old practice that’s been around since the 1950s when a surgeon named George Halkett used it with his patients.
How much does prolotherapy cost?
Prolotherapy is an alternative treatment for joint and muscle pain. It usually costs around $150 per injection and isn’t typically covered by insurance.
Does collagen injection cause scarring?
The injection causes scarring where the collagen is broken down. The injection causes irritation to cells in a confined area by drying them out. . This process is said to cause inflammation and stimulate your body to heal, and people say it eases pain. .
What to do if you have osteoarthritis?
Have osteoarthritis. Have a sports injury . Talk to your doctor first, because there might be other, more effective treatments that have better research — like simple exercise, stretching, and rehab therapies. Your doctor might only consider prolotherapy if nothing else works.
Is prolotherapy safe for back pain?
Prolotherapy seems to be a safe treatment based on the limited research. None of the clinical trials for prolotherapy and low back pain show any serious side effects. Mild effects may include: Most doctors aren’t in favor of and don’t have formal training from medical school in this treatment.
What is prolotherapy?
Takeaway. Prolotherapy is an alternative therapy that may help repair body tissues. It’s also known as regenerative injection therapy or proliferation therapy. The concept of prolotherapy dates back thousands of years, according to experts in the field. There are different types of prolotherapy, but they all aim to stimulate ...
What are the side effects of prolotherapy?
bruising and swelling. infection. allergic reactions. Depending on the type of prolotherapy, less common adverse effects are: spinal headache. spinal cord or disk injury. nerve, ligament, or tendon damage. a collapsed lung, known as pneumothorax.
How long does it take to get a prolotherapy injection?
apply lidocaine cream to the injection site to reduce pain. inject the solution in the affected joint. The process should take around 30 minutes, including preparation, after you arrive at the facility.
Does prolotherapy help with knee pain?
Prolotherapy may provide some pain relief. In one study. Trusted Source. , 90 adults who had had painful OA of the knee for 3 months or more had either dextrose prolotherapy or saline injections plus exercise as a treatment. The participants had an initial injection plus further injections after 1, 5, and 9 weeks.
Is prolotherapy safe?
Prolotherapy is likely to be safe, as long as the practitioner has training and experience in these types of injections. However, there are risks involved with injecting substances into a joint. Possible adverse effects include: pain and stiffness. bleeding. bruising and swelling. infection. allergic reactions.
Does insurance cover prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy doesn’t have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and most insurance policies won’t cover it. Depending on your treatment plan, you may need to pay $150 or more for each injection. The number of treatments will vary according to individual needs.
What is a trusted source?
Trusted Source. injecting a solution containing irritants — a saline or dextrose solution — into a specific area where damage or injury has occurred. It could help: reduce pain and stiffness. improved strength, function, and mobility of the joint. increase the strength of ligaments and other tissues.
