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WHY LIGAMENTS DO NOT HEAL ON THEIR OWN
Alvin Stein, M.D. FACS
Prolotherapists agree that ligaments that are degenerated and laxed are
a source of significant skeletomuscular pain.
These ligaments hold bones in place so that they do not move
inappropriately. If ligaments deteriorate, and become laxed, the bones,
that are supposed to be held in place, shift inappropriately, and the
body perceives this shift as if it is coming apart, and we experience
pain that lets us know there is a problem.
The question is: Why does the body not recognize the deteriorated or
laxed ligaments as an area that requires healing by the body on its own?
When we get a cut on our skin, or we injure a muscle, blood supply from
that area creates sufficient
Inflammation in the injured area to alert
the body’s defense force, and healing forces rush in and start to heal
the area.
Ligaments have very little blood supply because they do not need any
major blood supply. Ligaments are static structures. That is they do
their job of holding bones in place by being there. They do not have to
contract the way a muscle contracts. They do not need a major blood
supply.
When the ligaments deteriorate, it usually comes in small pieces
breaking apart or stretching out. This type of minor deterioration does
not send out a signal to the body to alert the healing forces to come to
the aid of that ligament. We need blood supply and irritation or
inflammation to alert the body to heal an injury.
Since this does not happen in ligaments, it is necessary for an
alternative method to be employed to get the body to repair these
ligaments.
Prolotherapy offers this alternative method. It creates a bruise or
localized injury to the ligamentous tissue that is damaged. The body
responds by increasing the blood supply to the area, sending in cells,
enzymes, and substances to remove the damaged tissue. This promotes the
deposit of new collagen, which matures into the new ligament tissue or
tendon tissue, which is needed for the repair. Mother Nature described
this healing process and it is as basic as basic science can be. The
process of wound healing is described in the basic physiology textbooks.
Prolotherapy seeks to engage Mother Nature in this healing process that
enables our bodies to heal with a little well directed guidance.
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