Prolotherapy – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Kickstart Your Body’s Natural Healing Processes
Common methods used for pain relief include things like physical therapy, medication, and in some cases, surgery. All such treatments have an appropriate place. But did you know that you may be eligible for other options? Countless patients have benefited from prolotherapy in Fort Lauderdale. Here at the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics, we proudly offer this remarkable regenerative medicine service. Continue reading below to learn more about it and how it may be able to benefit you.
Why Choose the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics for Prolotherapy?
- Natural & Effective Treatment
- Minimal Side Effects
- Can Be Combined with Other Treatments
What Is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy goes by a few different names, including proliferation therapy and regenerative injection therapy. It was first invented in the 1950s. In the decades since then, it has helped countless patients from all walks of life to find relief from musculoskeletal pain.
Prolotherapy works by exposing damaged, sore tissues to an irritant. Typically, the irritant is a dextrose or saline solution (our practice tends to favor dextrose). We combine the dextrose with lidocaine to make the injections as comfortable as possible.
Once the dextrose is inside your tissues, it does not cause any real harm. What it does do is alert your body to the fact that something is wrong. This kickstarts your body’s healing process and can get you on the road to recovery.
What Can Prolotherapy Treat?
Prolotherapy might be an option for you if you suffer from any of the following:
- Arthritis
- Low back pain
- Sports injuries
- Degenerative disk disease
- Tendinopathy
- Fibromyalgia
It is safe to combine prolotherapy with other treatments; we can help you design a plan for optimum pain relief. (However, it should not be used concurrently with anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, because they could interfere with prolotherapy’s effectiveness.) After carefully considering your circumstances and pain level, our team will let you know if we believe prolotherapy could benefit you.
What to Expect from Prolotherapy
The prolotherapy procedure is fairly simple. We use advanced technology to help us pinpoint exactly where the dextrose solution needs to go, and then we inject it into your joint, tendon, or ligament. Although the injections can be uncomfortable for some patients, we do our best to make the experience as easy and stress-free as possible.
Following your appointment, you can expect to experience some soreness at the injection sites. However, it is highly unlikely that you will notice any severe, adverse reactions. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that prolotherapy is safe.
Most patients start to notice results about 4 – 6 weeks after their treatment. Some individuals need multiple injection sessions to enjoy the highest level of pain relief. Your osteopathic doctor will recommend a prolotherapy plan for you based on your unique circumstances.
In an ideal situation, prolotherapy provides permanent pain relief because, rather than masking symptoms, it helps your body to heal itself. However, if you are dealing with a chronic or persistent condition, you might need occasional retreatment. If you ever notice an increase in pain in the treated area, give us a call so we can evaluate the situation and recommend an appropriate course of action.
Are you ready to learn more about prolotherapy and how it may be able to help you? Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Prolotherapy FAQs
Many people have never heard of prolotherapy before learning about it from our team. Therefore, it is expected that you may have lots of questions about it. To help you gather information as efficiently as possible, we have compiled a list of answers to some of the most common questions related to this therapy. If you do not see the information you are most curious about, give us a call so we can personally assist you in your quest for knowledge.
Why Have I Never Heard of Prolotherapy Before?
Even though prolotherapy has been around for several decades (it was first used about 70 years ago), it is considered to be a fairly new treatment in the mainstream medical community. In fact, prolotherapy and other forms of regenerative medicine are not currently taught in the majority of medical schools. As a result, there are a lot of physicians who remain unfamiliar with it despite its consistently positive results.
Is Prolotherapy Safe?
Prolotherapy is considered to be quite safe. It is composed of two common substances — dextrose, which is a form of sugar, and lidocaine, an extremely common local anesthetic. It is almost unheard of for patients to have a severe adverse reaction to prolotherapy injections.
Does Prolotherapy Cause Any Side Effects?
Yes, it is common for patients to experience some mild side effects following prolotherapy injections. For example, you might notice some bruising, swelling, and tenderness around your injection sites. For most people, these issues are not serious and tend to go away within a few days. In rare cases, side effects may last for around a week.
Discomfort at your injection sites can actually be a good thing. In fact, it can indicate that your prolotherapy is doing its job!
Is Prolotherapy Painful?
Some patients are uncomfortable with the prospect of getting injections, so that aspect of treatment may be unpleasant for some. Plus, because prolotherapy works by causing slight irritation within your body, the injections are known to cause mild and temporary soreness.
However, there is no need to worry that your treatment will cause severe or debilitating pain. Most patients are easily able to ignore any posttreatment discomfort.
How Much Does Prolotherapy Cost?
The cost of prolotherapy depends on the location of the injection and other factors. We can provide you with a price estimate during your consultation. Often, a single treatment averages $275 – $500. In many cases, multiple prolotherapy treatments are necessary in order to achieve optimum results.
Medical insurance does not usually cover prolotherapy because it has not yet been accepted as a mainstream treatment. If you are concerned about being able to afford your care, ask our team about your payment options.
