Joint injuries are very common, and unfortunately can lead to chronic pain and mobility limitations.  We often wonder why an injury can take so long to heal, or what can be done to speed up the recovery process.  Tendons and ligaments can take a while to heal due to the fact that they contain limited blood flow and circulation, which for some, means long-lasting pain and recurrent chronic symptoms. Prolotherapy targets these sites specifically, bringing about repair and regeneration to the tendons and ligaments. This process can resolve up to 90% of the pain a person may have been experiencing, given an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Prolotherapy is an injection procedure used to treat connective tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system that have not healed by either rest or other nonsurgical therapies. The injections promote a healing response in small tears and weakened tissue, with the goal of alleviating pain and restoring mobility and function. 

An accurate diagnosis requires specific identification of the “trouble” areas, where the connective tissue, tendons or ligaments may have been damaged.  The treatment is usually an injection of dextrose and an anesthetic into the tissue.  The dextrose leads to a normal inflammatory response: generating increased blood flow into the ligament or tendon and temporarily increasing pain, but ultimately restoring the body’s healing process.

Prolotherapy is used for pain management and treatment of numerous conditions. Almost all joints in the body can be successfully treated with prolotherapy if the situation warrants it.  If you are living with chronic joint pain, make an appointment at Polo Health + Longevity Center to see if this is a beneficial treatment is for you.  Relief can be achieved within a few days of treatment; however, most people can expect to have three or more treatments before complete pain relief is achieved.   A follow-up treatment is usually scheduled for between one to three weeks after the initial appointment, but the process is not fully complete until six weeks after the final treatment.