|
Prolotherapy
●
Prolotherapy Basics
●
How
Does Prolotherapy Work?
●
Why
Does Prolotherapy Work?
●
How
Prolotherapy Helps?
●
Indications - Contraindications
●
Introduction to Prolotherapy
● Why Get Prolotherapy?
● What is Prolotherapy?
●
How Does Prolotherapy Work?
● Are You A Prolo Candidate?
● Ligament Reconstruction
●
How Safe Is Prolotherapy?
●
Finding a Prolotherapy doctor
●
When Prolo May Not
Work
●
20 Questions - Prolotherapy
●
The History of Prolotherapy
●
Curing Chronic Pain
●
Sclerotherapy?
●
Turning to Prolotherapy
●
Prolotherapy and Chronic
Pain
● Proof Prolotherapy is Working
●
Creating Collagen
●
How To
Support Treatment
●
Prolotherapy
In The News
For the doctors
●
Add your office
●
Update Your Listing |
The Deterioration of Articular
Cartilage
in Osteoarthritis
by Corticosteroid Injections
Ross A. Hauser, MD
abstract
The hallmark feature of osteoarthritis is the breakdown in the
articular cartilage of joints such as the knee and hip. Both
animal and human research has consistently shown that
corticosteroid injections into normal and degenerated knees
accelerate the arthritic process. A summary of the effects of
the intraarticular corticosteroids on articular cartilage
includes: a decrease of protein and matrix synthesis, matrix
hyaline appearance becomes fibrotic, clumping of collagen,
alteration in chondrocyte cell shape, chondrocyte cell
proliferation inhibited, chondrocyte cytoxicity enhanced, loss
of chondrocytes, surface deterioration including edema, pitting,
shredding, ulceration and erosions, inhibition of articular
cartilage metabolism, articular cartilage necrosis, thinning of
articular cartilage, decrease in cartilage growth and repair,
formation of articular cartilage cysts, and ultimately articular
cartilage destruction.
When researchers microscopically and radiologically examine
human joints after corticosteroid injections, the same results
are found in humans as in animals. Intraarticular corticosteroid
injections accelerate the osteoarthritic degenerative process.
Because of this possibility, organizations such as the American
College of Rheumatology acknowledge, “It is generally
recommended, although not well supported by published data, that
injection of corticosteroids in a given joint not be performed
more than three to four times in a given year because of concern
about the possible development of progressive cartilage damage
through repeated injection in the weight-bearing joints.” It is
this author’s opinion that there is no doubt that the rise of
osteoarthritis, as well as the number of hip and knee
replacements, is a direct result of the injection of
corticosteroids into these joints.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of pain and disability, as
well as cost, to both the individual and society. The average
direct out-of-pocket expenditure of OA is approximately $2600
per person per year, but the total annual cost per person
(including lost productivity) is between $5700 and $9600.
Continue this article at The
Journal of Prolotherapy
Deterioration of Articular Cartilage |
Prolotherapy
Videos Online
•
Prolotherapy to the knee
•
To the Back and Spine
·
Prolotherapy Information sites
|
