Prolotherapy Injections in Chapel Hill NC
What is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is a type of “regenerative therapy” that helps strengthen joints and relieve pain. Sometimes when the body is injured, the healing process completes before the injury is healed. The patient is left with a joint that is painful, unstable, and weaker than before the injury. Sometimes, osteopathic manipulation is insufficient to resolve these areas, whereas prolotherapy can help restart the healing process so the body can finish what it started when the injury first occurred.
The Benefits of Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy helps heal tissues by stimulating muscle and joint repair. The solutions used in prolotherapy create irritation, which triggers the body to start the healing process. The result is an increase in strength and thickness of the joint structures along with stabilization. Instability is a common cause of joint pain, which is why prolotherapy can help relieve pain. Pain is often caused by weak or damaged connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, cartilage), most of which are found in and around joints. Connective tissue can become weakened or damaged in a variety of ways, such as repetitive movement or through degeneration associated with aging.
Prolotherapy injections can be used on most joints such as the jaw, shoulder, knee, back, sacrum, wrists, and ankles. The complete process usually takes between 4-6 injections done four weeks apart to maximize the healing effects. While some patients experience relief after the first injection, others may require the full regimen. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cells are coming more in vogue; however, studies show that traditional solutions work about as well as these newer injections. Overall, prolotherapy has been found to be as effective or better than similar injection therapies such as steroid injections and hyaluronic acid injections.
The procedure is well-tolerated. But because the injection is irritating to the area being treated, post-injection soreness is typically present for 2-3 days. This can be longer or shorter depending on the individual and area being treated. Patients are discouraged from using NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen during the first two weeks after the injection, as these medications can affect the body’s healing process. Ice and Tylenol are preferred for post-injection soreness.
Returning to Normal Activity After Prolotherapy
A common question is when can you return to activity after having prolotherapy injections. Typically, patients are able to return to activity immediately following their injection. Follow-ups are scheduled to ensure that proper healing is taking place and to monitor the progression of recovery.
For more information about prolotherapy injections and treatments as well as how it can be beneficial for your body, be sure to contact us today!