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Introduction
to Prolotherapy
Why
Get Prolotherapy?
Donna Alderman, D.O.
When you become a physician, you take the Hippocratic Oath. The first
rule of the Hippocratic Oath is "First of all, do no harm." This is why
Prolotherapy appealed to me as a physician. I was a doctor at a famous
HMO. After learning Prolotherapy, however, I went into private practice.
What is Prolotherapy?
Alvin
Stein, M.D.
Prolotherapy is also
known as non-surgical ligament reconstruction, and is a permanent treatment
for chronic pain. Prolotherapy is derived from the Latin word "proli"
which means to regenerate or rebuild. It is important to
understand what the word PROLOTHERAPY itself means. "Prolo" is short
for proliferation, because the treatment causes the proliferation (growth,
formation) of new ligament tissue in areas where it has become weak.
10
Tips to Determine if You Are A
Good Prolotherapy Candidate
Pain simply put is just the
body’s response telling you that you have some tissue that is
breaking down. The same thing happens to an athlete who is in the
heat of competition. When the muscles start hurting, it is just a
sign that you are working really hard. It also reveals that tissue
is breaking down, which is especially important to those who are
athletes. The goal of Prolotherapy is to build the tissue back up.
Introduction to Prolotherapy
Ross
Hauser, M.D.
Prolotherapy is a
simple, natural technique that stimulates the body to repair the painful
area when the natural healing process needs a little assistance.
How
Safe Is Prolotherapy?
Ross
Hauser, M.D.
In now over four decades, no serious side effects from Prolotherapy have
been reported in the medical literature despite millions of Prolotherapy
treatments given.
Prolotherapy is not
dangerous, Prolotherapy cures
chronic pain.
The
Importance of an Experienced Prolotherapist Ross
Hauser, M.D.
Because of the numerous calls we receive, we have a good idea, (the
good, the bad, and the ugly) about what is happening with Prolotherapy around the country. Remember that not all Prolotherapists are created
equal and the proof is some of the things our patients have told us and what we have heard from other physicians.
Non-Surgical
Tendon, Ligament and Joint Reconstruction William J. Faber, D.O.
In acute injuries, the ligaments and
tendons become torn. Ligaments function to limit the range of motion
that bones can move between each other, and function to stabilize joints
and hold the joint together. Tendons function to attach a muscle to bone
in order to provide motion. Discs and cartilage serve to absorb shock
and keep the bones from rubbing against one another. If the ligaments
become torn or over-stretched the joint becomes unstable and resultant
friction causes the discs or cartilage to become worn down causing a
loss of height.
How Does Prolotherapy Work? Marc
Darrow, M.D.
The term "Prolotherapy" is short for "proliferation therapy." Proliferation, of
course, means "rapid production."
What Prolotherapy rapidly produces is collagen and cartilage.
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in the body that is a necessary
element for the formation of new
connective tissue—the tissues that holds our
skeletal infrastructure together. These tissues include, tendons, ligaments,
muscle fascia and joint capsular tissue.
When
Prolotherapy May Not Work David Harris, M.D.
Prolotherapy is effective in
markedly reducing or curing musculoskeletal pain 80-90% of the time. Many
end-stage medical problems are worth a trial of prolotherapy, especially if the
only alternative is a destructive or permanent alteration of a joint, such as a
surgical fusion or the destruction of a nerve. The greater the anatomical
injury, the more difficult it is resolving the problem.
Twenty
Common Questions About Prolotherapy
David
Harris, M.D.
The
History of Prolotherapy Ross
Hauser, M.D.
The concept of Prolotherapy originated in the
non-surgical treatment of hernias, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids, all
conditions which are due to connective tissue weakness. If the
connective tissue in the veins becomes weakened, hemorrhoids and
varicose veins form. Weakness in the collagen, of course, causes
ligament laxity and tendon degeneration with resultant chronic pain.
Curing
Chronic Pain with Prolotherapy Scott
Greenberg, M.D.
Have you ever suffered from chronic
musculoskeletal pain? If you have, you are not alone. Statistically
speaking, 75% of Americans will experience chronic back pain in their
lifetime. Unfortunately, a stressful and active lifestyle may not give
our body the chance it deserves to heal.
Why
So Many Turn To Prolotherapy
David Harris, M.D.
The conventional model of pain
management relies on medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs,
antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, opiates such as Vicodin and Codiene,
“muscle-relaxant” medications related to Valium (which actually act as
“brain-relaxants”), and other potentially addictive and risky
medications.
