Prolotherapy or regenerative injection therapy is an injection treatment used to treat musculoskeletal pain and sports injuries (mainly in joints). This practice dates back to the 1930s but is still considered an alternative procedure. Prolotherapy injections are used to stimulate the body to repair painful, weak joints. Prolotherapy works through the inflammation process of the body. With Prolotherapy inflammation is seen as a positive thing. The injections are given at the painful joint (specifically where the ligaments and tendons attach to the bone(s)). The injected fluid is typically a (SUGAR) that irritates the area telling the body to send healing cells to the area. The “healing cells” arrive to the injured area, creating inflammation and ultimately creating new, stronger tissue.
The most common substance used for Prolotherapy is dextrose ( a form of sugar) which effectively irritates the injection site. The injection can also be done with platelet rich plasma (PRP) or stem cells (bone marrow and fat) from the patient. This is said to be a much more effective procedure but it also much more expensive.