How Long Does Prolotherapy Last?

July 13, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

One of the most important things every patient in pain wants to know is how long a specific treatment is going to last. Different treatment methods provide different levels and lengths of pain relief and patients want to make the right decision about the treatment that will reduce their pain for the longest time period. In this article, we will discuss how long the effects of prolotherapy injections last in general.

Prolotherapy Injection Timelines

Before we get into the various timelines associated with a general prolotherapy procedure, it’s important to note that each patient’s pain is different and treatments impact each patient differently. As a result, it’s impossible to give an objective answer to the question: “how long does prolotherapy last?” as the answer varies with each patient. That being said, there are some general timelines we can discuss.

Prolotherapy treatment is typically done over several sessions – usually 3-4, but that can increase or decrease based on the patient’s age and medical history. Injections are given about a month apart from each other to allow the body to regenerate after each treatment. Patients will likely not feel immediate pain relief from prolotherapy injections (as opposed to other injections which can give quick pain relief). The point of prolotherapy is to encourage regeneration and growth over a period of time so the patient experiences long-term pain relief.

Twin Cities Prolotherapy

The regenerative medicine specialists at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have been performing prolotherapy injections for the past two decades. We have the experience needed to fully diagnose and understand your pain, and craft a treatment strategy that works for your individual needs. Give us a call today at our Edina clinic and set up your appointment with one of our Twin Cities prolotherapy doctors and see how prolotherapy can help reduce your pain.

Is Prolotherapy a Cure for Everything?

June 29, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

Prolotherapy can be incredibly effective in treating various pain conditions. But is prolotherapy a “cure-all” that can help treat all types of pain and related conditions? That’s our question for this article, in which we discuss what specific injuries and conditions prolotherapy can help treat and when other treatment options are more beneficial.

The Myth of the Cure-all

There have always been snake oil salesmen who tout a specific medication, procedure, or treatment as the cure-all for any condition. The truth of the matter is that pain is complex, and requires a strategic approach to treatment that often incorporates multiple methods.

There is no treatment option on the planet that works for every condition. Each patient experiences pain differently, and a patient’s entire situation (medical history, pre-existing conditions, etc.) needs to be taken into account. A skilled pain medicine physician can weigh all of these factors and work with the patient to develop a nuanced treatment plan that will actually work.

Prolotherapy Best Practices

So what can prolotherapy treat? Prolotherapy is a regenerative medicine technique that dates back a long time (more on the history of prolotherapy here). It is best used to treat injuries involving the soft tissues of the body. Conditions like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, and facet joint syndrome can all benefit from prolotherapy. Multiple prolotherapy injections help tissue regenerate and grow over time, which can in turn, decrease pain.

The regenerative medicine specialists at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have been performing prolotherapy injections for the past two decades. Our pain care physicians have the knowledge and experience needed to help you achieve the pain relief you’re looking for. Contact our Edina clinic today to see if you are a good candidate for prolotherapy or another regenerative medicine procedure. Our doctors treat patients throughout the Minneapolis / St. Paul Metro, as well as greater Minnesota.

Activity Restrictions after Prolotherapy

June 22, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

Listening to your doctor’s recommended activity restrictions is an important aspect of a fast recovery after any procedure. Many patients want to know what type of activity restrictions they will be facing before they make a decision about their care. In this article, we are going to discuss activity restrictions related to prolotherapy injections.

Prolotherapy Activity Restrictions

Prolotherapy is a non-invasive regenerative medicine treatment that uses a sugar-based solution to promote your body’s internal healing and regrowth process.

One of the greatest benefits of prolotherapy is that there are virtually no activity restrictions after the treatment. Compare that to a surgical procedure, which may knock you out for weeks or months on end, and you can see why many patients choose regenerative medicine techniques over surgery.

Prolotherapy vs. Surgery Restrictions

For example, following an ankle surgery, your surgeon will likely recommend that you remain non-weight bearing for several days or weeks after the procedure. In other words, you can’t put any weight on the ankle for that time period. This prevents you from engaging in the most basic daily activities. After a prolotherapy injection in the ankle, patients are actually encouraged to move and be active.

