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Rosie
There is an unforgettable scene in Homer’s Odyssey involving Argos, Odysseus’ dog. We encounter Argos towards the end of the epic poem, so arthritically incapable of walking that he is lying in dung and is covered with ticks. Yet “patient-hearted” Argos alone recognizes Odysseus upon the latter’s secret return to Ithaca in disguise, notwithstanding the years that have passed since they were last together. For as Odysseus approached his dog, Argos wagged his tail and laid both his ears back as the sign of that recognition. Odysseus, not wanting the swineherd, Eumaios, to apprehend his reaction, secretly wiped a tear away and began to speak of this dog not in his wretched state but as the splendid dog he must have been and, indeed, as he once was. If there is a more poignant passage in Homer’s Odyssey, it is not evident. Like Argos, Rosie too suffered from joint pain. When Rosie turned 11 in December 2005, she began limping. One month later, walking became painfully difficult regardless of the pace and climbing stairs became impossible. Her veterinarian, Dr. Davis Hall, founder of the Columbia Pike Animal Hospital in Annandale, VA, determined that Rosie had arthritis and recommended Rimadyl, one of the normally prescribed NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). However, that advice was rejected. Instead, after consultation with Dr. Robert Wagner, the co-author’s physician, Dr. Hall administered the first of four prolotherapy treatments—something he had theretofore never heard of in his 20 plus years as a vet. Rosie’s last injection treatment occurred at the end of February. By May, 2006, Rosie was pain free, had stopped limping and had returned to all of her previously ‘normal’ activities, including walking, running, climbing stairs and doing partial back flips. She has not limped a day since that time despite never having taken any medication. So what happened? Prolotherapy (regenerative injection therapy) or ‘prolo’ is a non-surgical treatment for pain caused by weak or damaged ligaments, tendons, and joint capsules. It is most commonly used to treat musculoskeletal conditions of the spine, shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, ankle and foot. Prolotherapy involves the injection, inter alia, of concentrated sugar solution (Dextrose) and local anesthetic at myoligamentous and capsular injury sites. The procedure stimulates the release of tissue growth factors and initiates the regeneration of healthy tissues. This response is similar to the growth of muscles with exercise and the thickening of skin when exposed to repetitive stress. By strengthening and tightening fibrous connective tissues, prolotherapy can help to reduce pain and improve joint function. Common diagnoses treated with prolotherapy include whiplash, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, facet syndrome, rotator cuff sprain, knee sprains, arthritis (such as in Rosie’s front paws) tennis elbow and plantar fasciitis. These chronic conditions often occur in the presence of repetitive micro-trauma with insufficient time for recovery, tissue hypoxia, metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, overuse of steroids and NSAIDs. The controlled ‘injury’ caused by the injections acts as a signal to the body to attempt to repair the injured body part. The repair process takes months to complete but when it is finished, improved functioning and the absence of pain are evidence that new, stronger tissue is now in place. Animals, such as horses and dogs, are just as capable of benefiting from prolo as humans are. At Capitol Spine & Pain Centers in Northern Virginia [where one of the co-authors practices], most prolotherapy injections are performed under fluoroscopic guidance in order to ensure site-specific therapy and maximize patient safety. Treatments are scheduled every two to six weeks until the injured tissues are repaired and the patient returns to normal activities without pain. The number of treatment sessions is dependent on the severity and location of the injury. After the procedure, most patients experience only mild temporary swelling and stiffness and they may resume their pre-procedure level of activity. It is recommended that NSAIDS not be taken after the procedure and that the patient’s nutritional status be maximized in order to promote the body’s healing response. After a series of prolotherapy injections, many patients, including Rosie, have a complete and permanent improvement in symptoms. Recently published research and case studies have supported the clinical application of prolotherapy for musculoskeletal conditions unresponsive to traditional treatments. Textbook materials include: 1.) Pain Management (American Academy of Pain Management) Chap. 33, Pain Management with Regenerative Injection Therapy. 2.) Low Back Pain (American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians) Chap. 35, Regenerative Injection Therapy. 3.) Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Educational materials, references, and links for recently published research are listed at www.treatingpain.com. See also, “Injections to Kick-Start Tissue Repair by Jane E. Brody (New York Times, August 7, 2007). The reason that the vet’s conventional advice was rejected in favor of prolotherapy was because, as a patient of Dr. Wagner, the co-author has had a variety of body parts suffering from chronic pain (including arthritis) that affected mobility treated with prolo and in every instance, the treatments produced the desired results without medication, physical therapy or surgery. Ordinarily, we think of testing treatments on animals before trying them out on humans. In the instant case though, the reverse was true. Unlike Argos, Rosie’s own body was able to restore her mobility through prolotherapy. Rosie remains a splendid dog. Barry L. Isaacs is a corporate tax attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions. [905 South Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204] Robert H. Wagner is a physician specializing in pain management. [Robert H. Wagner, M.D., Capitol Spine & Pain Centers, 3031 Javier Road, #100, Fairfax, Virginia 22031] Survivor Stories Please submit your pet's story to our web-site. We would love to hear from you and encourage you to share your story so that others may benefit from your situation. Submit stories to info@fetchacure.com |
