Considering Having Joint Prolotherapy Done? Get Answers To The Questions You May Have

Prolotherapy is a natural alternative to the cortisone injections that are normally given to someone who is experiencing joint or ligament pains. A mixture of natural ingredients that may contain things such as saline, sarapin, procaine, platelet-rich plasma and fat tissue is injected directly into the area where the pain is occurring. This stimulates the body to begin to grow healthy tissue in the area, helping to improve joint and ligament function. In turn, this decreases pain. If you are considering having this procedure done, you may have questions about it. Getting answers to these questions can help you determine if it is ideal for you. Here are a few questions you may have as well as the answers.

Why Should Someone Pick Prolotherapy Over Cortisone Injections?

If a doctor recommends you have cortisone injections, you may wonder why you should select joint prolotherapy over that. Cortisone does help your pain by decreasing inflammation and the pain you are experiencing in the joints. However, this relief only lasts for about eight weeks before another injection is needed. That means this method is masking the pain, not helping to solve the problem. Secondly, some studies have shown that cortisone may actually damage cartilage in the area, making you more likely to need surgery. Prolotherapy does not help to mask pain; it helps to fix the problem. This helps you to steadily improve and eventually feel better for good.

Is Prolotherapy Painful?

Prolotherapy can be painful. A numbing agent is often used when the injection is given. However, this wears off rather quickly, and you may find yourself experiencing a bit more pain when this occurs. Icing the area, using an over-the-counter pain reliever, and moving the affected area will help relieve some of the pain you are experiencing. After the pain from the injection wears off, you will likely begin to feel much better.

Is Prolotherapy Covered By Insurance?

At this time, most major insurance companies will not cover joint prolotherapy. It is often viewed as an alternative or investigational treatment by insurance companies. As such, you can expect to pay for this procedure out of pocket. But, before you have this procedure done, you should always ask your insurance if it is covered on the off chance you are with one of the few companies who will cover this treatment.

How Often Does Prolotherapy Need to be Done Until a Patient is Healed?

Every person is different. As such, it is difficult to say just how many injections a person will need before their symptoms resolve. However, on average, a healthy person will need anywhere from four to eight injections. These injections are given about four to six weeks apart to ensure that the patient can accurately gauge their pain level and whether they need more injections or not. At this time, there is no way to tell how many injections a person will need until their symptoms resolve; as such, you should plan on needing injections if you are otherwise a healthy person. If you need fewer, that is great. But planning on the worst-case scenario helps you budget both your time and money.

If you are in pain, you may want a treatment that works fast. However, faster is not always better. Many patients are advised to get cortisone injections, when joint prolotherapy may be the better option in the long run. Taking your time to learn about this treatment and get answers to your questions will help you make the right decision as to which is better for you. For more information, contact a medical center like the Prolotherapy Clinic.