Prolotherapy Treatment for Hernia

Different kinds of hernias (ruptures) require different treatments to correct them. Surgery is traditionally used to repair the weakened or broken tissues that cause hernias. Prolotherapy is an alternative treatment used in lieu of surgery. Prolotherapy utilizes injections of sclerosing additives to trigger the body into repairing the hernia.

Hernias

• Hernias can occur in the spinal or abdominal areas, in addition to other areas on the body. Spinal hernias occur when the spongy cushions of fiber that sit between the spinal discs push out of place. Abdominal hernias occur when part of the lining tissue of each area pushes or breaks through an area of the abdominal wall that is weak. Hernias occur from physical strains or injuries. A hernia is the bulge or lump that protrudes from the affected area. Untreated hernias enlarge and cause severe discomfort.

Prolotherapy

• Prolotherapy means growth treatment or proliferation. It is a nonsurgical method that treats the hernia by affecting the ligaments that are too relaxed. Injections of sclerosing agents (sugar water) are shot directly into the surrounding ligaments and tendons of the affected area. Sclerosing agents cause intentional thrombosis or tissue irritation, followed by localized inflammation of the living tissues and cells. The reaction causes increased blood flow to the affected area, forming fibrous-like connecting tissues and contraction of the tissues. This is how the hernia heals or is corrected.

Recovery

• Everyone has a different healing capability so recovery with prolotherapy treatment varies. At times only a handful of prolotherapy treatments are required, whereas other people may require 10 treatments or more. Medical records indicate that four to six treatments are average. Once treatment begins, the attending physician can better estimate the expected healing time.

Surgery

• Surgery is another method of correcting hernias. Unlike prolotherapy, surgery causes scarring. In addition, there is a recurring failure rate associated after hernia surgery has been performed. Fifty percent of surgically repaired hernias fail and reoccur. Abdominal surgery also poses a risk factor to males, due to cutting through scar tissues in the affected area. This can cause a constriction of blood flow to the testicles, resulting in the loss of one or both of them.

Other Hernias

• Hernias are prevalent in the spinal and abdominal areas, but additional kinds of hernias occur from straining the body or from injuries: Inguinal femoral and scrotal hernias are located in the groin section. Remaining hernias include ventral, umbilical, ventral/epigastric, incisional, spigelian, recurrent/recurrent incisional, double (bilateral), stoma and hiatus.