ARE YOU TIRED OF LIVING WITH HIP PAIN?
BY FRED ARNOLD, DC, NMD
Introductory information
Hip pain is one of the more common complaints of patients who come to our office. Hip pain frequently results from recent or past traumatic events such as
motor vehicle accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Patients with hip injury rarely have isolated findings of hip involvement. With hip pain, there may
also be involvement of the lumbosacral, sacro-iliac regions, or the gluteal muscles. If these secondary areas of injury are overlooked, complete resolution
of the pain is unlikely.
Anatomy of the Hip
The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, formed by the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum of the pelvis with associated ligaments.
The dome-shaped head of the femur forms the ball, which fits snuggly into the concave socket of the acetabulum. There is a layer of cartilage that
covers the acetabulum and extends slightly out of the socket, called the labrum and acts like a socket to hold the ball at the top of your thighbone
(femur) in place. There are numerous muscles that attach to the top of the femur by tendons. When all the connecting tendons and ligaments are strong,
the hip joint is a very sturdy joint.
Benefits of Prolotherapy for Hip Pain
Prolotherapy (aka Regenerative Injection Therapy – RIT), also known as ligament reconstructive therapy or sclerotherapy, is a recognized orthopedic
procedure that stimulates the body's natural healing processes to strengthen joints weakened by trauma or arthritis. When hip trauma occurs,
either through a single event or repetitive trauma, tendons and ligaments of the hip are torn and stretched. These injured soft tissues
become relaxed, resulting in chronic instability and degeneration with boney changes and thinning of the cartilage.
When left untreated, post-traumatic arthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) occurs and is the most common condition
involving painful hips. Prolotherapy targets the weakened ligaments, tendons and thinning cartilage to strengthen and regenerate the soft tissues
of the knee relieve chronic pain secondary to degenerative changes.
Prolotherapy is a proven treatment for painful hip conditions.
Scientific Study: Sixty-one patients, representing 94 hips who had been in pain for over 5 years were treated with prolotherapy. In this retrospective study, patients were shown to improve their
pain, stiffness, range of motion, and quality of life even 19 months subsequent to their last Prolotherapy session. This pilot study shows that Prolotherapy is a treatment that should be considered
and further studied for people suffering with unresolved hip pain.
Other areas of the body responsive to prolotherapy include neck pain, hand and wrist pain, headaches, TMJ problems, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, back pain, knee pain, ankle sprains, and foot pain.
OUR UNIQUE APPROACH
Prolotherapy treatment is a very effective treatment for painful hip conditions. Dr. Arnold individually evaluates each patient thoroughly with a personal history and physical examination,
including observation of the gait. Evaluation of the hip involves palpation of the front, side and back of the hip joint with specific orthopedic test. Tender or painful areas of the hip
are usually associated with weakened or damaged tissues (ligaments, tendons, cartilage) that make up and are part of the hip joint.
The patient is also questioned about back, sacro-iliac, knee and lower leg problems , since hip pain may be related to any of these areas.
On an individual basis further evaluation may include ultrasound evaluation, X-rays and/or MRI before receiving prolotherapy. In cases involving chronic pain, Dr. Arnold will use
his expertise to provide a comprehensive treatment approach that includes rehabilitative exercises, nutrition, and specific supplements to maximize your health and ability to heal.
Each patient is reassessed in 2-3 weeks and the injections are repeated at decreasing intervals as the patient’s condition is improved and resolved. It is not possible to always
predict the exact number of sessions required, since each patient’s condition is unique in terms of his or her ability to repair and re-grow new tissue. Most patients require 4-6
treatments for a mild-moderate condition and some patients require only 1-2 treatments for resolution of their symptoms. Dependent upon each patients individual pain level,
prescription pain medication may be provided; however, most patients do well with no pain medication or use over the counter Tylenol.
SUMMARY
Prolotherapy is a safe, reasonable and proven orthopedic procedure that has provided significant relief to thousands of patients for painful hip conditions. Prolotherapy provides
relief of painful conditions when other treatments have failed for it treats the cause of the problem: weakened ligaments, tendons and degenerative conditions. Strengthening weakened
ligaments, tendons and rebuilding hip cartilage slows down and even reverses the degenerative changes associated with painful hips. Prolotherapy helps to prevent hip surgery and treat
painful hip conditions without the negative effects of pain medications. Prolotherapy should always be considered when other treatments have failed and partically when surgery has been
recommended.
References:
- Hackett, George Stuart, M.D., Hemwall, Gustav A., M.D., Montgomery, Gerald A., M.D., Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy, Beulah Land Press, Oak Park, Il, 2002.
- Ross A. Hauser, MD & Marion A. Hauser, MS, RD, A Retrospective Study on Hackett-Hemwall Dextrose Prolotherapy for Chronic Hip Pain at an Outpatient Charity Clinic in Rural
Illinois Journal of Prolotherapy. 2009;2:76-88.
With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Fred G. Arnold D.C., N.M.D specializes in Prolotherapy/Pain Rehabilitation services. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy
Health Care Providers, member of American Academy of Pain Management and he is one of the few physicians in the nation with both a naturopathic medical degree and chiropractic
degree. www.prolotherapyphoenix.com. 602-292-2978.