Prolotherapy dry needling

Prolotherapy (‘proliferation – therapy’) treatments are offered in many forms (Autologous Blood Injections, Platelet Rich Plasma, hyperosmolar dextrose injections) and aim to stimulate or re-initiate tissue healing.

Dry needling is a technique that is used by many doctors and physiotherapists to help loosen chronically tight muscle in cases where other measures (massage, stretching and heat applications) have not elicited substantial improvement.

Prolotherapy dry needling is somewhat different. Sterile needles (often acupuncture needles) are used to irritate inflamed tissue and cause a controlled and localized bleeding response. This local bleeding initiates platelets to release a multitude of chemicals the stimulate an inflammatory response and initiate or activate dormant tissue repair cells – fibroblasts and chondroblasts.

As will all forms of prolotherapy, treatment is performed on 2 or 3 occasions (usually 1-2 weeks apart) and results are seen 6 to 12 weeks later. Hence prolotherapy, as effective as it can be, is not a quick-fix solution.

Discuss this and other forms of prolotherapy with the doctors at Kingsley Medical.