Prolotherapy is a therapy that helps with pain and discomfort in your joints and soft tissue. It uses an injection that works directly at the site rather than altering the way you mentally perceive pain. Plus, prolotherapy is a non-addictive approach to pain relief.
General Information About Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy uses an injectable irritant at the site of your pain and discomfort. It works on joints and soft tissue. The solution consists of an irritant. Once it reaches the targeted area, the solution stimulates your body’s own healing powers to encourage your body to repair damaged and diseased tissue.
This particular treatment is different than PRP injections that use your body’s own growth factors. It also doesn’t work the same way corticosteroids and other similar injections work.
treatment specifically stimulates the release of growth factors. These growth factors help repair the tissue at the injection site.It consists of saline, dextrose, and saparin.
Dextrose is a sugar that your body makes naturally in the liver. Your cells require this sugar to carry out everyday functions.
What to Expect During a Prolotherapy Treatment
You can expect to be in the office for a maximum of 30 minutes for your treatment. When you first arrive, you’ll fill out a detailed medical history report. This helps a physician determine if the treatment is safe for you based on your medical conditions.
During the process, a physician will apply a local anesthetic to the injection site. This relieves most of the pain and discomfort of the needle.
After the injection, you remain in the office for about 15 minutes. A physician will ask you to apply a heating pad to the area.
Immediately following the procedure, you may go home.
Recovery Phase
Once you return home, you may experience swelling and stiffness. However, it’s usually mild. Prolotherapy shouldn’t cause severe pain, though. The swelling, bruising, stiffness, or discomfort could last for up to a week.
you happen to experience severe pain accompanied by a fever, you should seek out the assistance of your primary care physician. These could be an indication that you have an infection.
Generally, your practitioner will ask you to take it easy once you go home. You may resume your normal-day activities the following day.
Typically, your practitioner will recommend multiple treatments for you to experience optimal effects. On average, you can expect to have three to six rounds of the treatment. They’re usually spaced out and given every four weeks.
Prolotherapy could be a beneficial treatment if you an injury, arthritis, or another similar issue that causes you pain in your joints or soft tissue. It’s nonaddictive and uses a substance your body naturally makes to encourage healing.
