Prolotherapy

The majority of joint pain is a result of injury or wear and tear to ligaments that surround and hold the joint together. Think of ligaments as rubber bands, once stretched beyond their limit, they either tear or remain overstretched. Not only does laxity in ligaments cause pain, but it creates joint instability which if left unaddressed contributes to joint degeneration. Ligaments do not possess a good blood supply therefore healing is often slow and incomplete resulting in the chronicity of joint pain.

Prolotherapy which has been referred to as non-surgical reconstruction of ligaments and tendons treats the cause of such joint pain. This is achieved by injection of a proliferant solution most commonly dextrose, which stimulates an immune response in the area being treated. This causes a local inflammatory response that leads to tissue regeneration and repair of the injured ligaments and tendons. We have been programmed to view inflammation as a negative response from the body which should be suppressed. However, inflammation exists as part of the healing process. When we overly suppress inflammation, we are in fact slowing down and preventing the healing process from taking place. Prolotherapy reignites this healing process.