Prolotherapy – Lidocaine and Sugar Injections to Cure Headaches
ABC’s Lisa Thomas-Laury reports that there is a new headache relief without pills being tested. Dr. Greenberg uses a solution called prolotherapy where he injects a combination of anesthetic called lidocaine and dextrose (a sugar) into areas in Jamie’s neck and shoulder where ligaments or tendons could be damaged. “We see damage in the cervical joints, and also in the back of the head where all the muscles go up and insert into the back of the skull,” said Dr. Greenberg. Ligaments, tendons, and cartilage have poor blood supplies, so when they are injured, they can be slow to heal. The injections, given every 3 to 4 weeks reduce inflammation and jump-start the healing .The dextrose causes the release of growth factors out of the tissues. Prolotherapy has been around for decades, but was used largely for sports injuries in … Read more