Prolotherapy

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is an injection technique to stimulate the growth of healthy, strong connective tissue to help eliminate many chronic painful conditions. “Prolo” is short for proliferation, which means the growth or formation of cells. The treatment helps to strengthen weakened tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue structures.

When sprains or strains occur, the joint becomes unstable which causes pain. Not only is there local pain at these sites, but referred pain to sites that are often quite distant from the original injury.

Traditional treatments for injuries include ice, rest, and anti-inflammatory medication which helps relieve the pain, but does nothing for damaged tissue. Due to the poor blood supply, these structures do not heal well and continue to be loose, causing further pain and resulting in a chronically weakened joints that are easily re-injured. Prolotherapy helps strengthen the weakened tissues and reduce pain.

How Does Prolotherapy Work?

Prolotherapy causes proliferation of fibroblasts (a type of cell that forms connective tissue) resulting in the strengthening of stretched or weakened ligaments and tendons. The solution most veterinarians use for injection includes Dextrose, lidocaine or procaine and Vitamin B12 (in humans, some practitioners also include Sarapin, an extract of the pitcher plant, or sodium morhuate, an extract of cod liver oil).

The solution acts as an irritant which triggers inflammation and helps stimulate the healing process through the growth of healthier tissue. With stronger tendons and ligaments for support, pain decreases.

What Happens After a Treatment?

After the prolotherapy solution is injected, there is a 2 to 4 day period of inflammation as the area is infiltrated with white blood cells. Your pet may be more sore during this period and need additional analgesics to provide comfort. The treated tissue moves into a strengthening and healing phase for the next 4 to 5 weeks. Once this healing period is complete, your pet can be re-evaluated for joint laxity and pain - if needed, the treatment is repeated.

How Long Does Treatment Last?

Patients are generally treated with prolo once a month for 3 to 6 treatments. Because prolotherapy relies on inducing inflammation which leads to healing, the patient cannot take NSAIDs, Prednisone or strong anti-inflammatory supplements (ginger, curcumin) while being treated with prolotherapy. For pain control, we have the other kinds of pain medications we can use.

How Can Prolotherapy Help My Pet?

Common injuries which respond well to prolotherapy include:

• Cranial cruciate injury “ACL tears” (partial or complete tears)

• Luxating patellas

• Hip dysplasia

• Chronic spinal pain
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Prolotherapy is most effective where there hasn't been a lot of degenerative joint disease. In these cases the pain is more likely due to chronic joint inflammation and bone spurs rather than simply a loose joint.