Prolotherapy Basics (was: dislocating kneecap)

[Guest guest]

Well Ann, since you asked...

- Prolotherapy is the injection of an irritating solution (usually

some combination of dextrose and water) into the soft tissues of the

body to promote healing.

- The proliferant solution stimulates the body to dispatch

fibroblasts (healing cells) to the area to lay down new collagen

(structural protein) to repair the damaged tissues, tendons,

cartilage, or ligaments.

- My doctor used prolotherapy to repair the damage to the

connective tissues of my knee and to tighten it up in general. This

was after I was told by two doctors that I had CP and that I should

give up running. To make a long story short, I got the prolotherapy

in 2001 and have since resumed pretty rigorous running and biking.

I've competed in many triathlons and running races, and even ran the

2003 New York Marathon, all without pain.

- Bottom line: it works. Even if you don't think it can help you,

it can. If you've got any type of knee problems at all, you

probably have some connective tissue problems that have led to it.

They say " if you can put your finger on your pain, chances are

prolotherapy can help. "

- The downside? The treatments hurt. The doc will use a needle to

inject the proliferant solution into the areas that need healing.

Those areas are probably painful to begin with, so getting them

jabbed with a needle is no picnic. If you think the needles are a

problem, most docs can give you some lidocane or something to numb

the area a little.

- It also hurts after the treatments. The injections create an

inflammatory response by your body, which is actually your body's

immune system going into overdrive to help heal and rebuild your

tissue. It's really quite remarkable. Anyway, I would usually get

the treatments on a Tuesday afternoon and I'd drive myself home from

the doctor's office. I'd be very sore that night and the next day,

but never needed pain meds. By Thursday, I'd still be a little

sore. And by Friday I'd be running again.

- It takes a while. In my case, I had to go back for treatments 6

or 7 times over the course of about 3 months. It is not some

miracle cure. It is a slow process, but it works.

That's enough out of me for now. There's plenty of information at:

http://www.getprolo.com

http://www.sportsprolo.com

and many other sites.

> Excellent dissertation! I have a couple of questions. Oh. I

mean I have a suggestion and a question. Suggestion: Tell Connie

that you had this done and it worked. Question: When you say it

does hurt, do you mean just at the time of the injections, or also

afterward, and, if the latter, how much and for how long? Also,

maybe you should explain ('cause I think Connie's a newbie, and even

if she's not, others are) how prolo works.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks. I know you posted all this before, but finding it in all my back e-mail

....

Since you enlightened me about the coronal patellar ligament(s?), I'm thinking

that prolo in the medial side might help right that subluxation my surgeon

found.

Ann

Prolotherapy Basics (was: dislocating

kneecap)

Well Ann, since you asked...

- Prolotherapy is the injection of an irritating solution (usually

some combination of dextrose and water) into the soft tissues of the

body to promote healing.

- The proliferant solution stimulates the body to dispatch

fibroblasts (healing cells) to the area to lay down new collagen

(structural protein) to repair the damaged tissues, tendons,

cartilage, or ligaments.

- My doctor used prolotherapy to repair the damage to the

connective tissues of my knee and to tighten it up in general. This

was after I was told by two doctors that I had CP and that I should

give up running. To make a long story short, I got the prolotherapy

in 2001 and have since resumed pretty rigorous running and biking.

I've competed in many triathlons and running races, and even ran the

2003 New York Marathon, all without pain.

- Bottom line: it works. Even if you don't think it can help you,

it can. If you've got any type of knee problems at all, you

probably have some connective tissue problems that have led to it.

They say " if you can put your finger on your pain, chances are

prolotherapy can help. "

- The downside? The treatments hurt. The doc will use a needle to

inject the proliferant solution into the areas that need healing.

Those areas are probably painful to begin with, so getting them

jabbed with a needle is no picnic. If you think the needles are a

problem, most docs can give you some lidocane or something to numb

the area a little.

- It also hurts after the treatments. The injections create an

inflammatory response by your body, which is actually your body's

immune system going into overdrive to help heal and rebuild your

tissue. It's really quite remarkable. Anyway, I would usually get

the treatments on a Tuesday afternoon and I'd drive myself home from

the doctor's office. I'd be very sore that night and the next day,

but never needed pain meds. By Thursday, I'd still be a little

sore. And by Friday I'd be running again.

- It takes a while. In my case, I had to go back for treatments 6

or 7 times over the course of about 3 months. It is not some

miracle cure. It is a slow process, but it works.

That's enough out of me for now. There's plenty of information at:

http://www.getprolo.com

http://www.sportsprolo.com

and many other sites.

> Excellent dissertation! I have a couple of questions. Oh. I

mean I have a suggestion and a question. Suggestion: Tell Connie

that you had this done and it worked. Question: When you say it

does hurt, do you mean just at the time of the injections, or also

afterward, and, if the latter, how much and for how long? Also,

maybe you should explain ('cause I think Connie's a newbie, and even

if she's not, others are) how prolo works.

>

[Guest guest]

Ann:

There are ligaments and tendons all over the kneecap -- top, bottom,

left and right. You could have damage to any of the structures and

that could be causing the subluxation.

Specifically, if any of these medial structures are loose, lax,

weak, etc., then prolotherapy can definitely help, and will likely

help diminish or eliminate your subluxation.

The medial and lateral coronary ligaments have more to do with the

rotation of the knee than the alignment of the patella. See:

http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2002/11/06.html

It's not a great description, but it was the first one I Googled.

HTH,

Doug

> Thanks. I know you posted all this before, but finding it in all

my back e-mail ...

>

> Since you enlightened me about the coronal patellar ligament(s?),

I'm thinking that prolo in the medial side might help right that

subluxation my surgeon found.

>

> Ann