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Prolotherapy Frequently Asked Questions

What's prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is therapy in which the body is stimulated by various methods to lay down more normal collagen in ligament, tendon or fascia.  This 'new' tissue supports the normal function of the already established tissues.

Why does someone need prolotherapy?

People need prolotherapy when a ligament or tendon becomes weak from an injury or even just the normal aging process.

What are some examples of the kinds of things that benefit from prolotherapy?

  • Pain from old sprains and strains
  • Joints afflicted by arthritis
  • Ligamentous/joint laxity
  • Not holding 'adjustments' or manipulative treatments
  • Degenerative diseases of the spine/musculoskeletal system

How does prolotherapy work?

At our ABODE we perform 2 kinds of prolotherapy treatments.  The first is done with acupuncture needles.  The needles are inserted into the ligament and a moxa ball, a rolled up ball of Chinese herb, is placed on the end of the needle that is out of the body.  The moxa ball is then lit on fire.  It projects heat down the needle to where it's implanted, as well as radiating heat to the surrounding skin with enough strength to penetrate and warm the nearby muscles and tissues. 

The second kind of prolotherapy done at our ABODE is the injection of 12.5% dextrose.  The dextrose, a type of sugar, is in a higher dose than is normally found in the body.

Both of these approaches make the body think that it is undergoing an injury.  The result is that the body is stimulated to heal itself.  Part of the healing process is the laying down of new collagen.  This new collagen helps improve the strength of the tissues and tightens up the joint so that it is more supported.

How long does the treatment take?

The treatments usually take about 5-15 minutes of office time.  The healing takes a total of 6 weeks.  There may be some increased discomfort during the first 24 to 96 hours.  Because of our choice to use the least harmful agents possible the discomfort is usually over within the first 24 hours.  Some people feel better right away and then just continue to feel better and better.  However, at 2-4 weeks there is usually a period at which many people feel like they are back to square one.  This is actually a normal part of the healing process.  At 4-6 weeks the tissue actually start to strengthen and tighten up.  As the tissue heals the pain usually just fades away.  Based upon my personal experience and upon most studies done on prolotherapy this treatment may have to be repeated up to 4 times for the results to continuous.