Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that causes severe pain and affects mobility. Knee osteoarthritis can occur due to various reasons such as age, obesity, heredity, repetitive stress injuries, etc. However, knee osteoarthritis can also occur in people of any age group.
There are several treatment options for knee osteoarthritis. Prolotherapy has become popular and is proven to reduce pain and discomfort caused by knee osteoarthritis. Prolotherapy is a non-invasive treatment where an irritant solution is injected into the affected knee joint to repair and fix the tissue.
What is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is also known as proliferation therapy. It is an alternate treatment option for knee osteoarthritis. Prolotherapy does not have any side effects as it uses your body’s repair mechanism to relieve your pain.
It involves injecting a dextrose solution into the tissue of the affected knee joint. The dextrose solution will then trigger the body’s healing mechanism. Once the body’s healing process gets activated, the damaged ligaments in the knee joint get repaired and strengthened. As the ligaments get strengthened, the joint gets stabilized and provides better support to the joint. This will further reduce the pain and discomfort.
How to Prepare for Prolotherapy?
Before deciding on prolotherapy, you will have an initial consultation with the doctor. The doctor will conduct a physical examination and will explain about the complete procedure. The doctor also explains about the benefits, associated risks, and possible outcomes. Once you make a decision on prolotherapy, the doctor will start preparing you for the procedure.
How Does Prolotherapy Work for Knee Osteoarthritis?
Before beginning the procedure, the knee joint is prepared and sterilized. You will be lying on an examination table. The affected knee joint will then be numbed with lidocaine using a needle.
As mentioned earlier, an irritant solution is injected into the tissue of the affected knee joint. The irritant solution then stimulates the inflammatory process. This will lead to the production of fibroblasts that release new tissue fibres to repair the damaged knee joint. This will stabilize the knee joint, restore the functioning of the joint, and reduce the pain. The results of prolotherapy for knee osteoarthritis such as reduced pain and improved functioning can be permanent.
The entire procedure can take up to 30 minutes beginning from the preparation to the completion of the process.
What Happens After Prolotherapy Injection?
After the prolotherapy, the injected site may feel sore and you may have pain for a few days. However, the pain and soreness are relieved within two to three days after the injection. You should use a cold pack at the injected knee joint. You should also avoid using steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories for about a week after the injection. Using those medications can affect the intended regenerative response. You should also avoid swimming and hot tubs for about 24 hours after the procedure.
Patients who had prolotherapy for knee osteoarthritis have found an improvement in their knee joints. Patients also reported a reduction in their pain.
What are the Benefits of Prolotherapy?
People who had prolotherapy injections for knee osteoarthritis will have the following benefits:
- Natural healing process
- Non-invasive procedure
- Heals and regrows new knee joint tissue
- Highly successful
- The tendons and ligaments that support the knee joint become strong
Want to Know More About Prolotherapy For Knee Osteoarthritis? Book Your Appointment with Dr Pradyumna Reddy
If you have been suffering from knee osteoarthritis and want to know if prolotherapy is suitable for you, meet Dr Pradyumna Reddy today. Dr Pradyumna Reddy has performed prolotherapy for several patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis with a huge success rate. He can definitely treat your condition and can help get relief from your pain. He uses the latest in the technology to provide the best care and outcomes for his patients. If you would like to know more about prolotherapy, schedule your consultation with Dr Pradyumna Reddy today.
