Shoulder Surgery
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Prolotherapy: An Alternative to Shoulder Surgery
Ross Hauser, M.D.
As people surf the web regarding proposed surgeries, they start looking hard for alternatives to surgery. Shoulder surgery typically involves shaving or removing tissue that may be needed by the person. People who get shoulder surgery, can be more predisposed to early arthritic changes.
Most people do not realize that rotator cuff tears can be effectively treated with Prolotherapy. After twelve years I only have a handful of rotator cuff tears that have needed surgery. The hundreds of other cases have healed great with Prolotherapy.
SLAP lesions of the shoulder, often are treated by arthroscopic surgery. This can involve the removal of shoulder tissue that would be repaired with Prolotherapy. SLAP lesions I have found respond very well to Prolotherapy.
Shoulder instability can be treated by surgery, but the results are iffy. Generally people don't want to spend $20,000 for something that is iffy. Prolotherapy I have found to be a great treatment for shoulder instability.
Shoulder arthritis is the end result of cortisone shots and anti-inflammatories. Prolotherapy to stimulate the cells that repair the shoulder is a better option than surgery. Surgery in non-life threatening situations, most would agree should be the last resort. Meaning that Prolotherapy should be tried prior to surgery. Prolotherapy to the inside of the shoulder for cartilage repair and to the outside of the joint for ligament repair has provided satisfactory results. It is also helpful for those with arthritis to get on a comprehensive natural medicine program. Obviously, stopping anti-inflammatory medications may also be a good idea.
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