Prolotherapy - Specialists and Information

Cells in the human body are constantly renewing themselves. They die off, and new ones grow to replace them. The natural rate of cell renewal is particularly high in children and steadily decreases in adults. If cells no longer renew themselves at a sufficient rate, this leads to health problems. A clear example is delayed wound healing in older patients.

The therapeutic goal in such cases is to accelerate natural cell growth in order to promote the healing of tissue damage. This is the focus of proliferation therapy. The term “proliferation” refers to the formation of new cells. In proliferation therapy, the targeted growth of new cells primarily focuses on the tissue surrounding the joints.

Proliferation therapy consists of injections of a glucose solution. Glucose is a simple sugar that occurs naturally in the human body. The 20-percent glucose solution used in proliferation therapy contains a higher concentration than is normally found in the body. 

The glucose solution causes minimal inflammation at the injection site, which the body combats by producing new cells.

Stimulating cell growth by injecting glucose places very little strain on the body. Glucose is broken down more easily than most medications. For this reason, patients and doctors prefer proliferation therapy to conventional treatment (cortisone injections).

Proliferation therapy is used wherever joints are unstable due to degeneration or injury. It is primarily used for thinned cartilage and ligaments that are not stable enough to provide support to the joint. 

This joint instability leads to chronic pain and joint locking. 

Patients most commonly choose proliferation therapy for the following conditions:

• Fibromyalgia
• Tendon problems such as tennis elbow or Achilles tendonitis
• Painful joints associated with osteoarthritis
• Conditions affecting the cervical and lumbar spine
• Various types of back pain
• Headaches resulting from neck problems
• Consequences of injuries
• Age-related wear and tear of all joints, and its prevention
• Whiplash
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Prolotherapy is a regenerative procedure for treating pain caused by weakened joints, tendons, ligaments, and nerves @ HENADZY /AdobeStock

Thorough examinations are necessary before prolotherapy. An experienced physician identifies damaged tissue structure through palpation. Simple functional tests are performed.

During this process, the physician moves the affected joint to determine the extent to which mobility deviates from normal. Mobility may be restricted or excessive.

In some cases, further examinations using imaging techniques such as X-rays or MRI are necessary. These are often used to rule out other causes of the condition. 

Once the preliminary examinations are complete, the findings can be further confirmed: If the pain subsides after an injection of a pain reliever at the affected site, the tissue has been correctly localized.

Proliferation therapy then begins. At intervals of about one week, the patient receives injections of a glucose solution at the previously identified site. Up to six injections are typically administered as part of a course of treatment.

In most cases, pain sets in 24 to 48 hours after the glucose injections. The pain stems from the intentionally induced, locally confined inflammation, which stimulates the growth of new cells.

Patients may take pain medication. However, it is important that the medication does not contain any anti-inflammatory ingredients. Since the cell-stimulating reaction affects blood clotting at the injection site, anticoagulants should be avoided. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetylsalicylic acid are not recommended.

The treated joint itself should be treated gently after the injection, but not kept completely still. Moderate movement, preferably under the expert guidance of a physical therapist, is helpful.

The glucose solution used in proliferation therapy is naturally present in the human body. Therefore, allergic reactions or intolerances do not occur—though this does not apply to the locally acting anesthetic. 

Reactions associated with injections may occur, such as:

• Local infections at the injection site
• Bleeding
• Injury to surrounding tissue

Proliferation therapy is an experimental treatment that doctors in the U.S. have been practicing for longer than in Europe. To date, there is no scientifically validated prognosis regarding the success of the treatment. According to patient reports, approximately 90 percent of patients in the U.S. experienced the desired improvement.

If you have problems with painful joints, ligaments, and tendons, prolotherapy may be the right solution for you. 

Conventional treatment often involves taking painkillers, which have no healing effect. They do not solve the problem. In addition, many doctors combine cortisone with all its known side effects.

Prolotherapy is a gentle alternative that achieves lasting improvement. Prolotherapy is not suitable for tissue structures located in areas where an injection carries a high risk. Such areas would include locations directly adjacent to the spine. 

Your therapist will discuss these issues with you in detail. If the risk appears too great, he or she will advise against prolotherapy.