WHAT IS PROLOTHERAPY?

Prolotherapy is a form of medical treatment in which a physician injects a specialized solution into weakened and injured ligaments, tendons or joints. Ligaments are the strong band-like structures that hold your bones and joints together. If these ligaments have been stretched or torn in an injury, the joints that these ligaments hold together will become hyper mobile causing pain when the hyper mobile joint is stretched beyond its normal limits. Many patients continue to injure themselves easily and have chronic pain until these ligaments and/or tendons are returned to their normal integrity.

The Prolotherapy solution that is injected into these weakened ligaments is a special solution that is made up by a compounding pharmacy. This solution causes new, stronger ligament fibers to be formed. This strengthens and tightens up the entire ligament, causing the joint to no longer be hyper mobile and thereby reducing the strain on nerves, muscles and ligaments.

Prolotherapy has been scientifically observed to increase the size of tendons and ligaments up to 40%. No scar tissue is formed (as would be the case in surgical procedures). The tissue formed from Prolotherapy is strong, healthy, flexible ligament or tendon tissue. Once the ligament or tendon has been repaired by Prolotherapy, the nerves are no longer stretched or irritated. The procedure itself causes irritation therefore you will experience some pain throughout the entire process but within a few weeks following the last injection the pain goes away.

There is no down time like with surgery. You will be given specific exercises during your series of injections and will be expected to stick with your normal routine so the body’s ligaments and tendons will develop according to what you normally expect out of them.

Prolotherapy can be utilized in the entire spine (neck and back), the sacroiliac joints, shoulders, elbows, hands, fingers, hips, knees, ankles, feet, toes and temporomandibular joints (TMJ). This procedure can also treat degenerative joint disease; in some cases it may prevent further joint degeneration and therefore alleviate the need for joint replacement surgery. In this instance Prolotherapy is referred to as regenerative joint reconstruction therapy.

Prolotherapy is an approved form of treatment by the American Osteopathic Association and is endorsed by the former Surgeon General of the United States, C. Everett Koop, M.D. (You can read Dr. Koop's endorsement of Prolotherapy by clicking on (Surgeon General’s Report) Physicians have been treating patients with Prolotherapy since the 1930's. My father Jacob Baum, D.O. and my uncle Elmer Baum, D.O. began using Sclerotherapy which is now more commonly called Prolotherapy in their practices in the 40’s. Many patients have failed all other forms of treatment for their injuries before they find Prolotherapy.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

"How many treatments will I need and how often do I receive them?" Each patient will have individualized needs based on their injuries but the average number of treatments is usually six to twelve. Treatments are usually given one to two weeks apart.

There are of course no guarantees with any form of medical treatment but Dr. Baum has had excellent success in treating patients with Prolotherapy for more than 35 years. Many patients have been relieved of the chronic daily pain that was draining them physically and emotionally. Some patients receive maximum medical results within 12 weeks following the last injection and others will find that they are still improving even after 6 months. If you are suffering from a chronic ligament, tendon or joint injury you too may want to consider Prolotherapy.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

In addition, Dr. Baum has a licensed acupuncturist in his office, his son Russell S. Baum, D.O.M. who also specializes in Natural Allergy Elimination (Bio-Set) Dr. Baum believes acupuncture is a wonderful complimentary treatment modality for patients who have acute or chronic pain.

Dr. Baum refers his patients to Accupuncturists, Physical Therapists, Rolfers and Massage Therapists for body work and this aids in the progression of the healing process during and after Prolothearpy treatments. All patients are encouraged to choose a therapist of their choice.

Dr. Baum’s patients have several treatment options to choose from. Even though Dr. Baum for the most part practices traditional western medicine he believes that alternative therapies such as Prolotherapy, Neural Therapy, Sclerotherapy for Varicose & Spider Veins, Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy, Chelation Therapy, Homeopathic Injection Therapy and Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy compliment traditional medicine and offer his patients the best comprehensive medical care possible.

Maintaining a healthy weight is very important not only for one's overall health but also in reducing joint problems and other musculoskeletal injuries such as low back sprain. Dr. Baum’s office provides dietary counseling as well as non-gluten support counseling. If you are a Celiac or would like more information about Celiac’s Disease please go to Dr. Baum’s link (Celiac’s Disease) A Genetic T-Cell Mediated Response

If you are interested in any of the above therapies and would like to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Baum, please call the office at the following numbers:

Article by Dr. Koop on Prolotherapy