If you suffer from chronic joint pain that hasn’t responded to traditional treatments, you still have hope with prolotherapy. Dr. Alexander Kulick is a board-certified emergency room physician who offers alternative treatments like prolotherapy, an injection treatment that safely and effectively heals joint tissues and relieves pain. If you’re ready to pursue a therapy that really works, call the office on the Upper East Side of New York City, or use the online booking tool to schedule a consultation.

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What is prolotherapy and how does it work?

Prolotherapy, or proliferation therapy, is an injection treatment that relieves your chronic joint pain by healing the ligaments and tendons that support the joint.

Dr. Kulick injects a highly concentrated sugar solution at the point where ligaments and tendons attach to the bone. The sugar solution stimulates your body’s natural healing response, initially triggering inflammation, followed by the migration of stem cells and growth factors to the area.

When stem cells and growth factors reach the site, they go into action, using their natural healing abilities to:

  • Reduce inflammation
  • Relieve pain
  • Stimulate blood vessel growth
  • Promote new cell growth
  • Regenerate new cartilage, muscles, tendons, and ligaments

As damaged tissues begin to heal, ligaments and tendons are strengthened, articular cartilage is repaired, joint integrity is restored, and your pain diminishes.

What conditions are treated with prolotherapy?

Dr. Kulick uses prolotherapy to treat a broad range of joint problems. In some cases, ligaments and tendons are frayed and weakened due to age-related wear-and-tear. You may have an acute or overuse injury that’s slow to heal or severe enough to benefit from the regenerative boost provided by prolotherapy.

Prolotherapy may relieve pain caused by conditions such as:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Tendonitis
  • Bursitis
  • Chronic sprains and strains

This is only a short list of potential problems that can benefit from prolotherapy.

What should I expect during prolotherapy treatment?

Before recommending prolotherapy, Dr. Kulick thoroughly examines your affected joint(s) and reviews your medical history. If he determines that prolotherapy is the best option for treating your pain, he administers a topical anesthetic to ensure your comfort during the injection.

Dr. Kulick uses ultrasound to guide the needle to the precise spot where the affected ligament or tendon meets the bone. The injected solution flows into the area and triggers the healing response.

Following prolotherapy, you may be sore for 2-3 days until the inflammatory response dies down and you can get back to your usual activities. Depending on the severity of the soft tissue damage, you may need several injections spaced about three weeks apart to achieve optimal pain relief.

To learn more about prolotherapy and whether it can help alleviate your pain, call Dr. Alexander Kulick or book an appointment online.