Treatment for chronic joint pain involving nonsurgical reconstruction of the ligament. Prolotherapy refers to the proliferation, or growth, of new ligament tissue holding bones to one another in the joints. Prolotherapy seeks to restore blood supply and nutrients to weakened ligaments and tendons (tissue holding bones to muscles), thereby stimulating the tissue to repair itself. To accomplish this goal, prolotherapists inject sugar water into the ligament or tendon at the point of attachment to bone. This causes localized inflammation that increases the blood supply to the affected area. Once ligaments or tendons have been treated by prolotherapy, the theory is that nerves in the area are no longer irritated, and chronic pain decreases.
The injection of sclerosing solutions (or solutions that contain ingredients such as highly concentrated dextrose) into ligaments, in an attempt to strengthen the ligaments and treat musculoskeletal pain.