Regenerative Medicine

The aim of regenerative injections is to stimulate the body to heal itself. These injections are safe, non-surgical treatments for chronic injuries, pain, arthritis, tendon or ligament injuries. Pain can occur as the result of damage to connective tissues and joints.

Regenerative therapy injections include:

• Prolotherapy – developed by George Hackett, MD, in the 1950s, prolotherapy was the first type of regenerative injection. Prolotherapy typically uses a solution of dextrose (a form of sugar) and anesthetic injected into the affected ligaments, tendons or joint capsules to promote long-term, often permanent pain relief by stimulating the body’s ability to repair itself.
• PRP (platelet rich plasma) – a treatment used for various musculoskeletal injuries that utilizes the body’s own platelets. The platelets have growth factors involved in healing.
• Stem cells – Stem cell therapy uses the body’s own healing mechanisms to help repair and slow the deterioration of body tissues (not currently offered at MultiCare)

Prolotherapy, PRP and stem cells when used properly can stimulate the body’s immune system to respond to injuries by repairing, rebuilding and strengthening the area.

MultiCare’s sports medicine providers are trained to treat patients with these injections. Most of these injections are administered with ultrasound guidance to ensure accuracy so you get the proper treatment for your injury.

Candidates for regenerative medicine

Often injuries heal themselves as the body uses normal healing mechanisms, but the longer an injury remains untreated, the longer it takes to resolve. Consider seeing one of our physicians for a consultation if:

• nagging pain prevents you from staying competitive
• your daily exercise routine is no longer sustainable due to pain and dysfunction
• physical therapy, medications and braces are not getting you over your injury

Commonly treated conditions:

• Osteoarthritis of knee and hip
• Tennis and golfer’s elbow (medial and lateral epicondylitis)
• Achilles tendinitis
• Patellar tendonitis
• Quadriceps tendonitis
• Rotator cuff tendonitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Gluteal tendonitis
• Sacroiliac pain
• Others can be considered in consultation with your sports medicine physician