Prolotherapy is a safe, scientifically tested method for the treatment for chronic musculo-skeletal problems. The concept is not new: the story goes that Hippocrates used a similar treatment on ancient athletes, but instead of injecting the ligamentous structures, he used a red-hot poker to stimulate healing!

Firstly and foremostly we must recognise that the basis of all healing is inflammation. By irritating the ligamentous structure, an inflammatory reaction starts up and this leads to healing. Today, we do not use red-hot pokers but we inject an irritant solution into and around the ligament or tendon. This causes a localised injury and attracts the white cells which set up an inflammatory response. Fibroblasts move in and start to produce collagen, which is the structural protein of the body. The end result is a stronger, thicker ligament that is attached more strongly to the bone.

This healing cascade is no different to the healing from any other injury. It should also be remembered that the final stage of wound healing is the contraction of the newly made collagen. This is perhaps the main reason why those loose, floppy ligaments became stronger and tighter.

After any injury, inflammation and pain develops. This inflammation is the body’s natural way of healing the injury. But what happens? Modern medicine intervenes and the person is given an anti-inflammatory drug, which does stop the inflammation and the pain (i.e. reduces the symptoms) but what it also does is prevent the body from properly healing up the injury. The ligament remains weak and at some stage, perhaps the next season, the ligament can rupture. Is it no wonder that so many professional sportsmen have knee reconstructions? To allow them to play the next week after an injury, the pain and inflammation are removed but sooner or later problems will develop. Ligaments should go naturally though the inflammatory cycle after an injury to achieve optimal healing.

For the same reason, anti-inflammatory drugs should not be used during prolotherapy. The purpose of Prolotherapy is to cause an inflammation; the last thing you want to do is to suppress the inflammation.

Orthodoxy uses cortisone injections. This does suppress the inflammation and does relieve the symptoms… but it does not allow full healing. One of my pet hates is orthopaedic surgeons injecting cortisone into anything and everything! I must admit I am biased but that is probably due to the nature of my practice… I see only the failures. I suppose there are some successes out there… but I do not see them!

Prolotherapy, in effect, does just the opposite. Prolotherapy causes inflammation to start a healing reaction to heal the damaged structures.

Prolotherapy is using the body’s healing mechanism: healing requires nutrition. Mal-nutrition will produce poor collagen, perhaps even worse than the original. So, anyone who is having prolotherapy needs extra nutrients and a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement is a good start.

[Extract from There is Always an Alternative, by Peter Baratosy, MB BS PhD DipAcup DipClinHyp FACNEM]