Ruptures and sprains – a common problem among young people and the elderly. Tendon injuries can happen anywhere: at the gym, on a morning jog, in a fall, in an accident. Also, they often appear due to diseases. Such injuries lead to weakening of the tendons and ligaments, as a result of which the rhythm of a person’s life is also disturbed: he becomes less mobile, and severe pain in the joints does not allow him to sleep normally at night. Prolotherapy can help in this case – a unique technique that aims to treat with the help of artificial inflammation. It sounds paradoxical, but the results are colossal. What is the essence of the technique and to whom it suits – this article will tell you the Internet publication estet-portal.com.
Prolotherapy: the essence of the technique and treatment
Not all methods of treatment of joints help. This is why prolotherapy was invented. It is a type of therapy that involves the activation of the body's forces in order to independently restore weakened and injured ligaments.
What is the essence of the method? Everything is very simple: the doctor, with the help of an injection, injects an irritating substance into the area of weakened ligaments and tendons, which leads to a slight inflammation. Due to such minor damage, the cells begin to actively divide, as a result of which the connective tissue grows, which strengthens the ligaments along with the tendons. Therefore, severe pain disappears and mobility is restored.
For the first time, the idea of irritating damaged tissues in order to heal them began to be used back in the days of the Roman Empire. Then the wounded gladiators were treated by introducing hot needles into the body. And modern prolotherapy with injections was developed by the American surgeon George S. Hackett in the 1950s. Since then, the popularity of the technique has spread around the world.
Why exactly with the help of inflammation is this effect achieved? As Dr. Hackett explained, ligaments naturally have a poor blood supply and require little oxygen. For this reason, they cannot fully recover on their own. Therefore, according to the surgeon, it is necessary to increase blood flow to the affected area by artificial inflammation. This event leads to the formation of scar tissue, which shrinks with aging and corresponds to the tissues of the ligaments. As a result, the damaged ligament becomes thicker and shorter, which will not allow external influences to further stretch it.
What irritants are injected with
The usual methods of treating joints include all kinds of ointments and tablets. They perfectly relieve pain and inflammation, but not all diseases are relieved. Indeed, in some means there are components that act only at the initial stage of the problem. And as for prolotherapy, it is able to cope with any problem of the musculoskeletal system.
The irritants used to cause inflammation are administered locally, rather than being distributed throughout the body, concentrating their action on the diseased area.
The following irritants are used to restore joint health:
• Chemicals. Often among the methods of treating joints, injections with tannic acids and phenols are used. Such chemical compounds lead to an inflammatory process and at the same time promote the production of collagen. Typically, such components are administered together with an anesthetic.
• Osmotic agents (glycerol, glucose) – such substances dehydrate the cells. And the lack of life-giving moisture leads to an inflammatory process.
• Microparticles. In prolotherapy, a solution with microparticles of pumice powder is often used. The body perceives them as foreign bodies and begins to remove them. Along with this, the growth of connective tissue and the production of collagen occur.
Who is suitable for treatment with modern methods
Prolotherapy is not accidentally called an effective method of joint treatment. After all, it saves a person from any pathologies.
This treatment is suitable for those who suffer:
• fracture;
• sprain;
• pain in the back and neck;
• knee injury;
• arthrosis;
• tendonitis (tennis elbow);
• arthritis;
• heel spurs;
• frozen shoulder syndrome.
Despite the fact that the treatment is quite long (up to several months), joint treatment methods with the help of injections help strengthen the tendon tissues. However, there is another side of the coin – the likelihood of side effects. There may be an allergy to the administered drug. In addition, there have been cases where the injection caused pain and slight bleeding. Also, along with the injection, an infection can be introduced or a nerve can be damaged. But this is often the fault of the doctor himself, who is not very competent in his field.
After treatment, a person can confidently return to their normal life, that is, work, play sports and other active activities.
Read also: Prolotherapy - a new remedy for chronic pain
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