Prolotherapy Injections are quick and relatively painless. You may experience some mild irritation or swelling after the procedure, but that should dissipate within hours of the injections. After that you are free to walk, run, and sprint!

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN is a leading provider of prolotherapy and other regenerative medicine treatments in Minnesota. Our Edina pain doctors have been performing prolotherapy injections and other pain reduction techniques for the past twenty years. We have the knowledge, training, and experience necessary to fully address and treat your pain. Contact our clinic today to set up your appointment and talk about your options for reducing your pain.

Is Prolotherapy a Good Surgery Alternative?

June 20, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

We’ve talked many times about the benefits of prolotherapy for treating your pain condition, but is it a good surgery alternative? In this article, we are going to discuss whether or not prolotherapy is a good alternative to surgery for pain conditions and injuries.

Prolotherapy as a Surgery Alternative

Prolotherapy, and other regenerative injection treatments, offer an excellent alternative to surgery for patients with chronic pain from tissue damage. Many patients understandably want to leave surgery as a last resort. Injections like prolotherapy, PRP, and nerve blocks offer pain relief with much less cost, and recovery than surgery.

When to Consider Surgery

In certain patient situations, surgery is the best (or only option). Severe injury or accident cases may require immediate surgery to prevent nerve damage and reconstruct damaged areas of the body. However, these are extreme cases. With most instances of chronic pain, patients have a choice between surgery and more conservative options. Generally, we recommend exploring your non-surgical options before making a decision to undergo surgery. Injections are much less invasive than surgery, and often work just as well in reducing pain. When you’ve exhausted all of your conservative treatment options with little success, then it may be time to consult with a surgeon.

At Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN, we work with each patient to determine their unique needs and develop and individualized pain management strategy. Every patient’s circumstances are different, and require different care approaches. Some patients will benefit from prolotherapy, while others may respond better to surgery or other treatments. Whatever the case, our Edina pain physicians are prepared to help you with your pain. We have been helping Minnesotans in pain for over two decades. Give our clinic a call today to set up an appointment and see how we can help you return to a pain free life.

Should I have Prolotherapy or Another Injection?

June 15, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

If you are a chronic pain sufferer, injection therapy may be an excellent method for reducing your pain. The problem is that there are many different types of injections to choose from and making an informed decision can be difficult. In this article, we are going to discuss a few tips for deciding between prolotherapy injections, and various other types of pain relief injections.

Prolotherapy

As we have discussed before on this site, prolotherapy is a regenerative medicine treatment in which a solution is injected into a patient’s degenerated tissues to stimulate healing and regeneration.

Other Types of Injections

Here are a handful of other common pain management injections, with a little explanation of how they work:

PRP Injections. Similar to prolotherapy, PRP injections fall under the umbrella of “Regenerative Medicine.” However, the actual solution injected is much different. PRP injections use the patient’s own blood platelets and plasma to stimulate healing and tissue regeneration at the site of pain.
Nerve Block Injections. These injections aim to disrupt pain signals from the nerves that transmit them. Nerve blocks are best used when patient pain is the result of a nerve issue.
Corticosteroid Injections utilize a steroidal solution to decrease inflammation and swelling in the area of pain.

Every injection has its pros and cons, and every patient’s situation is different and should be treated according to its unique set of circumstances. Talk with a pain physician about your options before making a decision about what injection to pursue.

The experienced pain management physicians at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN are trained in prolotherapy, PRP, steroidal injections, nerve blocks, and other pain reduction techniques. If you are living in pain, one of these injections may be your ticket back to a pain-free existence. Contact us today to set up your appointment with a Minnesota pain doctor who can fully diagnose your condition and walk you through your options for treatment.

