shoulder prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is an injection therapy where dextrose solution is introduced into a slow or non-healing injury site. This commonly includes the knee or shoulder. It has been a popular choice among Olympic athletes for decades. They often prefer it over more conventional surgical repair, which comes with extended recovery times. Although conventional medicine has shunned prolotherapy for a long time, the science is catching up with the therapy.
A brand new study just published in the journal Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research, compared prolotherapy to conventional physical therapy for treating chronic rotator cuff tears. In the study, 60 patients received physical therapy, while 60 received prolotherapy. Patients were monitored for at least 1 year. At the final follow-up, 93% of the patients receiving prolotherapy reported a good to excellent outcome. This was compared to only 57% of the physical therapy group.
According to Dr. Strauchman, medical director of the Natural Wellness & Pain Relief Center, “most of these types of chronic problems in adult patients, stem from a lack of the injured tissue to heal completely. This is due to lack of blood flow to the injured tissue. Prolotherapy causes a direct, localized inflammatory response, which helps the body produce scar tissue. This ultimately heals the injured or torn tissue. Once healing is complete, the chronic inflammation resolves due to the fact the the injury has healed.”
Prolotherapy Procedure
Prolotherapy treatment can vary by injury. However, it is commonly administered once every other week until the patient achieves an 80% improvement. Home exercises are often given to complement and strengthen the tissue repair process. The cost is also typically far less than a usual course of physical therapy.
For more information on prolotherapy, visit Dr. Strauchman’s website at nwprc.com, or visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/nwprc. You can also contact their office administrator, Stacy Henson, at 810-694-3576.
