[MayoFlyFarmer]

if thats why it works... then I assume your logic would hold, however many of these therapys are not 100% understood even if we have a good idea as to how they work.
NOw I've already stated that I'm not even sure that this is the type of treatment I recieved as mentioned above, but remembering back to the injury I had, massage seems ike I would have irritated the muscle rather than help heal it.

We don't want the loonies taking over!

[bezoar]

A lot of theories in healing have to do with increasing the circulation -- like the magnet therapy.  I think, however, that the prolotherapy and probably the magnet therapy as well produce a deeper response.  Haven't seen any literature to know if the magnet therapy has any validity.  The prolotherapy, on the other hand, does and some of the insurance companies here even approve payment for the procedure.

[MayoFlyFarmer]

Something along these lines, I met a guy this week who's doing research in the field of using ultrasound to stimulate nerve and bone regeneration..  Sounded fascinating, although I guess very little is known about it.  (I guess thats why he's around)

A submarine is NOT a cargo ship!

[Donnah (OP)]

Maybe that's how hands on healing works.

[OldMan]

I'd be really interested in hearing anything else about the ultrasound treatment especially in regards to the nerves.

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I'm attacking the illusion but the stopping drives me mad!

[MayoFlyFarmer]

I don't know much about it.  I just met a grad student who was working on it for his thesis project.  According to him there have been very good results thus far, but very little is known about how it works(although it is believed that bone and nerve likely work by the same mechanism).  The only other thing I remember him mentioning was that there are very few people in the states doing research on this. (sounded like there is a lot more in europe, but still not very much).  Sorry that thats not much info, but it was a shrot convo. if I ever see him again I'll corner him in the hall and interigate him.

That's no moon.... its a GRAPEFRUIT!!!!

[dckenn1]

I was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my left shoulder.  The doctor told me that I would need a shoulder replacement in 2-5 years(Glenohumeral Joint).  I understand that this operation is not very succesful as very few are done and there is little experience in this area.  My shoulder was also frozen.  I went through therapy to release the joint, however now when I use it I hear bone grinding against bone because the cartilage is gone.  It doesn't take much(just leaning on it for a while) to leave me in pain for several days.  I take chondroitin-glucosamine and the pain disapates.  I would like to know if prolotherapy will help heal the joint, ideally getting the cartilage to propogate in the joint and prevent the bone on bone friction that wears away the bones? Anybody have experience in this area?  I'm a very active person, 53 years old and can't imagine being limited by this for the rest of my life.

Dave

[Donnah (OP)]

Hi Dave, I only know one person who had a shoulder replacement, and she was very happy with it.

[sgradin]

I am currently undergoing Prolotherapy for diagnosed constant daily headache.  I believe the problem stems from neck wear and tear associated with many years of playing raquetball.  

I believe prolotherapy is a valid option to consider for chronic pain conditions.  The cost/benefit analysis is much easier when you have been suffering from constant pain for an extended period of time.

There is no doubt that the mechanism by which prolotherapy works or does not work is up for debate.  I would assume that most people trying it are rather not risk averse, and have strong motivation to try something new after having attempted other, more conservative forms of rehabilitation.

I am in the initial stages (have only had one treatment session), but will report my experience to the end of my exposure to it.  

Lastly, it can be argued that there can be no true double blind study for a therapy such as this, since simply inserting a needle to the bone and injecting any substance may be the actual therapy, as opposed to the actual contents of the injection.  How then can you measure for the placebo effect?  It goes without saying that this is not a therapy for someone looking for proven, scientific evidence of it's effectiveness.  It is therefore rightfully so, currently generally classified as an aternative therapy approach.

[Bored chemist]

Since this is a science site it might seem fair to include this point of view too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolotherapy#Evidence_based_medicine