Scott R. Greenberg, MD
At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, we help rid you of the symptoms and treat the underlying causes of arthritis without pain medications. We promote lifestyle changes – rest, exercise, stress reduction and proper nutritional supplementation – in addition to natural alternatives to surgery, like Prolotherapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy.
Rheumatoid arthritis more commonly involves inflammation and swelling of the joints rather than a wearing away of the cartilage as in osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments
Prolotherapy (proliferative therapy), also known as Reconstructive Injection Therapy (RIT) or sclerotherapy, is a recognized orthopedic and holistic procedure that reconstructs – and restores normal function to – joints, ligaments, and tendons weakened by trauma or arthritis by stimulating your body’s healing mechanisms. It works by placing precise injections into the damaged area to stimulate cytokines or cell signals, enabling the immune system to naturally repair the damage. Traditional approaches with anti-inflammatory drugs and surgery often fail to restore joint function and relieve pain permanently. Prolotherapy has the unique ability to directly address the cause of instability and repair the weakened sites, resulting in permanent stabilization of the joint — all without surgery.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) uses a patient’s own blood to relieve pain by promoting long-lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions, especially osteoarthritis of the knee, shoulder, hip and spine, rotator cuff tears, chronic plantar fasciitis, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, pelvic pain and instability, back and neck injuries, tennis elbow, ankle sprains, tendonitis, and ligament sprains.
In PRP therapy, a small amount of a patient’s blood is extracted and spun to develop a concentration of platelets and growth factors naturally found in the body. We then inject this platelet rich plasma into the damaged area. In addition to stimulating the body to heal itself, the platelet “graft” serves as a biologic scaffold that provides optimal curative conditions in the injured area.
Inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis
For patients suffering from inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (a long-term disease that causes inflammation of the joints between the spinal bones, and the joints between the spine and pelvis) and psoriatic arthritis (a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) and joints), we work to control the immune system and reduce its tendency to attack the body. Our program consists of specialized diets, allergy elimination, supplements, detoxification, and the use of low dose naltrexone (LDN) to help control patient’s symptoms and decrease swelling. We have successfully treated patients for whom traditional therapies did not work, as well as those who did not want the risk or side effects associated with long-term steroid or immunosuppresant therapy.1
1. Lippross S, Moeller B, Haas H, et al. Intraarticular injection of platelet-rich plasma reduces inflammation in a pig model of rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint. Arthritis Rheum. 2011 Nov;63(11):3344-53. doi: 10.1002/art.30547.