Prolotherapy
and Chronic Pain Ross Hauser, M.D.
It is not a secret that chronic musculoskeletal pain is the number one cause of
chronic disability in North America. Nor is it a secret that chronic back pain
is the leading cause of disability in Americans under the age of 45. What is a
secret is that this rampaging epidemic of pain can conceivably be eliminated in
80-90% of sufferers.
Peripheral Joints
& Prolotherapy
Jay W. Nielsen, M.D.
Orthopedic Medicine: A
Non-Surgical Approach to Chronic Pain Lawrence
Cohen, M.D.
The Difference
Between Prolotherapy, Trigger Points, and Acupuncture Marc Darrow,
M.D.J.D.
Prolotherapy: Creating
Inflammation in an Area that is Already Inflamed Marc Darrow,
M.D.J.D.
Our bones and muscles are held together by the aptly named connective tissue.
Connective tissues are
ligaments,
which connect bone to bone, and tendons, which connect the bones to muscles. It
is also the fascia covering muscles and the joint capsule tissue.
Growth Factor Basis of
Prolotherapy
David Harris, M.D.
For many years, the positive effects of Prolotherapy were
thought to be mainly based on the concept of inflammation and minor damage
induced by the injection of irritating
solutions, with subsequent healing of the
injured areas. The benefit of solutions containing strong alcohol solutions,
ground-up pumice stone, and other such recipes suggest that this is indeed one
of the mechanisms of the strengthening and healing response seen with
Prolotherapy.
What
Does It Take To Heal Connective Tissue?
Dave
Harris, M.D.
Healing is a complex process. Many chemical reactions occur after an injury which together fight infection, clear away debris, and rebuild the damaged structure. Complex interplay occurs between nutrition, hormones, underlying disease, circulation, neurological connections, and many other factors. Many patients who do not heal their original injuries have deficiencies of some of these factors, or may have had such extensive injury that the result of healing was insufficient.
What Do You Mean The
Prolotherapy Worked, I Still Have Pain! Ross Hauser, M.D.
A patient came in for
his sixth Prolotherapy
visit. The nurse told me the patient didn't feel much improvement in his
knee pain,
though he had already received five Prolotherapy treatments.
Can Any Research Prove
That Prolotherapy Works? Ross Hauser, M.D.
Before double-blinded studies,
doctors would ask patients if they felt better. If patient after patient told
the physician they felt better, than it was presumed and accepted that the
therapy was effective. If it was a new therapy, then it was taught doctor to
doctor and eventually it was taught in medical schools. If this was still the
standard upon which medical therapies were judged, then clearly
Prolotherapy would be
taught in all the medical schools, but it is not. Why not?
What is the Proof
Prolotherapy is Working? Ross Hauser, M.D.
This is a common question asked by people just about to receive
Prolotherapy for the first time. Typically there are several variables
that are looked at to make sure the
Prolotherapy
is achieving the results the person desires.
The Healing Powers of Prolotherapy
Vladimir Djuric, M.D.
How Chronic Non-Joint Pain is Helped by
Prolotherapy
K.
Dean Reeves, M.D.
How
Does Prolotherapy Work? Mark Wheaton, M.D.
Prolotherapy works on a very simple principle: injecting the
prolotherapy solution at the sites of pain and weakness stimulates the
body's own healing mechanism to repair and rebuild injured tissue into a
stronger, more supportive, less painful tissue than it was before.
How
Prolotherapy Helps
Allen
Thomashefsky, MD, PC
Every
joint in the body is held together by a ligament. When ligaments tear
(we call this a "sprain") the joint can become unstable, like
in a sprained ankle. When ligaments tear around a vertebrae (i.e.
"whiplash"), the spine becomes unstable. You experience muscle
spasm because the muscles are trying to make up for the weakness in the
spine.
Prolotherapy
Stephen Blievernicht, MD FACS
What
is Prolotherapy-Indications and Contraindications
K.
Dean Reeves, M.D.
Prolotherapy is injection of any substance that acts as a ‘growth
factor,’ that is, which promotes growth of normal cells, tissues, or
organs. Injection of the hormone, erythropoietin, to produce red blood
cells is widely used, and a number of other substances have been used
for treatment of patients with various medical disorders. This
discussion focuses on prolotherapy for musculoskeletal disorders,
including arthritis and back pain.
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