What is prolotherapy and why does it work?
Prolotherapy is the injection of a sugar solution, usually dextrose, along with an anesthetic (such as lidocaine) into the affected area under ultrasound-guidance, resulting in low-grade inflammation to the injured area. This procedure “tricks” the body into an inflamed state which re-stimulates the body’s natural healing response.
Prolotherapy was originally “discovered” in the 1930s by osteopathic surgeon Dr. Earl Gedney, who injected his own injured thumb with an irritating solution, and in doing so promoted the healing and regeneration of the damaged tissue. This treatment is based on the concept that lingering, chronic issues occur because collagen in the damaged tissue is poorly organized, meaning that the person’s body has stopped attempting to heal the chronic injury.
Prolotherapy is the injection of a sugar solution, usually dextrose, along with an anesthetic (such as lidocaine) into the affected area under ultrasound-guidance, resulting in low-grade inflammation to the injured area. This procedure “tricks” the body into an inflamed state which re-stimulates the body’s natural healing response.
Prolotherapy was originally “discovered” in the 1930s by osteopathic surgeon Dr. Earl Gedney, who injected his own injured thumb with an irritating solution, and in doing so promoted the healing and regeneration of the damaged tissue. This treatment is based on the concept that lingering, chronic issues occur because collagen in the damaged tissue is poorly organized, meaning that the person’s body has stopped attempting to heal the chronic injury.
What does this mean when it comes to medical insurance coverage?
Insurance companies have deemed proliferative therapy to be “experimental” and they do not cover either prolotherapy or PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that proliferative therapy may provide long-lasting relief and help to avoid future medical visits, ultimately lowering their medical bills and improving quality of life.
What should you know?
Because we respect our patient’s time and money, we take several measures to optimize the patient experience when having proliferative therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that proliferative therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of proliferative therapy (prolotherapy or PRP) is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure proliferative therapy is being placed in the precisely correct location
4. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize these cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques to help their patients overcome chronic issues that impede the ability to live an active and healthy lifestyle!
Insurance companies have deemed proliferative therapy to be “experimental” and they do not cover either prolotherapy or PRP injections. Patients who invest money in their own care, however, find that proliferative therapy may provide long-lasting relief and help to avoid future medical visits, ultimately lowering their medical bills and improving quality of life.
What should you know?
Because we respect our patient’s time and money, we take several measures to optimize the patient experience when having proliferative therapy performed.
These measures include:
1. An initial consultation (covered by insurance), to ensure that proliferative therapy is the appropriate choice
2. A discussion about which form of proliferative therapy (prolotherapy or PRP) is the patient’s best choice
3. Always using ultrasound-guidance to ensure proliferative therapy is being placed in the precisely correct location
4. Coordinating the patient’s care team, including physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physicians and other clinicians
Drs. Hyman and Chimes strive to utilize these cutting-edge, non-surgical techniques to help their patients overcome chronic issues that impede the ability to live an active and healthy lifestyle!