Re: Prolotherapy Replacement?

May 30, 2004

,

I did a goggle search for " prolotherapy " , not be familiar with

it--hehehheee, interesting NEW label! It sounds to me that prolotherapy is

simply what has long been called, " counter-irritation " . My, how new words

can change the connotation of old treatments! The site, I read did not say

anything about using a local anesthetic such as lidocaine, but it did

mention the use of a dextrose solution injectable. I would find the use of

something like lidocaine very suspicious. This would deaden the pain through

a mechanism completely separate from the true spirit of prolotherapy or

counterirritation.

A common experiment which wonderfully demonstrates the value of

counterirritation: what does one do naturally when one has an itch, an

insect bite, or any abrupt injury to the body? Almost invariably, one

scratches in the case of an itch or rubs briskly in the case of other

injuries. What you have is instantaneous counter irritation applied with

your self inflicted scratches or rubbing actions. It feels better.

Counterirritation simply works whether physically or chemically applied.

Counterirritation is the application of a secondary man-made irritant

to the site of the original injury, the primary irritant. Traditional

counterirritation applications were done with mineral/herbal irritants,

massage, firing irons, setons, etc. All different degrees of irritation have

been used and prescribed ranging from the mild stimulating properties of a

body wash to the extreme burns perpetrated by mineral blisters or the firing

iron (in veterinary medicine). This degree of applied therapeutic

irritation has always been a much debated controversy. How much is

beneficial and how much is barbaric?

I have yet to see any scientific studies trying to demonstrate why

counterirritation works. Many texts will honestly say up front that no one

knows for sure how it works. I have only found possible theories thrown

around. It is generally thought and rightfully so, that the therapeutic

effects come from the secondary inflammation which is generated from the

applied irritant. You will have vasodilation or increased blood flow as a

primary reaction. Accordingly, you will have a cleansing of any toxic

byproducts, blood vessel permeability/leaking, an increase in various

leukocytes aiding in the healing process, a wide array of enzymes being

released. It has long been known that an inadequate blood supply to the

injured area will retard proper inflammation and, thus, healing. This

theory does not satisfactorily explain why there is often a pain relieving

benefit from counterirritation. As with most physiological processes,

nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

So what I am saying here is that it is not necessary to be injected with

sugar water to obtain counter-irritation. The word, prolotherapy, is simply

a modern cosmetic term for a very old practice. There are many herbal,

physical, and mechanical procedures that can replace injected sugar water.

doug

Prolotherapy Replacement?

> My mother is looking into prolotherapy which she's heard is a great

treatment for pain, but can't find anyone to do this. It consists of

injecting small amounts of local anesthetic (lidocaine etc) and sugar water

into trigger points associated with the pain. The injected dextrose acts as

an irritant which causes inflammation that the body then theoretically

heals, along with whatever was causing the pain in the first place. This is

per a book by Darrell Stoddard called Pain Free for Life: How to Heal

Yourself Naturally without Drugs or Surgery.

>

> Was wondering if DMSO was mixed with sucrose could this work?

>

> Recently ordered the two books (DMSO & MSM) and am anxiously awaiting

them!

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

May 30, 2004

DMSO often takes the place of needles for accomplishing administration.

It just might work to deliver the dextrose instead of a needle.

Hope you report any results if you try this. I am certain you will enjoy

the books. Dr is also working on another book. Not sure when it

will be out though.

Garnet

> My mother is looking into prolotherapy which she's heard is a great treatment

for pain, but can't find anyone to do this. It consists of injecting small

amounts of local anesthetic (lidocaine etc) and sugar water into trigger points

associated with the pain. The injected dextrose acts as an irritant which

causes inflammation that the body then theoretically heals, along with whatever

was causing the pain in the first place. This is per a book by Darrell Stoddard

called Pain Free for Life: How to Heal Yourself Naturally without Drugs or

Surgery.

>

> Was wondering if DMSO was mixed with sucrose could this work?

>

> Recently ordered the two books (DMSO & MSM) and am anxiously awaiting them!

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

May 30, 2004

Wonderful information Doug! Thanks and welcome to the DMSO list.

Just to let the list members know, Doug owns the Equine Herbal List on

Yahoo and has 40 years experience with horses.

Please feel free to post the link to you list Doug and tell us more

about yourself.

Garnet

May 30, 2004

Garnet,

Thanks for the kind welcome! Yes, if there are any horse people on your

list interested in discussing veterinary herbal protocols, feel free to join

my list at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/equineherbal/

My personal website, www.racehorseherbal.com

I have done little else but study and work with the equine in my life

for good or bad. After receiving a B.S. in Agriculture from the University

of Missouri, I set out training horses, primarily race horses. My training

career came to a halt on one sunny morning in August of 1994. A

thoroughbred, I was galloping went down and I with him. I never walked

again. So goes life, I guess. If one flies like a bird, one must accept the

consequences of falling like one as well. Being in the horse business, I was

introduced to DMSO back in the mid-1970s and have used it in one form or

another ever since, daily. A unique substance that is far underestimated by

most medical professionals and herbalists. I am currently utilizing DMSO as

a menstruum in the formulation of herbal tinctures. Not only does DMSO offer

its superb solvent characteristics for the extraction of medicinal herbal