Can save one from a major invasive joint surgery. I've had some Prolotherapy injections and they do work BUT and the big BUT is insurance does not pay, out of pocket folks. Leave it to the controls of the Western Medicine world and $$$$$. History of Prolotherapy https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/complementary/prolotherapy/history-prolotherapy I had dextrose Prolo in my right shoulder over 10 yrs ago and got 3 pain free years. Then had Prolo injections in the right knee and at about the 5th session or so the MD h it the wrong spot and gave me a staph infection, what a nightmare that's been.......So these injections NEED to be done by guided ultrasound and injections for the knee were done by an MD who did use an ultrasound machine. That was around the 2015 time period. Money is holding me back from doing more at this point. I deal with a lot of OA bodywide. One MD here has been doing this work for about 25 yrs and I'd go to him if I had the $$$$. Dr. Darrow if you want to check him out. Doctors across the US and world do this work, but I believe he does the most. For my shoulder work, it took one office visit and the MD gave me 8 injections round the shoulder....it was MAGIC, the pain GONE.......the solution he used was dextrose and lidocaine and that gave me 3 pain free years....
Hitting the wrong spot may cause tyhe therapy not to be effective, but it will not cause a staph infection. That is poor technique. I would see another physician. I have a friend who claims PRP an Stem Cell Therapy have soes wonders for him. He uses a clinic in Hawaii that he trusts implicitly.
I have had both PRP & Stem Cell ....... no pain relief [from OA] from either. Good luck with your decision.
Perhaps NOT enough sessions....that's why it can often NOT work for many, they think one can do the job and then stop as they don't want to spend the added $$$$ for more sessions. And YES, I did get an infection from I think it was the 5th sessionn of Prolo, and as I said the MD did not use a ultrasound....Many docs don't use them and many do. They cost more $$$$ for docs to have in their offices. I was in hospital and 3 rehabs for 4.5 months as the infection was NOT found by UCLA for over 2 months as they were only doing xrays and finally they did an MRI and there it was an infection and they rushed me off to do IV's of abx drugs for 2.5 months. And then UCLA did a clean up in surgery and I believe my knee is worse from the clean up. . I know what I went thru Don Alaska
Well, I had two sessions of PRP totaling over $3,000. When I went for stemcell I was told that by using adipose fat for the injections I would only need one round . One shot each in my knees & one shot each in my hips ... totaling $10,000. Then add another $3000 at a pain specialist and I'm up to $16000 + overall ...... and not one ounce of relief. So, bottom line ? until something "new" & reported to be better comes along ... I'm done. I take indomethacin & Tylenol, use a cane & frankly just don't do much / move much.
Well, the PRP MD here charges $850 a session (O.V.) and as he says, he can do 10 or more injections at the site you are there for....Some MD's and others are trying to make a killing on these....$850 is tough enough. Even if one goes for 4 sessions (O.V.'S) that would be about 3500 and the MD here suggests every two weeks if they are needed. The MD here takes the stem cells from one's bone marrow, all done in about 30 minutes....I feel PRP can work good if one stays with it..... There are MANY doing this work across the country and I speak from the one I know about here in LA who has been doing this work and even teaches it at UCLA for about 25 yrs.... I opted for a hip replacement 10 yrs ago and my life is so tough from all the damage down by the surgery...
I understand but .... with not even a hint of any relief, or even the feeling that something was changed ..... I am reluctant to keep spending thousands more on it. I am researching 'biologic' injection therapy, but just started and it is too soon to make a decision, or even have much to report about it.
Sugar if it works is because it irritates and provokes a response. It way more expensive than it ought to be for an injection that cost about five dollars or less to produce, and it's effectiveness is about half the effectiveness of a placebo I think. Meanwhile, there are as always many more reliable and a lot less expensive avenues that include a basic lifestyle change which is needed to correct the underlying causes and prevent recurrence. https://ariesphysiocare.com/general-awarness/arthritis-yes-it-can-be-cured/
I've done many routes, and syn visc stuff which I had a couple sessions, did NOTHING. Steroids do more damage than any good. Dextrose and PRP (dextrose) can and does work, no guarantees but no damage from invasive surgeries. The dextrose (sugar) is the least expensive of them all. And they do work, and so much depends on one's progression and the doc chosen...
I get the impression MOST here are East Coast and MidWest... I spoke of Dr. Darrow who is in CA... I've heard and read a lot about Dr. Ross Hauser who is in FL and I believe he may have a clinic in MidWest..... https://www.caringmedical.com/chronic-pain/ It's important to get to a doctor w ho knows what they are doing and pretty Honest...