By Ed on Thursday, August 24, 2000 - 03:22 pm:

Greetings
I have been suffering from low back pain since 1994. The injury occured gradually following a lot of working out on a stationary bike without stretching. I tried some prolotherapy but it was unsuccessful. At the time that prolo was done, pelvic alignment was way off due to significant muscle tightness.

The pain is primarily set off while sitting against a back rest, even if a lumbar pillow is used. Thus traveling is difficult. The pain is local in the center of the low back over the interspinous regions of L5-S1 and L4-L5. SI joints are normal.

Since this website is the only place on the net to discuss prolotherapy, I would really like to hear from people who have, or who have recovered from this type of problem, or one similar to it. Here's hoping we can generate a conversation that will help get our backs better! Best wishes to all.

PS: There is a lot of variation on how prolotherapy is done including: frequency, solutions (irritants), number of injections per session, and number of treatment sessions. I am told that the key is placing the needle right on the tender spots.

By Park Griffin on Friday, August 25, 2000 - 06:05 am:

What is your diagnosis? What imaging techniques have been done? MRI's, bone scans, etc... What does "some prolotherapy mean"? What areas were injected? The reason that I'm asking you this is that I'm not a fan of prolotherapy other than for loose ligaments in the SI Joint. The SI joint is a rather immovable joint. Its not a ball & socket joint or a hinge joint. Those are moveable joints. Moveable joints are somewhat "loose to begin with. Ligaments hold them together enough so they don't pop out, but not enough to cause stiffness. In the case of the SI Joint being rather immobile , there is plenty of ligamentous tissue to work with to cause proliferation of new tissue to support the area. (I am not a doctor. It's only my opinion that prolo doesn't work as well in other areas as it does in the SI Joint). There was a prolotherapy site called www.prolo.net. It is down for some changes but it should be back up soon. Let us know more about yourself and good luck!

By ed on Friday, August 25, 2000 - 01:47 pm:

Park
Thank-you for responding so quickly. Please allow me to answer your questions. A lumbar MRI showed no significant findings, X-rays were normal, and all lab tests were normal. The diagnosis is most likely sprained ligaments.

The prolotherapy that was done included 5 sessions of dextrose to the interspinous ligaments of L4-L5 and L5-S1. There was improvement after 4 sessions but it lasted only a week. Later, another prolotherapist did 4 sessions of P2G to the interspinous ligaments of L4-L5, and L5-S1, and to both SI joints. There was no change. However, pelvic alignment was way off due to significant muscle imbalances. The doctors jumped right into prolotherapy without balancing the pelvis, because they were just prolotherapists.

Furthermore, I am told that prolotherapy is painful, but these injections only caused mild discomfort. Also, the needle never hit a tender spot, and according to the information I have gathered, that is where the injection is supposed to go. Park, what is your wife's experience of prolotherapy been so far. Hope she is improving!

Presently, I would like to find and osteopathic physician that is experienced in prolotherapy. I think its prudent to start noninvasively rather than start out with prolo.

Park, someone else is now using the domain www.prolo.net. Again, thank-you for responding so quickly!

By Park Griffin on Tuesday, August 29, 2000 - 02:40 pm:

Ed, My wife has had one session so far and she said that some of the shots were extremely painful. I am going to be keeping a diary of her prolo sessions on another site. Here's a couple of sites to consider. www.delphi.com/sacroiliac/start ...and...www.delphi.com/sijd/start. Good luck and keep in touch. Park

By Joe Castronovo on Monday, September 25, 2000 - 06:36 pm:

My wife who is considering Prolotherapy has a great DO. He has been able to get her back in place on every visit, however, it never lasts more than a couple of days and lately, less.
He recommends the therapy and claims to have done many. I would imagine that with his ability to continually put the back in place that the Prolotherapy, if successful, will give it the support it needs.

Joe Castronovo

By Ed on Tuesday, September 26, 2000 - 08:38 pm:

Hi Joe
Nice to hear from you. Please allow me to ask the name of your wife's DO. What makes him great. Thank-you in advance for the information.

By Park Griffin on Tuesday, October 03, 2000 - 09:24 am:

Ed, There is a website you may consider: www.delphi.com/sijd/start There is a low back expert his name is Richard DonTingy that posts to the forum. He offers great advice and can direct you to some exercises that you can do to improve your pelvic alignment. Just direct a post to him and explain your low back situation and he'll respond. Good Luck! Park

By Ed on Wednesday, October 04, 2000 - 04:30 pm:

Park, I will check it out. Hope your wife is having success with her prolotherapy treatments. Keep in touch. Ed