Sometimes called prolotherapy or proliferative therapy, regenerative medicine uses a series of injections of solutions into the joint spaces to promote the body's natural healing processes, strengthening joints and helping heal injuries. The solutions contain anesthetic agents to help relieve pain as well as other ingredients custom-tailored to each patient's unique needs. The goal of prolotherapy is to help restabilize joints that have become injured or weakened through trauma or disease.

How does regenerative medicine work?

When the body is injured, specific repair processes are initiated that can help mend tissues and strengthen the site of the injury. Regenerative medicine seeks to trigger these repair processes by causing what's known as a controlled injury. By forcing the body to recognize an injury site, regenerative medicine encourages the development of new tissues that strengthen weakened tendons, ligaments and other structures. Additional treatments over time help continue the strengthening process by laying down successive layers of tissue to restore mobility and strength and to repair damage.

What conditions can be treated with regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine can be used to treat conditions affecting many different joints, including the knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, back, neck and hands. It can also be used for the treatment of tempomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is treatment like?

Regenerative therapy differs with each patient and each condition, but generally, it involves a series of precisely-targeted injections over time. Some patients report mild swelling or discomfort typically associated with any type of injection, but these effects dissipate soon after treatment. Dr. Kasendorf will be able to tell you how many treatments you will be likely to need to get the maximum effects of regenerative treatment for your needs.