Home : What Is Prolotherapy?  Monday, January 05, 2009

Webster's New International Dictionary defines Prolotherapy as follows: The rehabilitation of an incompetent structure such as a ligament or a tendon, by the induced proliferation of new cells. What is it? Joint Reconstruction Therapy (Prolotherapy) is a series of injections done over several weeks which aids the body in repairing itself. It involves injecting a mild irritant into the affected area to force the body into an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is the body’s healing response. How does it work? Inflammation is our body’s natural remedy to an injury bringing with it increased blood flow and repairing the damage that occurred. When tendons and ligaments are either stretched or injured they can cause pain. Our tendons and ligaments have less blood flow to them than other areas of the body; so as a result, often their healing is incomplete. With Prolotherapy, a mild irritant and lidocaine are injected into the ligaments and tendons. This causes a cascade effect in the healing process that strengthens, thickens and tightens the loose ligaments and tendons. How long has this treatment been around? In ancient Greece Hippocrates used a technique on soldiers with torn or dislocated shoulders in which they endured a hot poker thrust into the joint, which resulted in a miraculous healing of the body by itself. The roots of Prolotherapy, as it is practiced today, dates back to the 1920s. In the 1950’s Dr. George S. Hackett, M.D did many of his own studies and brought this technique to mainstream medicine. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D had his own personal experience of pain relief due to Prolotherapy. As a result, he was so impressed with the results that he began to offer this treatment to his own patients. Today there are increasing numbers of physicians and patients seeking better answers for joint and spine pain without the use of surgery or relying solely on medication. Many people and doctors have still not heard of this treatment due to a lack of advertising and financial incentives for larger corporations. There are many articles published on this type of treatment including "The Mayo Clinic", "Lancet" and "Spine" medical journals. Today the treatment is rapidly gaining popularity.

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