Prolotherapy in Hyderabad,for ligaments and tendons that no longer hold

What is prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy, offered at Halcyon in Hyderabad, is a non-surgical injection treatment for ligaments and tendons that have become slack, overused or only partly healed. A natural irritant, most commonly a concentrated dextrose (sugar) solution, is injected where the structure attaches to bone or where it has weakened, to prompt the body to lay down repair tissue.

The aim is a ligament or tendon that holds again, rather than one that has simply been quietened.

How prolotherapy works

Prolotherapy works by causing a small, controlled irritation in the injured tissue, which draws in the body’s natural healing response. Ligaments and tendons have a limited blood supply, so after repeated strain they often stop repairing fully and stay loose or painful.

The injected solution briefly stirs up that repair process in the precise spot the ultrasound shows is weak. Over a course of injections, the goal is firmer, better-organised tissue that supports the joint again. Because it relies on repair, improvement usually builds gradually over the course rather than appearing after the first injection.

Which conditions prolotherapy helps

At Halcyon, prolotherapy is most often used for foot and ankle pain, knee pain and sports injuries — the heel, the Achilles, and a knee that gives way.

• Foot and ankle pain, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon problems
• Knee pain where a ligament is lax or strained and the knee feels unstable
• Sports injuries to ligaments and tendons that have been overused or have only partly healed

Who it suits, and who it does not

Prolotherapy usually suits people whose pain comes from a slack, overused or partly healed ligament or tendon, confirmed on ultrasound, and who have not recovered fully with rest, physiotherapy and simple measures. It suits these soft-tissue structures more than it suits a worn joint surface.

It is not the right choice when the pain comes mainly from worn cartilage, a trapped nerve or a complete tear that needs a different approach. In advanced grade 4 knee arthritis with deformity, a replacement may still be the right answer, and you will be told so plainly. An active infection or an allergy to any of the solutions used would also rule it out, and the consultant will check your medicines first.

The procedure, step by step

Each session is short and done as day care at the Kukatpally centre, and most people are home within about two hours of arriving.

1. The consultant takes your history and examines the joint.
2. A diagnostic ultrasound in the same room shows which ligament or tendon is weak.
3. If prolotherapy is right, the skin is cleaned and numbed with local anaesthetic.
4. Under ultrasound guidance, small amounts of the solution are injected at the points that need it.
5. You rest briefly and receive aftercare instructions.
6. Further sessions in the course are booked; the consultant tells you how many are likely and how far apart.

Recovery and aftercare

Downtime after prolotherapy is minimal. Some soreness, stiffness or swelling at the injection site for a day or two is normal and is part of the repair response.

You will be told which activities to reduce for a short while and when to return to exercise. Some anti-inflammatory painkillers may dampen the healing response, so ask the team which pain relief to use rather than choosing your own. A strengthening or physiotherapy programme alongside the course often helps the repaired tissue hold.

Safety and side effects

Prolotherapy is generally well tolerated. The usual side effects are those of any injection: temporary pain, swelling, stiffness or bruising at the site. Rarely, infection or irritation of a nearby nerve can occur; ultrasound guidance helps the needle reach the intended tissue and avoid nearby nerves and vessels.

Contact the team if soreness is getting worse after the first few days rather than easing, and seek urgent care for fever, spreading redness or heat around the joint.