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A patient is generally sore for a couple of days after Prolotherapy. This is because the injections have to go through some muscles to get to the ligaments and tendons. To help the muscle soreness resolve itself sooner, massage therapy and moist heat applied to the area is recommended. Natural products to encourage soft tissue healing, such as bromelain, MSM, or products such as Ortho Prolo Max, are recommended. Gentle manipulation techniques, such as myofascial release, strain-counter-strain, or activator gun treatments, are helpful. Other modalities that improve circulation and assist the healing from Prolotherapy include acupuncture, Rolfing, electrical stimulation, magnets, infrared heat, and ultrasound.
For those who are more sensitive to pain, medications such as Tylenol and Ultram, which are not anti-inflammatory medications, are permissible. Occasionally a muscle relaxant is needed. It is very important to avoid anti-inflammatory medications, as these may decrease the effectiveness of Prolotherapy. Narcotic medications, such as Vicodin, Tylenol with Codeine, and Darvocet should also be avoided because they depress the immune system. Of course, this is not helpful because the immune system is critical for healing after Prolotherapy.
Exercising is permitted as soon as the patient feels ready. Generally, light exercise can begin two days after Prolotherapy. The general rule is if a certain activity or exercise hurts significantly, switch to a different one. A small amount of pain is expected while recovering from an injury, but not significant pain. If the patient receives one Prolotherapy treatment and feels fine, follow-up is still recommended to allow the physician to assess the area for complete healing. If it is still significantly tender, further treatments are needed because the area is still injured. Once the tenderness is gone, the patient is cured.
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