Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a cutting edge treatment that uses a natural dextrose solution to create an irritant in a joint capsule or damaged tendon to help the body heal the area faster. Dr. George Hackett formalized the practice in 1950 originally to help with the laxity of tendons after injury. Prolotherapy is a highly specialized treatment that requires extra training and skills. Prolo is great for joint pain and degeneration, bone-on-bone conditions, and overall chronically inflamed joints. Prolo is also highly sought after for tendonitis and torn or previously damaged tendons. Because tendons have very little blood flow in them, it makes it difficult to treat. After injury or incidences like childbirth, tendons become lax and lose their ability to help stabilize. Think of prolo as a super Medical Acupuncture treatment. The time it takes to get a prolo treatment is very little, most areas take about 15 minutes and are only a few sites of injections, but plan on being at our clinic for about 30 minutes for this service. Typically, a person can expect to receive at least three prolo sessions before they start to get relief, and typically up to eight sessions are recommended for one area of pain. Because prolo requires your body immense healing work, it is highly advised against doing any exercise or physical activity for a week after the injection. Light activity can resume after, but strengthening of that area should be avoided strictly for at least 3 weeks after the first injection.

Who might be a good candidate for this service?

Anyone with a previously damaged ligament or tendon who still suffers from instability problems (rolled ankles, shoulder instability, SI joints that won’t stay in place, biceps tendonitis, elbow tendonitis, wrist sprain, or diastasis recti (abdomen muscle tear).

People who have been diagnosed with arthritis in a joint, bone-on-bone, runners/jumpers knee, chondromalacia patella, any other joint inflammation.

We cannot do prolo for patients in an area who have a joint replacement.

Please also note, that after the procedure you might be sore, but it is contraindicated to take any NSAIDs or COX2 inhibitors three days after your injection. These are anti-inflammatories that include advil, motrin, aleve, celebrex, turmeric, ginger, rosemary, green tea extract, boswellia. Tylenol might be safe after prolo. We also cannot do prolo in the same area as cortisone within 2 months.

Typically a prolo injection is given every three weeks until you’ve reached your treatment plan sessions.