Prolotherapy Then & Now

April 25, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

As we have discussed several times before on this site, prolotherapy is a regenerative medicine treatment in which a doctor injects a solution that stimulates tissue regeneration. Many regenerative treatments (PRP for example) are relatively new. Prolotherapy, however, is among the oldest recorded injection therapies in history. In this article, we are going to talk about the history of prolotherapy and how it has developed into the treatment used today.

Prolotherapy Then

We don’t know when exactly prolotherapy was first developed. The first use of prolotherapy on humans we can find in recorded history is back around 400 BC. There is documentation of Hippocrates using the technique to treat a shoulder injury. While this is technically considered prolotherpy, it is much different than the injections used today.

A more modern version of prolotherapy was developed in the 1830s by Dr. Alfred Velpeau, who is considered the father of prolotherapy. Until the 1920s, prolotherapy was primarily used to treat hernias, using an iodine solution. In the 1930s, Dr. Earl Gedney continued to develop prolotherapy into the treatment we use today.

Prolotherapy Now

Since it was first developed, prolotherapy has changed and advanced significantly. The biggest change that has taken place over the history of prolotherapy is the solution that is injected into the joints. Early uses utilized an iodine solution. As medical professionals began to better understand the treatment, they moved to a dextrose-based solution that is still used to this day. Prolotherapy is still used to treat joint conditions like golfer’s elbow, tendonitis, and more.

The doctors at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN are trained in regenerative medicine techniques like prolotherapy. Our pain management physicians have over twenty years of experience treating Minnesota patients for all types of pain. Contact our clinic today to set up an appointment with a pain doctor and talk about your options for reducing your pain.

Prolotherapy Costs & Insurance

April 18, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

The first thing most patients want to know when it comes to any treatment is: “how much is this going to cost me?” It’s a valid question that you should be asking about your medical care, as well as other purchases. In this article we are going to talk about the general costs associated with prolotherapy treatment, and what you can expect to pay for your treatment.

Prolotherapy & Health Insurance

Currently, most health insurance plans do not cover prolotherapy injections. The reasoning for this is too complicated for this article, but rest assured that prolotherapy is a legitimate pain relief treatment that is widely used by pain physicians.

All health insurance plans are different and you should always check with your health insurance company before undergoing any treatment to learn about your coverage.

Cost of a Prolotherapy Injection

So if prolotherapy is not covered by your health insurance plan, how much can you expect to pay for the treatment? Costs vary by clinic, the number of injections needed, and the area of the body being injected. The initial examination by a physician to determine if prolotherapy may be useful will typically be covered by insurance (depending on your plan), but the injections themselves are not covered by most plans. On average, a prolotherapy injection costs between $150 and $300. If you are curious about how much a specific injection will cost, do not hesitate to contact your doctor’s office to request a price quote.

The regenerative medicine experts at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have decades of experience performing prolotherapy injections. If you are experiencing joint pain, prolotherapy may be your ticket to recovery. Contact our clinic today to set up your appointment with one of our Minnesota prolotherapy doctors, and plot a course for treatment.

Prolotherapy vs. PRP Injections

April 4, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections, Regenerative Medicine /by Matthew Thorson

Prolotherapy and PRP therapy are both regenerative techniques. Since they share a lot of similarities, many patients get them confused with one another. But the fact is that both techniques are used to treat different conditions and injuries. In this article, we are going to talk about the similarities and differences between two regenerative medicine treatments – prolotherapy and PRP injections.

The Difference between PRP & Prolotherapy

In a general sense, PRP therapy and prolotherapy share a lot of similarities. They both fall under the umbrella of regenerative medicine. Both treatments promote and accelerate the body’s own natural healing processes to reduce pain and rebuild tissue. However, the specifics of each procedure differ significantly.

PRP injections use a portion of the patient’s own blood to promote regeneration and healing. The doctor draws blood from the patient, separates out the platelets and plasma in a centrifuge, and then injects the platelet-rich plasma into the patient’s body. These platelets then go to work rebuilding damaged tissue.
Prolotherapy also involves injections that encourage tissue regrowth. The difference is in the injected substance. While PRP therapy involves injected the patient’s own blood back into their body, prolotherapy consists of injecting an irritant solution – typically made up of glucose and other substances. This substance is injected into an injured area, and causes mild irritation that prompts the body’s regenerative qualities to go to work.

