The Ins and Outs of Prolotherapy

The Ins and Outs of Prolotherapy
Sufferers of joint and back pain often
experience severe disruption to the
quality of life and living. From missed
work to restricted mobility, the impact of
back and joint pain negatively influences
nearly every aspect of an individual’s life.
Although several medical interventions
already exist for treating joint and back
pain issues, one such treatment,
Prolotherapy, is receiving more significant
attention in the medical community. We spoke with leading Dallas Prolotherapy
doctors and gathered this following info for you.
Prolotherapy is a medical intervention that consists of injection a dextrose solution
designed to stimulate healing. In other words, prolotherapy is a procedure where a
natural irritant is injected into the soft tissue of an injured joint. Essentially, the
irritant kick-starts the body’s healing response in the affected area(s).
Medical professionals find prolotherapy most useful in the treatment of injured joints,
ligaments as well as back pain. It is also considered an Alternative Therapy. The
following areas of the body are also considered appropriate candidates for the
procedure:
• The knees.
• The hips.
• The shoulders.
• Other joints and ligaments.
History of Prolotherapy
The origins of prolotherapy weave back to the life and work of Dr. Earl Gedney, an
osteopathic physician and surgeon. In 1930, Dr. Gedney suffered a major impact on
his thumb, stretching the joint and causing acute pain and instability. His diagnosis
was even grimmer, with medical professionals at the time stating that his condition
could not be helped. Dr. Gedney, however, chose to be his own physician and looked
up a number of scholarly articles by herniologists. These doctors used irritants to
stimulate the repair of damaged tissues in a hernia. Dr. Gedney then adapted the

methodology to suit his needs and injected his injured thumb, eventually nursing it
back to health.
How does Prolotherapy work?
Prolotherapy carries out its task by causing a temporary, low-grade inflammation at
the injection site. This inflammation precipitates the activation of fibroblasts to the
area, which, in turn, synthesize precursors to mature collagen and thus
reinforce/repair connective tissues and ligaments. Research supports the theory that
directly exposing fibroblasts to growth factors facilitates the growth of new cell
tissues and the accumulation/deposition of collagen.
In this case, the injured joint experiences an increase in ligament thickening, a
broadening of the tendons and the strengthening of the damaged tendon or ligament.
For increased efficacy, medical professionals recommend administering several shots
at the site of the injured joint or weakened area. Expected dosages may range from 4
to 15 shots per session. In addition, the patient should expect several sessions to
occur over the course of 3 to 6 months.
Benefits of Prolotherapy
Supporters of the treatment look at the overall picture, which centers on not only
healing but increasing the strength of the joint or area. This improved sturdiness
augurs well for stability, movement, and function of the back and joints.
Prolotherapy is also hailed as a natural treatment course that works in conjunction
with the body to heal and repair itself.
Potential Side Effects
The most serious reported side effect of using Prolotherapy includes infection of the
site after injecting the dose. The infection may cause a fever and pain and is
treatable with antibiotics.
Another side effect concerns the temporary swelling of the treated area. Usually, this
swelling subsides as the joint repairs itself.
Opponents of Prolotherapy frown at the use of sugar in the treatment. Doctors
suggest that an accumulation of sugar in the affected areas could ultimately
weaken/damage the joints. However, research is ongoing to determine the veracity of
this claim.

If you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and would like to learn more about
Prolotherapy or to schedule and appointment, connect with Pegasus Pain Management
at PegasusPain.com today!