Prolotherapy
When anatomical structures like ligaments and tendons become too loose, they become weaker and do not protect joints from being dislocated or injured.
Prolotherapy is done in order to boost joint stability, improve biomechanics, performance and decrease pain in ligament or tendon attachments.
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Go to sourceWhile prolotherapy has been around since roman times, in 1950, Doctor George S. Hackett began injecting chemical irritants into muscle tissue. Hackett, MD eventually coined the commonly used term “prolotherapy” in “The rehabilitation of an incompetent structure by the generation of new cellular tissue.”
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Academic textbook
Backed by various research articles
Written for professionals
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Academic textbook
Backed by various research articles
Written for professionals
Go to sourcePatients commonly seek prolotherapy for:
Prolotherapy in Scottsdale
- Common. (Typically lasts up to 1 week)
- Post-injection pain
[3]or numbness
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Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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Go to source - Stiffness
[3]
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Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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Internationally recognized journal
Go to source - swelling
- Minor bruising
[3]
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Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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Internationally recognized journal
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- Post-injection pain
- Rare.
- Infection (1 in 1000 to 1 in 10,000 injections)
- Bleeding
Prolotherapy is an outpatient procedure; so, you won’t need to stay overnight.
Corticosteroids, NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, Motrin or Aleve, blood thinning herbs, supplements or vitamins can interfere with Prolotherapy; so, patients will need to stop taking them for at least 5 days before.
If you are taking oral steroids, or anti-inflammatories for certain conditions, consult with your physician about stopping them or about the results while still taking them.
Make sure to eat a breakfast rich in protein before your treatment.
During the initial visit, your physician will go through an examination as well as look at any imaging you may have such as x-rays or MRIs in order to determine if prolotherapy is an option for the location and problem. The skin is sterilized with rubbing alcohol or a similar solution before the prolotherapy injection.
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Backed by various research articles
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Go to sourcePatients often ask, “how bad does prolotherapy hurt?”
There is some brief pain associated with prolotherapy due to the area previously being injured. During the injection, there will be some pain when the physician uses the needle to touch the bone in the area. This is to ensure safety by checking to make sure the needle is not on a nerve bundle, in an organ or a blood vessel. It is normal for the muscles in the area to twitch or spasm.
Patients are monitored in office for 20 to 30 minutes after the procedure in order to make sure there are no reactions to the medicine, the injection and can be released.
Make sure to keep the area clean and dry (no showering), and leave the bandage on for 12-24 hours.
Strenuous Activities should be avoided for a minimum of 2 days. After 2 days, move the body part treated though its full range of motion. There will be an accompanying soreness with movement, this is normal and expected.
Please wait 2 weeks before resuming medications that were stopped prior to Prolotherapy.
Tylenol or tramadol can be used for pain as needed but do not exceed 3,000 mg a day.
Smoking and alcoholic beverages should be avoided for a week, caffeine should be limited.
For any additional questions, please call the office.
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Clinical Medicine Insights: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders
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Internationally recognized journal
Go to sourceIn order to back up the information in our articles, Arizona Chiropractic & Holistic Health Center exclusively cites high-quality sources such as peer-reviewed research. We strive to provide accurate, dependable, and trustworthy content based on the best evidence avaliable.
- Saboowala, H. (2020). “What is Prolotherapy?” Technique, Mechanism of Action, Effectiveness, Medical Uses, Adverse Events etc. (Kindle Edition) [E-book]. Dr.Hakim Saboowala. ASIN: B08LL1KW2X
- Hackett, GS (1956). Ligament and tendon relaxation treated by prolotherapy. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. ISBN-13: 978-0398050665
- Dagenais, S., Ogunseitan, O., Haldeman, S., Wooley, J. R., & Newcomb, R. L. (2006). Side Effects and Adverse Events Related to Intraligamentous Injection of Sclerosing Solutions (Prolotherapy) for Back and Neck Pain: A Survey of Practitioners. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87(7), 909–913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2006.03.017
- Hauser, R. A., Lackner, J. B., Steilen-Matias, D., & Harris, D. K. (2016). A Systematic Review of Dextrose Prolotherapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Clinical Medicine Insights: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders, 9, CMAMD.S39160. https://doi.org/10.4137/cmamd.s39160