Both PRP and prolotherapy can be used to effectively treat degenerative conditions, and injuries that cause patients pain. Visit a regenerative medicine specialist to see if either of these treatment methods is a good fit for your situation.

Minnesota Regenerative Medicine Doctors

The pain management physicians at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN are experts in the field of regenerative medicine. Our providers have been trained in PRP and prolotherapy, and have treated countless patients with these techniques. Set up your appointment today with one of our regenerative medicine doctors and see if PRP or prolotherapy can help you.

3 Common Fears about Pain Injections

March 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Injections /by Matthew Thorson

Pain injections are scary for many patients – especially those who have never had one before. As with any medical procedure, facing your fears and dealing with them head on will reduce your anxiety and lead to a more positive experience. With that in mind, this article will discuss some of the common fears patients experience before getting a pain management injection.

Fear – My Injection is Going to Hurt

This is probably the most common fear that patients have when considering injections. Fear of needles is almost universal and nearly everyone has had a traumatic experience getting injections as a child. However, compared to vaccinations, pain management injections (nerve blocks, epidurals, cortisone shots, etc.) involve an anesthetic prior to injection. In other words, the area of injection will be numbed before the injection, which reduces overall pain.

Fear – The Needles Aren’t Clean

It’s fairly common knowledge that you should never reuse needles. Hospitals and clinics have strict policies in place to make sure that a patient is never administered an injection with a used needle. Even so, this is still a fear that many patients experience. If you are anxious about this, talk to your physician.

Fear – My Doctor Might Inject the Wrong Area

It may not be the most common fear, but some patients are concerned that their physician may inject the wrong area. While mistakes do happen from time to time, a physician injecting the completely wrong area of a patient’s body is not common. However, this is all the more reason to go with a pain management doctor with a lot of experience and a great track record.

The pain management physicians at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN have been performing diagnostic and pain injections for a combined twenty years. With that level of experience, you can put your injection fears at ease. Set up an appointment with one of our knowledgeable pain management doctors today to talk about your situation.

Should I Rest or be Active after a Back Injection?

December 3, 2015/0 Comments/in Injections /by Matthew Thorson

Recovering from most surgical procedures requires at least a short period of restful recovery before returning to normal activities. But is the same true for less invasive procedures like pain injections? That’s our topic for this blog article – is it better to rest or be active after you get a pain management injection?

Pain Injections

There are a handful of different pain injections that can be used in different situations to treat pain. Here is a brief outline of a few:

Corticosteroid Injections reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain in joints and other areas of the body.
Nerve Block Injections work to prevent pain signals from travelling to/from the brain and the painful area.
PRP Injections use the patient’s own blood platelets and plasma to encourage natural tissue regrowth.

The procedure for each of these injections is relatively, but not exactly, the same. For example, PRP injections require the physician to first draw some of the patient’s blood and run it through a centrifuge before the solution can be re-injected into the patient’s body. That being said, all of these injections involve numbing the injection area, and then injecting the solution. Most of the time the procedures can be completed in about 30 minutes, though various outside factors may inflate that timing.

Rest vs. Activity

So what, if any, are the activity restrictions after a pain injection? After most surgeries, patients aren’t allowed to return to rigorous activity for days, or weeks after the procedure. When it comes to pain injections, activity restrictions are not nearly as strict. With most injections procedures, patients will be able to return to their routine daily activities on the same day, or day after the procedure. If you have a physically demanding job that requires a lot of lifting and movement, there may be some additional restrictions. Each patient situation is different, and you should always defer to your doctor’s specific instructions.

If you are struggling with pain, injection therapy may be a helpful treatment option. Contact the pain management specialists at Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN today to see if you are a good candidate for one of these injections.