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When one of these
skiers, Scott Schultz, first came to see me, he complained of pain in the
back,
shoulder and neck - common complaints for a water skier. Additionally,
Scott was a barefooter. The extreme torque from this technique, combined with
occasional hard falls, was clearly responsible for his suffering. I had to
admire his tenacity and his passion for the sport. However, Scott wasn't
willing to quit skiing. As he said at our first meeting, "The pain
impairs my ability to ski and have fun at the same time, so I wear a lot of
extra ski equipment to hold my body together."
When I first examined
Scott, he was suffering from a number of torn and stretched
ligaments and
tendons throughout his upper back, neck and one shoulder. He was not
optimistic in the beginning. He had explored too many other avenues of
therapy, including recommendations for surgery, without relief. But after our
first treatment, there was a gleam of hope in his eyes. The day after the
first treatment, he was barefoot water skiing and the pain was already
reduced.
After we completed
Scott's program, he sent the clinic a letter in which he stated, "The
results were astounding. I am able to perform better on the water. The crashes
no longer put me in a position where I cannot move my neck without the help of
someone else. My shoulder and back became stronger and more sturdy, enabling
me to concentrate more on the skiing and less on the pain. The treatments are
quick and easy and never kept me down." How The Therapy Works
Reconstructive
therapy, also known as prolotherapy or sclerotherapy, is an injection
technique which stimulates the body's own healing capability to regrow
ligaments and tendons and thereby restore function to injured joints. The
problem with joint injuries is that the supporting tissues-the ligaments,
tendons, disc and
cartilage - do not receive adequate blood flow. A deep cut
to a finger, for example, heals quickly and naturally because it gets
plentiful blood supply. This is not the case with the joints.
Ligaments are
supporting tissues - fibrous bands, similar to Ace bandages but tougher - that
connect articulating, or jointed, bones. The ligaments actually hold joints
together -- cushioning them from direct contact, often in conjunction with
cartilage or disc -- while limiting the joint's range of motion. Tendons
connect muscles to bones, enabling movement of the joint.
If the ligaments
become loose because of injury, repeated motion, or wear and tear, the
individual develops a loose joint that does not function properly and slips
out of place easily. Every time the joint moves, it is painful. This can
eventually lead to more serious conditions, such as
Osteoarthritis, which
results from bones rubbing directly against bones.
Stretched or torn
ligaments and tendons generally do not heal on their own because they lack the
influx of good blood supply present in other areas of the body, such as the
skin. The body is capable of performing far beyond the parameters for which it
was designed. However, routine "unnatural" activities such as
repeatedly being towed across a water surface at high speeds, stress the
ligaments and tendons to a degree that the body cannot always easily or
completely repair these tissues.
With reconstructive
therapy, a physician uses a very thin needle, similar to those used in
acupuncture, to inject a solution into the damaged ligaments and tendons
surrounding a joint. The solution is a combination of a natural proliferant (a
substance that irritates the tissue) and local anesthetic, and provides a
biochemical stimulus to the area. Inducing
Inflammation, it triggers the
body's natural healing mechanism. The swelling causes more blood to flow to
the area, which produces new
collagen to rebuild the tissue within and around
the joint. Light exercises - not barefooting, please - cause the new tissue to
align correctly with the joint.
The result is that
the treated joint is stronger than the original joint, providing more support
and strength - as mentioned by Scott in his letter - and lowering the
potential of future injury. Two studies performed by the Department of
Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Iowa-one published in the Journal of
Orthopedic Research and one published in Connective Tissue Research - show
that both ligaments and tendons can increase up to 40 percent in strength and
size with this therapy. Exercise alone cannot do this.
Results of
double-blind studies - in which neither the physician nor the patients knew
which patients were getting the proliferant -were published in The Lancet, one
of the most prestigious medical journals. These studies show that 88 percent
of patients treated with reconstructive therapy improve. Typically, when a
patient does not improve with the therapy, there are one or more existing
conditions that inhibit the body's healing process, such as a hidden infection
or the use of cortisone.
Reconstructive
therapy normally requires between 12 and 30 treatments, although it can go
more quickly depending on the individual and the severity of the damaged
joint. Treatments are normally given once a week, with accelerated programs
available for patients who have to travel to reach a therapist. Who Does Reconstructive Therapy?
Reconstructive
therapy is a relatively new treatment for chronic joint pain. Its development
started in the 1920s. In 1956, Dr. George Stuart Hackett published a book on
his successes from injecting a proliferating agent into torn vertebral
ligaments for the treatment of lower
back pain. Dr. Hackett's work was the
turning point for the therapy. The medical community is not noted for its rapid assimilation of therapies that require hands-on training, as this one does. Regardless of that, this therapy is becoming known and used at a relatively rapid pace. Presently, there are approximately 250 doctors who can administer reconstructive therapy across the country. This number is growing as more medical schools, like the University of California at San Diego, continue to research and publish the favorable results. As an economical and less risky alternative to surgery, reconstructive therapy not only gives lasting relief from pain, it also aids in preventing future injury and increases energy and endurance. Its potential to improve the quality, safety and competitiveness of all active sports is profound. This is becoming recognized gradually as the results demonstrate this potential for athletes.
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Getprolo.com cannot guarantee the accuracy of any resources or information from or about the physicians listed on this website. The opinions and statements in this website DO NOT necessarily reflect the opinions of the physician members of the getprolo.com referral network and are those of the article author only. A medical testimonial is intended to represent that everyone will obtain the same favorable results from a given therapy. Getprolo.com disclaims any such intention.
Prolotherapy is a medical
technique. As with any medical technique, results will vary among
individuals.
Prolotherapy may not work for you and as with all medical
procedures there are risks involved. These risks should be discussed with a qualified
health care professional prior to any treatment.
This site is operated by Beulah Land Corporation. |
I
have been using reconstructive therapy (prolotherapy, sclerotherapy) for over 25
years. Dr. Faber's book, "Pain, Pain Go Away", is a must for anyone
with a chronic unresolved joint problems. Patients have repeatedly told me it
described their problems and answered questions as well as told them where to
find treatment. It was like a personal consultation. This book is the best
source of information for the public.