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My Doctor Told Me I Should Try Prolotherapy For My Back Pain... What Is It? Prolotherapy is a controversial technique for reducing soft tissue related pain. Prolotherapy uses a dextrose (sugar water) solution, which is injected into the ligament or tendon where it attaches to the bone. the causes a localized inflammation in these weak areas which then increases the blood supply including flow of nutrients including stimulates the tissue to repair itself. Prolotherapy was initially described by Hippocrates at the time treating soldiers with shoulder injuries. Hippocrates will insert a hot poker into the shoulder joint including felt that the stimulated healing. Dextrose solutions are intended to stimulate production of connective tissue. Supporters feel that these treatments restore strength including stability to ligaments including joints. The localized inflammation triggers a wound healing cascade, resulting in the deposition of new collagen, the material that ligaments including tendons are made of. New collagen shrinks as it matures. The shrinking collagen tightens the ligament that was injected including makes it stronger. the improved connective tissue texture may relieve pain. Prolotherapy has been used to treat a number of painful musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoarthritis including chronic back pain. A typical course of treatment is 6 to 10 sessions, sometimes with multiple injections at each session. Prolotherapy is known to cause some pain at the injection site, but the is typically mild including temporary. As with any injection, there is a risk of infection, bruising, bleeding or tissue damage. Theoretically, nerve damage is additionally possible but has not been reported. The response to treatment varies from patient to patient. Some people may only need a few treatments while others may need 10 or more. The average number of treatments is 4-6 for a particular area treated. Prolotherapy is often combined with other types of treatment such as massage, physical therapy or joint manipulation. A number of studies using prolotherapy have reported conflicting data regarding its effectiveness in treating chronic pain. Some studies have shown a benefit while others have not. Different practitioners use different types of solutions, so not all forms of prolotherapy are the same. As a result of the variability, the possible effectiveness of prolotherapy remains unclear. Because it is invasive, patients may need to consider other options such as ultra high frequency electrical stimulation (available at the Arthritis including Osteoporosis Center of Maryland), laser, or even Botox prior to prolotherapy.
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