Prolotherapy – effective treatment for lower back pain?
January 28, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Alternative treatments, those outside of mainstream Western medicine, are often viewed with suspicion, if not downright ridicule. However, as alternative medicine is becoming more popular, researchers are beginning to take them more seriously and are conducting research to determine if they really are effective.
Prolotherapy (proliferative injection therapy) is one treatment that is gaining popularity. This article from January 2007, Prolotherapy for low back pain, written by Simon Dagenais, PhD, reviews study findings of prolotherapy, the type of agent used, how often and how many injections were given, and if there were any other treatments done at the same time.
The article doesn’t give much of a conclusion, other than we still don’t know much about the treatment, but it does give us something else to think about and consider.
Have you tried prolotherapy? If so, can you share your experiences with us? Did it work? Did you go back? Would you do it again?
If not, would you like to try it?
Let’s share our ideas and thoughts.
What an awesome & timely posting to come across!! My life has come to a screeching halt due to chronic pain following a car accident – have been diagnosed with FMS. My new doctor, though, says he thinks it is soft tissue injury and sent me to a prolotherapist.
I am (er… *was*) a researcher by trade and am always a skeptic. But things have gotten so bad that I am willing to try anything. I have had one session of prolotherapy and am due for my 2nd next week… and I will admit, I am not sure at all what to make of it.
Part of it could be the lack of “hard evidence” that it actually works. Part of it could be the manner in which I perceived this particular doctor to be wayyyy too preachy about his christian faith (bringing to mind all kinds of ethics questions). Or it could be how sore and uncomfortable I was for several days following the injections. OR maybe it was the $425 (!!!!) that one session cost (what’s a little more credit card debt, eh?).
But I am so grateful to come across this post and am very interested to hear of anyone else’s experiences. I myself have felt no improvement over my pain in the area where he treated, but then again, I was told it would take anywhere from 1-6 (maybe 10) treatments.
Unfortunately, in the end, it will be my financial situation that ends up making the decision as to whether I go for more visits. I am still very interested to hear of others experiences!
Thank you Marijke for this post & for this wonderful blog!
I have had prolo for 5 years – I’m on a maintenance program now with Dr. Reeves in Overland Park KC and am doing well. He has been wonderful. Best of luck to you. My car accident was 7 years ago and I have great understanding of how that can totally change your active life.
I remember going in to see a doctor about lower back pain and barely being able to get up out of the chair in the waiting room (old volleyball injury – herniated disk). She was very blunt with me about the fact that little could be done to help…and for some reason this was quite reassuring. It stopped my eternal search for “a cure”. She explained that I should strengthen my abdominal muscles as much as possible and stay in shape. Since this time I have had a few “episodes” of back pain…some more severe than others…but because I am not looking for “medical” cure I basically have lived a better life and stopped yearning for some sort of miracle surgery or pill.
Obviously my back pain/condition should not be compared to bgrrl or nancy…I think mine is much less severe…but I just was thinking about myself and how I probably would have thought to try Prolotherapy back then if I wouldn’t have had that experience with this particular doctor.
Let us know what happens bgrrl. I really hope it works to relieve your pain.
Nancy,
I live in KC too. I am scheduled to meet with Dr. Reeves in 2 weeks for my first visit. I would love to talk with you about your treatments. I fell off a roof 20 years ago suffered from compression fractures. Have had severe daily pain ever since. I am desperate. I hope to hear back from you. Thank you.
I am considering having this treatment. I have searched the internet for all comments and opinions concerning this treatment. Many seem to have great results, however I am concerned about negative/unintended outcomes. I have a friend who had about 16 treatments after suffering 2 bulging disc/ 1 torn disc. He now runs several miles daily and continues weight training without any pain.