Hypermobile Joints
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An often overlooked but extremely important reason for chronic body pain is benign congenital hypermobility (BCH). Generalized joint hypermobility (loose joints in the entire body) due to ligamentous laxity occurs in about five percent of the population. This may be a genetic problem. The loose ligaments cause the person to have loose joints. Affected individuals over 40 years of age typically have recurrent joint problems and almost universally suffer from chronic pain. The end result of this condition is often diffuse osteoarthritis.
People with benign congenital hypermobility are prone to bone dislocation. Hypermobile joints are exhibited by bending the elbow or knee past the neutral position, touching the floor with the palm while bending at the waist, and touching the thumb to the forearm. In subtler cases, this condition can only be determined by a physical examination_one of the reasons it is not diagnosed by most physicians. Most physicians are not trained how to adequately examine for joint mobility and ligament laxity-another reason why a person with diffuse body pain should be evaluated by a physician familiar with the technique of Prolotherapy.
Prolotherapy is my treatment of choice for benign congenital hypermobility because it strengthens the connective tissue to "normal" or "better than normal" condition, preventing over extension of joints. It is recommended that all hypermobile joints be treated to prevent the formation of arthritis. Patients with chronic pain from diffuse body ligamentous laxity require more than the normal four Prolotherapy sessions. Patients suffering from BCH may also require some Prolotherapy in the future for maintenance purposes.
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