Prolotherapy (aka Regenerative Injection Therapy – RIT) is based on the premise that much of chronic musculoskeletal pain is caused by the degeneration of connective tissue secondary to both macro and micro trauma (major injuries and repetitive movement injuries). The tissues affected and targeted by treatment are ligaments, tendons and joints. The most commonly treated conditions are:

• Arthritis
• Tendonosis (chronic tendonitis)
• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Headaches
• Sports Injuries (rotator cuff tear, ACL tear, chronic ankle sprains, chronic shoulder dislocations, etc)

To understand how prolotherapy works, we must understand that chronic pain from tendons, ligaments, and joint surfaces is due to a degenerative process of these tissues, not an inflammatory process. We must also understand the process of normal healing from acute injuries.

Sprains (ligaments) and strains (tendons) are the stretching and potentially the partial tear of tissue. The majority of healing occurs in the first eight weeks after an injury during which time growth factors are elevated to stimulate growth. Next, the tissue is tightened and thickened. After this time, if healing is not complete, the injury and pain can become chronic, and subsequently the structure does not have sufficient tensile strength, or is too loose. In essence, these tissues turn form normal connective tissue into scar tissue. When this happens, the nerve receptors in those tendons and ligaments continue to fire pain signals. Stretched ligaments are no longer able to stabilize their corresponding joint which leads to muscle spasm and predisposition for the early-onset of arthritis later in life.

Arthritis similarly, is degeneration of joint surface tissue secondary to macro or micro trauma. The onset of arthritis is dependant on many factors, but injury definitely speeds up the process.

Conventional treatment of sprain/strain and arthritis is to mask the pain until the condition becomes bad enough to perform surgery. How can we reverse the degenerative process and heal the connective tissue? What we need to do is "trick" your body into thinking it has been re-injured without actually insulting the tissue.

Prolotherapy (also called "prolo") is the precise injection of a mild irritant solution directly on the site of the torn or stretched ligament or tendon which creates a mild, controlled inflammation that stimulates the body's natural healing mechanisms to lay down new collagen fibers on the weakened area. The previously stretched tendon or ligament goes through the same healing cascade as when first injured and is given a second chance to heal. Studies have been performed showing microscopic views of ligaments before and after prolo, and show prolo does in fact normalize tissue. Prolo is extremely safe, relatively inexpensive (compared to drugs and surgery), and compared to chronic pain is relatively painless.

The traditional treatment solution used in prolotherapy is a dextrose/procaine blend. In 2006 I incorporated the use of platelet rich plasma into my practice.

Please visit www.prolotherapy.org, the website of my colleague Dr. Hauser, to read more about prolotherapy. Call us at 801-582-3260 or email us for information regarding scheduling and fees.