| Prolotherapy for Chronic Pain and Sports Medicine in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago Hope Practiced Here | |
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PROLOTHERAPY APPOINTMENT INFO |
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Connective Tissue Damage There are many articles written on
chronic pain though rarely is mention given to the main culprits for pain, the
connective tissues of the spine and joints. Yet by addressing the deficiency of
connect tissues, the lack of
collagen and weakness in
ligament,
tendons, and
muscle, even people with rheumatoid arthritis can be cured of their pain--even
to test rheumatoid factor negative in the blood, previously thought
irreversible. What is connective tissue anyway? Water Other than sports or acute
injury, the major reason joints stiffen and cause pain is dehydration. This
especially affects the
articular cartilage and discs, and is a contributing
factors to
degenerated discs. One of the easiest ways to begin the reversal of
connective tissue damage is to drink more filtered or distilled water. Fibroblasts Chondrocytes Recent research into
Chondrocytes have shown that despite the limited nutrient supply, these cells
can generate new cartilage tissue. These important findings have dispelled the
long held notion that cartilage tissue could not be repaired and damaged
cartilage should be removed by surgery. Collagen The cousins of collagen
are the elastins, proteins which give elastic, resilient properties to tissues
which need to expand and contract. These tissues are found in the lungs,
ligaments, skin, and large blood vessels. Wrinkles, sagging skin, bags under the
eyes are all a result of collagen and elastin deficiency. Soft tissues: muscles, tendons, and ligaments and
connective tissue In normal pain free
function, muscle, tendon and bone move in unison to create joint motion.
Ligaments which connect bone to bone give the entire joint stabilization. It is
the strength of the ligaments around each joint that is the determining factor
in the joint’s overall stability and ultimately the level of
pain.
The chronic pain error:
ligaments are not muscles and muscles are not ligaments Articular Cartilage
As stated, articular
cartilage have the ability to re-grow and heal, yet the long held notion of
damaged cartilage having no regenerative properties led to many people being
subjected to arthroscopies and subsequent joint replacements. Beginning in the early
1960’s medical studies reported that healthy cartilage cells (chondrocytes)
had very little or no ability to proliferate. Since it was then thought that
cartilage could not be repaired, orthopedic surgeons developed techniques to
address the problems of chronic pain in degenerative joints. The first total
hip
replacement surgery occurred at this. A short time later the
arthroscope was
invented.
Medical alternatives to surgery The injected substances,
as foreign matter, mimic an injury by causing irritation and mild swelling in
the painful area. The immune system responds to this "injury" by
sending macrophages, cells that remove debris and irritants from the body. After
the macrophages carry off the irritants for elimination, the immune system sends
in fibroblasts, cells that rebuild connective tissue where damage has occurred.
This rebuilding process results in new ligament growth which can be 40% stronger
than the original ligament. It also results in the acceleration of re-growth of
cartilage tissue! Consequently, the physical structure supported by this
connective tissue becomes stronger and more stable, thereby eliminating or
greatly diminishing the pain triggered by the corresponding nerves and muscles. Harold Wilkinson, M.D.
professor and former chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery at the University
of Massachusetts Medical Center, performed a 16 year Prolotherapy study
culminating in 1995. In his report, Dr. Wilkinson states that it was noteworthy
that "a sizeable portion of people with unresolved chronic pain had more
than a year’s pain relief with only one
Prolotherapy injection." While
these results were obtained with a single injection, most Prolotherapy sessions
involve multiple injections given in each session. Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammorty Drugs (NASIDs) Cortisone injections and anti-inflammatory drugs have the following effects on connective tissue healing: - They decrease blood flow which inhibits the ability of immune cells to get to the area where damage needs to be repaired. - Inhibits fibroblast proliferation thus restricting the body’s ability to repair damage. - Decrease collagen strength by decreasing protein synthesis and regeneration of collagen tissue - Decrease tendon and ligament strength - Accelerate cartilage breakdown In addition many recent studies have shown
that physician and patient alike are weary of the
prescription of
NSAIDS because
of harmful and well-known side effects. Many factors affect connective tissue healing RELATED
ARTICLES |
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Caring Medical
and Rehabilitation Services |
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The Journal of Prolotherapy
is unique in that it has a
target audience of both physicians and patients. The purpose of this
journal is to provide the readers with new cutting-edge information
on Prolotherapy, as well as provide a forum for physicians and
patients alike to tell their stories.Your membership fee includes a 1 year subscription to this quarterly journal, and unlimited access to the journal archives online! Premiere Issue scheduled to be released for Spring 2009! Learn more |
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The information on this website is presented as
information only and not a self-help guide NOR AS SPECIFIC HEALTH
RECOMMENDATIONS. Never alter or change your health management or begin
any new health plans without first consulting your personal health care
provider.
Some statements on this site regarding the value of
nutritional supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services 715 Lake Street Suite 600 Oak
Park IL, 60301 |