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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.
Prolotherapy, a treatment that
relies on the body's own healing process to eliminate pain, is not among
the traditionally accepted modes of pain therapy. The conventional and
prevailing model of pain management relies on
anti-inflammatory drugs and
cortisone injections, a course of
therapies that has provided little in the way of comfort for
chronic pain sufferers
and whose long term use has been warned against by many medical organizations.
In fact, many traditional pain specialists are discouraging the chronic use of
drugs, as they may be detrimental to the patient by adding to depression,
increasing pain, and producing other side effects such as gastrointestinal
bleeding and ulcers.
The current vogue among traditional pain
therapists is to recommend a combination of aspirin or ibuprofen, bed rest, and
small amounts of muscle relaxants over a short time. To that, some clinicians
add massage, manipulative or physical therapy. These treatments provide some
relief, but do not cure the underlying problem.
If
these therapies prove ineffective and pain persists, a full neurological
examination may be necessary, including an x-ray of the spinal cord called a
myelogram, to check for ruptured discs or other sources of pressure on the
spinal cord or nerves. If damage is found, surgery may be recommended, although
surgery is not a guarantee of pain alleviation. Even with such poor results,
modern medicine continues to search for drugs, devices and surgical procedures
to eliminate chronic pain.
Why Does Prolotherapy Work?
Developed in the 1940's by
Dr.
George Hackett, Prolotherapy stimulates the body to repair painful areas.
Its effectiveness is wide-ranging and includes pain associated with: the back,
the
neck, all joints throughout the
body, arthritis,
migraines,
fibromyalgia,
sciatica, herniated discs, and
TMJ.
Most neck, back and other musculoskeletal pain is due to weakness of
ligaments and
tendons. Since ligaments and tendons are the
connective tissue that hold our muscles
to bone, and bone to bone, both must be taut and strong.
Back pain results when weak ligaments and tendons cause the spine to
become "unstable." Vertebrae begin to slip, move and rotate from their
proper position, causing pressure on the nerves. Limited results in pain
alleviation may be achieved with cortisone and other anti-inflammatory agents
but these do not address the cause of the pain. Temporary pain suppression is
not a cure for the underlying problem: ligament and tendon weakness. Advocates
of the technique say Prolotherapy is the long-term solution to chronic pain
because it strengthens the ligaments and tendons so they can move the vertebrae
back into their proper places.
Prolotherapy involves the
injection of an "irritant" solution (something as simple as a sugar or salt
solution, cod liver oil or corn extract) into the area where the ligaments have
either been weakened or damaged through injury. The injection is given at the
point where the ligament connects to the bone. With this injection, the
prolotherapist causes the body to heal itself through the process of
inflammation.
When an irritant is introduced, at the site of injury, the immune system is
summoned to the area. The body begins a healing process exactly where the
painful area is located. New fibrous tissue is laid, repairing and strengthening
the ligaments so that they can pull the vertebrae back where they belong and
alleviate pain.
Prolotherapy treatment sessions are generally given every four to six
weeks to allow time for the growth of the new connective tissue.
Patients usually require four to six treatment sessions for complete recovery,
some experience more immediate results.
Harold Wilkinson, M.D. professor and former chairman of the Division of
Neurosurgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, performed a 16
year Prolotherapy study culminating in 1995. In his report, Dr.
Wilkinson states that it was noteworthy that "a sizeable portion of people with
unresolved chronic pain had more than a years pain relief with only one
Prolotherapy injection." While these results were obtained with a single
injection, most Prolotherapy sessions involve multiple injections given in each
session.
Standard medical and surgical procedures cannot match Prolotherapys 80-90%
effectiveness in eliminating chronic pain, nor can standard medicine match the
relative low cost of treatment. Prolotherapy treatments can range from $100-200,
where a typical surgical procedure may cost up to ten times that amount!
Why is Prolotherapy unknown?
The position taken by the American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine (AAOM),
says that the teaching of Prolotherapy is suppressed in medical schools and
residency training programs because there are organizations who have a vested
interest in continuing traditional treatment methods (surgery and drug
therapies).
Prolotherapy has been shown to be equally effective at eliminating the pain of
such conditions as arthritis, migraines, tension
headaches,
sports injuries, fibromyalgia, loose joints, TMJ Syndrome, tendinitis, sciatica,
herniated discs and degenerated joints.
There are currently only about 300 physicians who practice Prolotherapy in the
United States. With the recent rise in popularity, however, this number is
expected to multiply greatly within the next few years.
Another Prolotherapy Endorsement
"Ten years ago I was skeptical regarding Prolotherapy...I had heard the
testimonials and I had spoken to senior physicians. I thought it was
professional mass confusion until I developed my own experience. I was surprised
about positive and lasting results on selected patients. In my practice today, I
routinely utilize Prolotherapy for management of mechanical lower back pain
discomfort and various sports-related injuries.
Prolotherapy is the only methodology I have ever utilized with limited risk yet
potential for significant benefit. As a practitioner of Prolotherapy I encourage
athletes and chronic pain patients with chronic soft tissue injuries to consider
Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is a secret that needs to be discovered."
Lloyd R. Saberski, M.D. Former Medical Director
Yale University School of Medicine Center for Pain Management.
Introduction to Prolotherapy
Why Get Prolotherapy? Donna Alderman, D.O.
What is Prolotherapy?
Alvin
Stein, M.D.
Introduction to Prolotherapy
Ross
Hauser, M.D.
How
Safe Is Prolotherapy? Ross
Hauser, M.D.
The
Importance of an Experienced Prolotherapist Ross
Hauser, M.D.
Non-Surgical
Tendon, Ligament and Joint Reconstruction William J. Faber, D.O.
How Does Prolotherapy Work? Marc
Darrow, M.D.
When Prolotherapy May Not Work David Harris, M.D.
Twenty
Common Questions About Prolotherapy
David
Harris, M.D.
The History of Prolotherapy Ross
Hauser, M.D.
Curing Chronic Pain with Prolotherapy Scott
Greenberg, M.D.
Why So Many Turn To Prolotherapy
David Harris, M.D.
Prolotherapy
and Chronic Pain Ross Hauser, M.D.
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.
Growth Factor Basis of
Prolotherapy
David Harris, M.D.
What
Does It Take To Heal Connective Tissue?
Dave
Harris, M.D.
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