Perineural Injection Treatment

Perineural Injection Therapy (PIT) is a safe and effective treatment of acute and chronic pain.  Previously known as Neural Prolotherapy (NPT), this therapy was discovered and developed by the clinical observations of Dr. John Lyftogt, MD in Christchurch, New Zealand. 

 

One of the most overlooked causes of acute and chronic, peristent pain is peripheral nerve pain or neuropathic pain.  Neuropathic pain, also known as neuralgia, is any pain caused outside of the central nervous system, which is the brain and spinal cord.  Neuropathic pain is a major component of chronic pain and musculoskeletal injury.  In many cases it is the actual cause of chronic pain.  It occurs when nerves are injured, hypersensitive, or damaged.  They persistently overproduce local inflammatory substances resulting in inflammation of the nerves and pain.  This pain can be severe and debilitating pain enough that it renders patients unable to walk, work, sleep and essentially enjoy life.  The symptoms exhibited are stiffness, swelling, weakness, paresthesia, and hypersensitivity to touch. 

 

How is Perineural Injection Therapy done?

After a thorough assessment and history, the therapy is chosen in order to alleviate and treat the neuropathic pain.  It involves a series of small, subcutaneous (just below the surface of the skin) injections of a sugar solution (dextrose, mannitol).  Injections are done at areas where the nerve has become inflamed and at tender points along the nerve pathways, not into the nerves.  The goal is to treat as much of the tender area(s) as possible.  Typically, results can be experienced immediately.

The underlying cause or contributor to neurogenic inflammation is chronic, tight muscles or fascia, traumatic injury, or underlying tendon and ligament dysfunction.

 

What Should You Expect?

The goal of each treatment is pain resolution and restoration of normal functional movement.  You should be pain free anywhere from 4 hours to 4 days after your initial PIT treatment.  Treatment is repeated weekly, resulting in gradual reduction of the overall pain and return to function.  Success rates vary between 80-100% depending on the condition. For most conditions recurrence is unlikely unless re-injury occurs.

 

What conditions does Perineural Injection Therapy help with?

• Sports Injury
• Achilles tendon pain (achillodynia)
• Shoulder pain
• Elbow pain
• Groin pain
• Hamstring pain
• Sciatica
• Knee pain
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Chronic pain
• Chronic headaches
• Nerve entrapment or impingement
• Fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, headaches, whiplash, wrist pain, hand pain, hip pain, foot pain, ankle pain, tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis and muscle/ligament injuries also benefit.

 

Your Next Steps

Step 1

History

Your initial session is your opportunity to share your health goals, and for Dr. Sraw to gather vital information that will help determine the root cause of your concerns and to determine the best treatment plan for you.

A complete medical and lifestyle history regarding the details of your current and past health concerns, lifestyle and current medication and supplementation is taken during your initial session.

 

Step 2

Further Testing

As need be, Dr. