Prolotherapy in Ocala

Prolotherapy is a cutting-edge form of regenerative medicine that is leading the way in helping to treat both acute and chronic injuries, as well as difficult-to-resolve joint pain. You can benefit from prolotherapy in Ocala if you have arthritis, a torn ligament, tendonitis, a bulging disc, or pain in any susceptible area such as your neck, lower back, knee or shoulder.

Prolotherapy uses your body's own platelets (PRP, or platelet-rich plasma) and growth factors to heal damaged tissues naturally. Through utilizing glucose and increasing collagen production to re-create your body's own natural healing process, prolotherapy is considered one of the most advanced forms of regenerative medicine available today for the repairing of damaged tissue fibers and joints.

Prolotherapy is one of the new secrets from pro athletes, helping them to bounce back from frequent injuries and ongoing wear-and-tear. Want to know how Kobe Bryant came back from what should have been a career ending Achilles tendon tear at 38 years old? He received prolotherapy treatments, as did Peyton Manning.

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What is in the Solution That is Injected?

Prolotherapy injections contain natural substances that stimulate the healing response, as well as local anesthetic agents to help with the pain of the injection. Traditional formulas include ingredients such as dextrose, saline, sarapin and procaine or lidocaine. In the last several years newer formulas include Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and autologous (from the same person) adult stem cell sources, typically taken from bone marrow or adipose (fat) tissue. Each treating physician tailors the selection of the appropriate formula according to the patient's need.

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Is the Prolotherapy Treatment Painful?

Any pain involving an injection will vary according to the structure or joint treated, the choice of solution, and the skill of the physician administering the injection. The treatment may result in a temporary increase in pain with mild swelling and stiffness. The discomfort usually passes fairly quickly and can also be reduced with pain relievers such as Tylenol or other prescribed medication. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are not recommended for pain relief because their action suppresses the desired inflammatory healing process produced by the prolotherapy injections.

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Can Prolotherapy Help Everyone?

Each patient must be evaluated thoroughly with patient history, physical exam and radiological or ultrasound exam. When indicated, laboratory work, should be ordered or evaluated prior to treatment. With this information, your physician can evaluate your potential success with this therapy. Success depends on factors which include the history of damage to the patient, the patient's overall health and ability to heal, and any underlying nutritional or other deficiencies that would impede the healing process. In appropriate patients, prolotherapy has a high success rate.

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How Often Do I Need These Treatments?

Treatment intervals vary depending on the specific problem and severity of the area being treated, as well as the protocol of the physician. Typical intervals between treatment are every three to six weeks, with an average interval of once a month, for a total of four to six treatments. However this can vary and may be more frequent, or take longer, depending on the condition being treated.

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What's the Rate Of Success in Treatment for Prolotherapy?

The anticipated rate of success depends on a number of variables, including the patient's history and ability to heal, and the type of solution used. In patients with low back pain, studies have shown a 85% to 95% of patients experience improvement with prolotherapy (compared to studies showing a 52% improvement with back surgery). Many studies done over the years show a high success rate when prolotherapy is used for various ligament, tendon or joint pain/injuries.

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Who Can Benefit From Prolotherapy Most?

Stem cell therapies are suited for people with:

• Chronic ligament and tendon injuries, pains, sprains or strains
• Chronic back pain or neck pain
• Joint pain caused by osteoarthritis (especially arthritis of the knee and back)
• Bursitis
• Weakness and instability that lasts for more than six weeks and is tied to muscle or joint pain
• Degenerative knee cartilage
• Frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injuries
• Chronic elbow tendonosis (tennis elbow)
• Plantar fasciitis
• People who take pain-reducing medications frequently (including Advil, aspirin, ibuprofen, oral steroids) but don't feel their condition is getting better
• Those who fail to feel better after having corrective surgery
• People who have tried physical therapy but still experience pain and stiffness
• Anyone having trouble exercising, sleeping or moving normally without experiencing joint pain and limitations

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Call our team at Integrative Healthcare & Physical Medicine, Ocala at (352) 369-6325 today to schedule an appointment.