Regenerative Medicine
At Colorado Integrative Medicine Center, we offer Regenerative Medicine (Proliferative Therapy), also known Non-Surgical Ligament and Tendon Reconstruction and Regenerative Joint Injection. This is a recognized orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body’s own healing processes to strengthen and repair injured and painful joints and connective tissue. Physicians who administer Regenerative Medicine receive training from The American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy Regenerative Medicine, or other authorized training group or physician. Postgraduate training is a prerequisite before treating any patient with a medical orthopedic problem which might benefit from Regenerative Medicine.
The therapy’s foundation is based on what is known about ligaments or tendons (connective tissue). When they are stretched or torn, the respective joint they are attached to destabilizes, which can be painful. Regenerative Medicine directly addressed the cause of the instability by repairing the weakened area to produce new collagen tissue. This ultimately results in a permanent stabilization of the joint. Once stabilized, pain typically resolves. Regenerative Medicine is different than traditional surgical approaches, which may or may not stabilize the joint and relieve the pain and inflammation. Regenerative Medicine is used for joint, ligament and tendon injections.
Examples of Regenerative Medicine are prolotherapy, prolozone and platelet rich plasma injections. Prolozone uses our prolotherapy formula with the addition of ozone gas to the soft tissue. Each has its strengths and appropriate usages. Which one to use is determined at your visit and consultation.
What Can I Expect with Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative Medicine stimulates the body’s natural healing mechanisms to create new tissue in the weakened area. This is done with carefully placed injections to the injury site. This creates a mild inflammatory response from the injection, which encourages growth of new, normal ligament or tendon fibers. Ultimately the procedure tightens the weakened structure. As each treatment is repeated, there is a gradual buildup of tissue that restores region back to its original strength. Typical intervals between treatment are every three to six weeks, with an average interval of once a month, for a total of four to six treatments. However, this can vary and may be more frequent, or take longer, depending on the condition being treated.
Typically, we treat the following areas: low and/or mid-back pain including degenerative disc disease and sacroiliac joint instability/dysfunction, neck pain, knee pain, knee meniscal tears, wrist or hand pain, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain including rotator cuff tears, elbow pain including golfers or tennis elbow, foot pain including plantar fasciitis, ankle pain or instability, hypermobility, osteitis pubis, IT band syndrome, piriformis syndrome, temporal mandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), or other musculoskeletal pain or injury. Some areas or problems can be more challenging than others, and it is therefore important to be evaluated by a physician trained and experienced in this procedure so that an accurate assessment and treatment plan can be given.
If you are experiencing ligament and/or tendon connective tissue pain, please contact us to learn more about how Regenerative Medicine may be the ideal treatment.