An Alternative to Surgery
Did you know you don't have to suffer with chronic knee pain? Have you torn your ACL and don't want to go through surgery? Have you considered looking for an alternative to knee surgery?
What is Prolotherapy used for? Prolotherapy may be your answer not only to pain relief but cure. Chronic knee pain, torn ligaments, damaged knee (from cortisone, NSAIDS, and antibiotics such as Cipro), and osteoarthritis of the knee can be effectively treated with prolotherapy.
The Injury Process Any type of injury, whether repetitive or sudden, causes minute tears in the ligaments. Ligaments are like tight elastic bands which keep the joint stable. As you continue to walk on an injured knee, the ligaments continue to tear further resulting in more pain. The muscles then try to compensate for the partially or fully torn ligaments by tightening up. The muscle spasm causes further pain. The key to resolving the pain is to heal the ligaments in order to stabilize the joints. The muscles then relax and pain diminishes.
What is Prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is the only treatment available currently that heals and repairs torn ligaments without surgery. Prolotherapy is a highly effective 'nutritive' injection technique used to treat joint pain and injuries. Also known as Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT), prolotherapy induces
growth hormone factors to the area of injury. These growth hormone
factors stimulate the body's natural healing process to repair and heal
ligaments and tendons. The result is a significant reduction of pain and inflammation, and a stabilization of weak and unstable joints.
What does Prolotherapy do? Prolotherapy does not suppress pain nor weaken ligaments. Cortisone, which leads
to further degeneration, is not used ; instead, a combination of dextrose, procaine, homeopathic medicines, B-vitamins and growth factor stimulants are used to strengthen and help regenerate cartilage. Sometimes, the person's own blood platelets (which contain high amounts of growth factors) are used in the injection. This is known as PRP (platelet rich plasma).
Hundreds of studies have been performed using prolotherapy. A most recent study at Boston Children's Hospital found PRP prolotherapy to be more effective than arthroscopic surgery in treating ACL tears in children. So yes, prolotherapy can be used on both adults and children safely.
How often do I need Prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is usually performed once a month on a particular joint for several months for complete resolution of ligament tears, arthritis pain and joint instability. Your pain may significantly improve even after the first injection.
Next time, your orthopedic surgeon recommends surgery, you may want to consider prolotherapy first.
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