Prolotherapy and Platelet-Rich Plasma
Prolotherapy and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) are injection techniques used to stimulate the body’s regenerative abilities and help decrease joint and muscle pain.
Prolotherapy uses injections of a dextrose solution to an area of irritation, pain or injury. The solution is an irritant to the tissues; as such, the body reacts by increasing circulation to the area and bringing new growth factors to aide in rebuilding the tissue. When injected into the tissues surrounding a joint, this increase in tissue strength helps to stabilize and strengthen the joint, resulting in less pain.
When your injury requires more than prolotherapy, your physician may recommend platelet-rich plasma injections. Rather than using a dextrose solution, platelet-rich plasma introduces the patient’s own blood plasma, processed to concentrate the platelets and associate growth factors, to the area of injury. Originally used in dental work, and widely used in orthopedic medicine to stimulate tissue healing of bone, tendon, ligament and cartilage, PRP initiates the growth and regeneration of tissue wherever it is injected.
Conditions that respond well to prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma:
- Osteoarthritis
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Pain during exercise or sports
- Old joint injuries which did not heal fully
- Sprained ankles
- Acute injuries (ex. post-MVA)
- Torn tissues
- Joint pain that causes day-to-day discomfort
Prolotherapy and PRP work by restarting the inflammatory process.
These injections generate irritation at the site of injury, which in turn signals the body’s healing response to refocus its attention back to that area. The result is that tissues your body once considered “good enough” gets a second, third, and maybe even fourth healing action. This healing work, in turn, will strengthen ligaments, tendons, and joint capsules, resulting in improved stability and decreased pain.
If you are limited by an old or new injury or chronic joint pain and are ready to regain pain-free living, then this might be the treatment for you!
Click here for a downloadable brochure on prolotherapy
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