General
In 1974 Dr. Hemwall presented the results of 2007 prolotherapy patients. The results were 75.5% of the patients reported complete recovery or cure, 24.3% reported general improvement and 0.2% showed no improvement.
Prolotherapy versus intraoperative fusion in the treatment of joint instability of the spine and pelvis. Journal of the International College of Surgeons, 1964 42:150-159. Results: The success rate of the fusion was very variable. The success rate of the prolotherapy was an 80-90% cure rate.
Low Back Pain
George Hackett, M.D. presented data in from of the American Medical Association on June 1955 on prolotherapy and neck pain. 563 patients participated. 82% considered themselves cured.
43 patients with chronic low back pain who had been unresponsive to other treatments, including surgery underwent Prolotherapy to the sacroiliac joint area over a period of six weeks. 93% of the patients reported significant improvement. Only three of the patients reported no improvement. Schwatrz R. Prolotherapy: A literature review and retorspective study; Journal of Neurology, Orthpoedic Medicine and Surgery 1991: 12:220-223. 656 patients received a total of 18,000 injections. 12 years after prolotherapy was completed, 82% of the patients considered themselves cured. Hackett M.D. Low back pain British Journal of Physical Medicine 1956 19.25-33
A double blind study in one of the most prestigious medical journals was conducted on the most difficult patients with continuous low back pain. These patients suffered for 10 years or longer and had surgery, medications, manipulations, exercise, physical therapy and other treatments. These interventions failed to provide adequate relief for 10 or more years. 88% of the group treated with prolotherapy had moderate to marked improvement. Ongley, M. A new approach to the treatment of low back pain. Lancet July, 1987 2:143-145.
91% of 177 patients with chronic spinal pain had reduced pain, 84% had improvement in work ability and 85% could do self-care more easily. Hooper RA; Ding M Retrospective case series on patients with chronic spinal pain treated with dextrose.
Chronic LBP: Hooper et al 2004.
In the prestigious journal "Spine," a randomized study showed the success rate in reducing pain and improving disability are at least as good as those reported for spinal cord stimulation, surgery or multidisciplinary treatment for patients with low back pain. Additionally, they found significant reductions in the chronic low back pain and disability 2 years after injections were performed. Spine 29(1):9-16, 2004.
57% improved markedly with 72% improvement in disability scores and 76% in pain in patients with degenerative disc disease. Klein et al 2003.
43.3% of patients with severe degenerative disc disease had sustained improvement, with an average improvement or 71%. Miller MR, Mathews RS, Reever KD. Treatment of painful advanced internal disc derangement with intradiscal injection of hypertonic dextrose. Pain Physician 2006 9:115-121.
80% of paients with "failed back syndrome" obtained good to excellent relief of pain following prolotherapy. Patients also reported improvement in work capacity and social functioning. Wilkinson HA Injection therapy for enthesopathies causing axial spine pain and "failed back syndrome": a single blinded, randomized and cross-over study. Pain Physician, Apr 2005, 8(2) P 167-73.
Arthritis
Knee arthritis: After prolotherapy injections, there was an improvement in pain, swelling, knee buckling and flexion by 44%, 63%, 85% and 14 degrees respectively. There was also an improvement in cartilage thickness on X-ray. Reeves KD, Hassanein K Randomized prospective double-blind placebo controlled study of dextrose prolotherapy for knee arthritis with or without ACL laxity. Alt Ther Hlth Med 2000;6(2):37-46. Please click here to see the full journal article on the use of prolotherapy for arthritis.
Neck Pain
George Hackett presented data in front of the AMA on June 1958 on prolotherapy and cervical whiplash. 82% of patients considered themselves cured.
Statistically significant correlations between proliferant injections, a reduction of both cervical flexion and extension translation, as well as a reduction in pain score Christopher J Ceteno, MD, James Elliott, MSPT, PhDc Pain Physician 2005; 8:67-72 Fluoroscopically Guided Cervical prolotherapy for instability with blinded pre and post radiographic reading.
Sports Injuries
92% of career-threatened elite athletes returned to full elite-level performance in a timely and sustainable manner after regenerative therapy using dextrose. Am J. Phys Med Rehabil. 2008;87(11):90-902.
Dextrose prolotherapy showed marked efficacy for chronic groin pain in this group of elite rugby and soccer athletes. Topol GA, Reeves KD, Hassanein K. Efficacy of Dextrose Prolotherapy in Elite Male Kicking-Sport Athletes With Chronic Groin Pain. Archives Phys Med Rehabil, 2005;86:697-702.
Knee Pain
Using simple dextrose injection into 16 knees with loose ACL ligament, 10/16 knees were no longer loose by machine measurement at time of follow-up, and symptoms were improved. Symptoms of osteoarthritis improved even in those who still tested loose. Long term effects of dextrose prolotherapy for anterior cruciate ligament laxity; A prospective and consecutive patient study. Reeves KD Hassanein K Alt Ther Hlth Med 2003;9(2):
Headaches
Excellent results using prolotherapy for recurring headaches. Dextrose Prolotherapy for Recurring Headaches and Migraine Pain by Ross A. Hauser, MD and Heather McCullough, MA.
Tendinitis/Tendinosis
Prolotherapy yielded a significant reduction in pain at rest and during tendon-loading activities--in patients with chronic tendinosis of the Achilles tendon. Maxwell NL, Ryan MB. Sonographically guided intertendinosus injection of hyperosmolar dextrose to treat chronic tendinosis of the Achilles tendon: A pilot study, JR Am J Roentgenol. 2007 Oct; 189(4):W215-20
Fibromyalgia
Reduction if pain levels and increased functional abilities were seen in 75% of patients with severe fibromyalgia using prolotherapy. Reeves KD, Treatment of Consecutive Severe Fibromyalgia Patients With Prolotherapy. The Journal of Prthopedic Medicine 16(3):84-89.
Prolotherapy Strengthens Tendons and Ligaments
An in situ study of the influence of sclerosing solutions in a rabbit medial colateral ligaments and its junction strength. He found that after five injections the ligament mass increased by 44%, the thickness by 27% and the strength of the ligament bone junction increased by 28%. This study showed that prolotherapy actually causes tissue growth and strengthening. Liu, Y Connective Tissue Research 1983 2:95-102.
Rabbit tendons treated with soduim morrhuate. Six weeks after treatment the diameter of the tendons increased by 20-25%. Maynard J. Morphological and biomechanical effects of sodium morrhuate on tendons. Journal of Orthopedic Research 1985 3: 236-248.
For further information about Prolotherapy please see: Prolonews