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Chronic low back
and knee pain
Cured with
dextrose Prolotherapy in conjunction with proper exercise regime and
nutritional
supplementation program
Like all types of joint pain,
knee pain and
back pain
can appear either suddenly, as with an acute injury which may be a
result of a sports injury or trauma, or be chronic (long lasting) often
as a result of overuse of some sort. The most common cause of chronic
knee and
back pain
and disability is
osteoarthritis,
although other forms of arthritis can be culprits as well, including
Rheumatoid Arthritis,
traumatic arthritis, and
gouty arthritis.
Osteoarthritis afflicts most
of us as we age, steadily wearing away the smooth and resilient
cartilage
that caps the ends of our long bones and is essential to normal joint
function. Other causes of knee and
back pain
include
pseudogout,
bursitis,
tendonitis, sports injuries,
Degenerative
Joint Disease and in the case of the knees,
chondromalacia patellae.
Referred pain
which occurs when a
ligament
injury or weakness in
one part of the body causes pain in another part may also be involved.
Obesity
can cause further stress on the knees and back contribute to the
development of both knee and back pain. Individuals with minor knee
pain, clicking, giving way or a "trick knee" usually are experiencing
the earliest symptoms of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis can begin in those as
young as thirty, and may progress for many years before symptoms appear.
The most common cause of chronic back pain and disability is also
osteoarthritis, although other arthritides may contribute as well.
Rusty’s Case:
Rusty is a 56 year old medical professional and Navy Reserve officer
who came to Caring Medical for complaints of
bilateral knee pain and
low back pain. His knee pain began 15 years ago, along with swelling of
those joints. An
MRI
revealed
chondromalacia patella. He had previously tried
physical therapy for
one year with only minimal relief of pain, but a lot of money and time
spent. He had difficulty going up stairs due to pain. His low back pain
started 30 years ago while working in a factory and doing repetitive
movements and heavy lifting. He states this affected his ability to do
physical fitness requirements for the Navy Reserve.
Upon initial physical exam, he had
tenderness of the
patellar
tendon,
medial collateral ligament
and
lateral collateral ligaments
in both knees, a negative anterior drawer sign, with clicking and
crepitation present. His range of motion was 0-100 degrees bilaterally.
He had tenderness of L3-S1 in his low back.
Prolotherapy injections
were recommended
that day for both the knees and the back, but he chose to only treat his
knees since they were his worst areas.
Dextrose
Prolotherapy
was
administered along with glucosamine and growth hormone intra-articularly
for cartilage repair. He was started on the supplements to aid in
the healing process. Dr. Hauser prescribed cycling on a bike 30 minutes
per day to nourish cartilage in the knees.
Rusty returned for
Prolotherapy monthly
and on his third visit he decided to get his back treated with
Prolotherapy as well. He reported that his knee pain was 50% better at
this time.
After three visits, Rusty reported that
his back was 100% better, and he was able to bend better due to less
back pain. His knees were 95% better and his ability to climb stairs had
greatly improved. His range of motion was normal and his knee swelling
was completely gone.
We saw Rusty for his last visit two months
later and he stated that he was using the elliptical and cycling
regularly. He said he had recently traveled to Rome and was able to
climb the stairs of the Basilica in a normal fashion and with very
little discomfort. Rusty was congratulated for graduating from
Prolotherapy that day. He states that is so happy that he found
Prolotherapy to not only help him with his job but to return to the
sports and recreational activities that he loved to do. He feels that
his life is better since receiving Prolotherapy! If you or someone you
love is suffering from chronic knee or back pain, give us a call! We’d
love to help you get back to doing what you love to do!
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