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Prolotherapy for SI joint pain
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Mar 4, 2023 | Replies (27)Comment receiving replies
Prolotherapy is an old treatment seeing a resurgence. Usually the substance used is a glucose solution, but it may be combined with other ingredients. Some factors to be aware of include: This is an unregulated treatment, so may be done by any practitioner allowed to do injections, without special training or qualifications. Prolotherapy appears to be more effective if the injections are done by a skilled pain injection practitioner who has skill in placing therapeutic substances exactly where needed for a specific condition. Therapy appears to be more successful when combined with other treatment such as stretching or PT.
Here is what the spine clinic experts at Mayo have to say about prolotherapy: https://www.mayoclinic.org/prolotherapy/expert-answers/faq-20058347
And what the docs on Spine Health have to say: https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/injections/prolotherapy-and-chronic-back-pain
The following is a lengthy review of studies of pain reduction from prolotherapy - only one addresses SI joint pain directly, and shows improvement in about 50% of people at 15 months (you would need to locate & read the complete study to see how many injections, adjunct therapy, etc.)
In doing your research on the technique, be sure to differentiate information published by the practitioners and those published by an independent group.
What practitioner has recommended prolotherapy to you? Have you already tried more conservative therapies including ice, stretching and physical therapy?
Sue
Replies to "Prolotherapy is an old treatment seeing a resurgence. Usually the substance used is a glucose solution,..."
Sue: A few things ... the Mayo citation is no longer ... and the discussion about who can give the treatment does not include the fact that most prolotherapy is done by MDs who are pain specialists. I was not aware that practitioners are actually done by just anyone.
Then there is the question about what is used for prolo ... in most places it is 'sugar' water, but can be other substances. The point though ...it is NOT the substance that matters because the whole idea is that the punctures, not really injections, create the physical signals for the 'self-healing' to begin. The practice is mostly done by Drs who call the practice Regenerative Medicine.
Finally, success depends on several things ... there are different techniques and the patient's response depends on the viability of the patient's own healing system.
I had a wonderful experience after 3+ years and many Drs. who misdiagnosed my hypermobile SIJoint. The 6th Dr's prolotherapy fixed the "lax" ligaments attached to the joint that had become disfunctional from matching the SIJoint's hypermobility, created by a leg length differential. I am hoping there will be definitive studies that will bring prolotherapy out of the shadows where it has been.
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Hi! I have had chronic SI joint pain for 11 years. It has gradually gotten worse. I have tried all the conservative treatments. I even tried a cortisone shot directly into the joint. Pain relief lasted 4 weeks.
I have h-EDS as well which may be the reason for SI joint instability.
I will have the prolotherapy done at Mayo Clinic's Regenerative Medicine department, in Jacksonville. I know I will be receiving expert care so that is not an issue.
Thank you for the advice. I will look into the independent research studies.