What is Regenerative Injection Therapy?
Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT), commonly known as prolotherapy, uses a series of carefully placed injections to administer medicines to painful, injured, strained and arthritic joints. Careful examination identifies the damaged ligaments prior to treatment. Injections are placed at the site where the ligament is attached to the bone. After a series of treatments you can expect increased function, mobility and stability in the effected joint as well as decreased pain. By supplying ingredients natural to cartilage, prolotherapy helps restore joint tautness and integrity.
What are some uses of RIT?
Regenerative Injection Therapy is effective for chronic joint pain in areas such as the neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle. In addition it is effective for conditions such as arthritis, tendonosis, tendonititis, cartilage injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, back pain, sciatica, ankle sprains and other injuries.
Why does RIT work?
Because ligaments have poor blood supply, healing after an injury results in restoration of only 50% to 70% of the original strength. Further, a poorly healed joint can result in degenerative changes such as arthritis and lead to joint disability. Regenerative Injection Therapy promotes blood flow to the area and works by initiating a healing response. It does this by promoting mild inflammation at the injured location. During inflammation, several types of growth factors that repair and rebuild the injured area are released. The above results in the deposition of new collagen which tightens the ligaments, providing new strength and stability to the joint. Prolotherapy therefore takes its name from its ability to produce cellular proliferation.
Dr. C Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General speaks on RIT.
"I was at one time almost incapacitated because of pain and eventually was incapacitated because of paralysis of my right arm. I had been diagnosed as having intractable pain… Prolotherapy has been responsible, completely and totally, for restoring me to active surgical health and it has been my experience over and over again that I have been able to do the same for other so people diagnosed."
"I can attest to the fact that prolotherapy is safe, effective and in cases such as my own and many patients I treated was effective when nothing else was."
What is in a RIT syringe?
A typical RIT syringe contains the anesthetic procaine, normal saline or sterile water and sugars of dextrose and glucosamine. Occasionally Vitamin B12 and MSM are added.
Is RIT like cortisone injections?
Not at all! Although both treatments use needles to deliver medicine to painful joints, the similarities stop there. RIT works in accordance with our bodies own healing mechanism giving the joint a "second chance" at healing. RIT helps joints heal by stimulating an immune response and by supplying ingredients innate to joint structure. Cortisone on the other hand merely masks the symptoms by shutting off the immune response. Injections of cortisone are actually discouraged because long term studies show retardation of tissue healing and weakened ligaments.
Is RIT safe?
In the hands of a properly trained doctor who possesses knowledge of anatomy, RIT is very safe. However, there are always some risks during any injections. These risks vary according to the area treated and will be discussed fully prior to treatment. You should know that the risks of RIT are significantly less than those incurred by taking Ibuprofen, aspirin or other non-steroidals for pain.
Does it hurt?
A pinch is felt as the needle passes through the skin. A topical anesthetic applied 20 minutes prior to treatment can be used if desired. A couple days of soreness and stiffness may follow the procedure. You will be encouraged to remain active.
How many treatments will I need?
Typically four to six treatments at four to six week intervals are required. Occasionally dramatic improvement or relief is gained after just one or two treatments. Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT) is performed by Dr. Bankole. He has received advanced training in RIT and is a member of the Naturopathic Academy of Therapeutic Injection http://www.injectiontx.org and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians http://www.naturopathic.org..
Come in for a free consultation to see if prolotherapy is right for you or make an appointment by calling 951.801.2302
