Prolotherapy and the pain in the lower back (with or no reflection in leg)
Athena Mavromati, MD, Anesthesiologist, 27 Feb 2011
Lower back pain (with or no reflection in leg) is a common problem nowadays. It can be caused by apparent causes such as bad body posture during work or in-house, accidents, degenerative lesions, following surgical operations, or even by causes that are less obvious and are closely related to the life model that contemporary humans adopt, minor injuries that are not properly evaluated, or due to earlier injuries that have been forgotten by the patient himself.
The successful deal of the problem always begins with the correct diagnosis. An analytical medical history and the careful medical examination will lead us to the cause of the problem. Laboratory tests can be done if judged necessary.
The most frequent cause for lower back pain problems is the degeneration of the ligaments that surround the vertebral column. It is also considered to be the ‘darkest’ cause, meaning that it is not visible with the existing imaging methods such as radiography, CT scan, and magnetic tomography. It is the cause that leads to the destabilization of vertebral column, the degeneration or even rupture of intervertebral discs, arthritis of facet joints, and the pressure or trapping of the nerve.
The role of the ligaments is to stabilize and support the vertebral column. They are stripes of connective web that keep the vertebrae in place and only allow small movements of limited amplitude. The degeneration of ligaments due to injuries, age, or diseases of the connective tissue, has as a result the relaxation and eventually the destabilization of the vertebral column. The vertebrae begin to make small movements in a wider amplitude than the normal. These abnormal movements cause further lesions, wear the joints of the vertebral column, and create arthritis and pain. In addition, the vertebrae loses, little by little, its correct position, the original structure is being disturbed and can lead to the change of the vertebral column’s figure, cause hernia to some points, or even rupture the mesospondiliou disc. Simultaneously, the disorder affects the muscle system as well, the muscles contract causing pain and apply permanent pressure on the vertebral column, causing thus even more destabilization. These lesions depending on their location and spread, can cause pain, stiffness, weakness, lack of balance, neurological semiology, muscleatrophy, skin lesions, vascular disorders, disorders in bladder and bowel operation etc.
Prolotherapy is applied in these cases by addressing the basic disorder that is the degeneration of the ligament’s that shield the veterbal column. Injections are made in the points that degenerative lesions exist and activate the production of collagen that gradually matures in the corresponding connecting tissue of the ligaments. After the completion of the therapy the ligaments are revived, are even stronger, and provide stabilization and support to the veterbal column. The treatment deals with the cause to the problem. The nerves are released, and all the pain and other problems consequently subside.
You may also read the article: What is Prolotherapy (25-12-2010)