Prolotherapy is an injection procedure developed in the USA to treat pain in the musculoskeletal system. The doctor injects a 20 percent glucose solution into the painful area. The small inflammation at the injection site stimulates natural cell growth and leads to healing.
Below you will find further information and selected specialists for prolotherapy.
Cells are constantly renewing themselves in the human body. They die and new ones grow back. The natural rate of cell renewal is particularly high in children and constantly decreases in adults. If cells no longer renew at a sufficient rate, this leads to health problems. A clear example of this is the delayed healing of wounds in older patients.
The therapeutic aim of such processes is to accelerate natural cell growth in order to bring about 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 relates primarily to the tissue around the joints.
Proliferation therapy consists of injections with glucose solution. Glucose is a simple sugar that occurs naturally in the human body. The 20% glucose solution used in proliferation therapy contains a higher concentration than is normally found in the body.
The glucose solution creates minimal inflammation at the injection site, which the body combats by creating new cells.
Stimulating cell growth by injecting glucose places very little stress on the body. Glucose is easier to break down than most drugs. This is why patients and doctors prefer proliferation therapy to conventional treatment (cortisone injections).
Proliferation therapy is used wherever joints are unstable due to a decline or injury. It is mainly used for cartilage and ligaments that have become thin and are not stable enough to support the joint.
Joint instability leads to chronic pain and blockages.
Patients most frequently choose proliferation therapy for the following conditions:
Prolotherapy is a regenerative procedure for the treatment of pain caused by weakened joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves @ HENADZY /AdobeStockExtensive examinations are necessary before proliferation therapy. An experienced doctor identifies a damaged tissue structure by palpation. Simple functional tests are used.
He moves the joint in question to determine how far 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 illness.
Once the preliminary examinations have been completed, the result can also be confirmed: if the pain subsides after the injection of a painkiller at the site in question, the tissue is correctly localized.
Proliferation therapy now begins. Every week or so, the patient receives injections of glucose solution at the previously determined site. Up to six injections are usually administered during one treatment.
In most cases, pain occurs 24 to 48 hours after the glucose injections. The pain is caused by the deliberately induced localized inflammation, which stimulates the growth of new cells.
Patients may take a painkiller. However, it is important that the medication does not contain any anti-inflammatory agents. As the cell-stimulating reaction affects blood clotting at the site of the injection, anticoagulants should be avoided. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetylsalicylic acid are not recommended.
The treated joint itself should be protected after the injection, but should not be kept still. Moderate exercise, preferably under the expert guidance of a physiotherapist, is helpful.
The glucose solution used in proliferation therapy is familiar to the human body. Therefore, there are no allergic reactions or intolerances, but not to the local anesthetic.
Reactions that can occur in connection with injections are possible:
Proliferation therapy is an experimental therapy that has been practiced by doctors in the USA for longer than in Europe. To date, there is no scientifically proven prognosis for the success of the treatment. According to patient opinions, the desired improvement was achieved in around 90 percent of patients in the USA.
If you have problems with painful joints, ligaments and tendons, prolotherapy may be the right solution for you.
Conventional treatment often consists of taking painkillers, which have no healing effect. They do not solve the problem. Many doctors also combine this with cortisone with all its known side effects.
Prolotherapy is a gentle alternative that achieves lasting improvement. Prolotherapy is not suitable for tissue structures that are located in a place where an injection is risky. Such points would be directly on the spine.
Your therapist will discuss these questions with you in detail. If the risk seems too great, he or she will advise you against proliferation therapy.
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