Chronic joint and muscle pain and ligament damage are some of the most common medical issues people face. Doctors usually recommend invasive surgical procedures for such chronic and acute medical conditions. However, a non-surgical procedure called prolotherapy has shown promise when it comes to helping treat these conditions.
Prolotherapy is an alternative injection treatment that is used to help with relieving joint and muscle pain. During therapy, a small amount of irritant is injected into your sore muscle or joint. The injection solution is a combination of dextrose and lidocaine.
Proponents of prolotherapy claim that your body will identify the irritant and send immune cells, as well as other chemicals, to that area, activating your body’s natural healing abilities and helping with pain relief. This whole process plays a role in helping repair damaged soft tissues in your muscle or joint area, such as nerves, muscle tissue, blood vessels, etc. Prolotherapy is sometimes called regenerative injection therapy or proliferation therapy.
In this article, we will discuss the amazing benefits of prolotherapy that you probably didn’t know about. Take a look.
1. It is a non-surgical treatment option
The most remarkable benefit of prolotherapy is that it is helpful in relieving pain symptoms without surgical intervention. It relies on the body’s healing abilities instead of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicines that provide temporary relief. In addition, many people feel frightened even at the mention of surgical treatments. Surgical treatments are risky, and they do not always promise the desired results.
Prolotherapy can help with treating problems such as pain, which may be caused by conditions including arthritis, sports injuries, osteoarthritis, TMJ pain, and more. If the thought of surgery scares you and you’re looking for a solution, prolotherapy is an option. Most people notice an improvement in pain after 1 to 5 treatments, with a gap of 3 weeks between each treatment. In addition, the treatment is fairly painless.
2. High success rates
Before considering any treatment option, one of the major concerns of every patient is whether or not the treatment will be effective. The most compelling reason to consider prolotherapy non-surgical treatment is its high success rates. Prolotherapy has shown promise, especially for cases that are the result of ligament and tendon damage, such as arthritis, knee instability, etc.
A study was conducted in 2015 to determine the therapeutic efficacy of dextrose prolotherapy injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). During the study, 3 dextrose prolotherapy injections were given to 24 knee OA patients at 4-week intervals. A substantial improvement was seen in pain and other symptoms.
Furthermore, another review in 2016 concluded that dextrose prolotherapy is an effective treatment for pain and other symptoms associated with conditions like knee and finger joint OA, spinal and pelvic issues, tendinopathies, and more. Some studies suggest a 50% improvement in pain relief of 80-90% of all patients.
3. Strengthened joints and improved mobility
One major consequence of weak joints and joint pain is limited mobility and reduced stability. People avoid walking or moving unnecessarily if it causes them pain. Proponents of prolotherapy claim that the injections stimulate the body to make new collagen fibers which are laid down within the substance of the ligaments. They suggest that the solution injected provokes inflammation and subsequent stimulation of fibroblasts to make new collagen fibers, leading to thicker and healthier collagen fibers. As a result, they claim it strengthens and tightens the ligaments, provides stability to the spine and joints, and helps the joint to move properly.
Advocates of prolotherapy injections suggest that they are helpful in taking the pressure off the joints of your bones, which can help improve joint functioning. After prolotherapy treatment, some people may notice a decrease in joint, tendon, and ligament pain symptoms. Proponents also claim that prolotherapy can also help the body repair and regenerate the damaged cartilage, resulting in improved mobility and functioning.
4. Healing and regrowth of new tissues
According to prolotherapy experts, the injected solution used in the treatment creates a controlled and intentional irritation in the tissue at the injection site. They suggest that this response gives a boost to your body’s natural regenerative capabilities. The benefit of prolotherapy, then, is that it helps your body heal on its own instead of being dependent on surgery and medications for pain relief.
Moreover, in this way, proponents claim that the inflammatory response induced after a prolotherapy session stimulates increased blood flow and the growth of new tissues. The growth of new tissues allows your body to repair the damaged and weakened areas in your joints and around the ligaments and tendons. You can also go for prolotherapy treatment in case of injury.
5. Minimal downtime
Prolotherapy is an outpatient treatment option, meaning that it does not require hospitalization. Each session takes about 30-60 minutes to complete. After your prolotherapy session, you can walk or drive back home on your own. Prolotherapy treatment requires little to no downtime. You can easily do your daily life activities without any restrictions. You can also get back to work as soon as you feel ready. However, you may experience some form of localized soreness and discomfort, but these are mild and temporary symptoms.
Prolotherapy is not only an effective treatment but also a convenient option for those who cannot take many days off from work or have responsibilities to fulfill.
Conclusion
If you are suffering from pain that could be caused by an injury or chronic conditions like arthritis, TMJ, chronic sprains, or disc/facet issues, prolotherapy can help. Prolotherapy has shown promise when it comes to helping treat painful symptoms. On top of that, it is a non-surgical treatment, which means it is almost painless. Therefore, if you are struggling with pain and looking for a treatment option, speak to a doctor and consider prolotherapy.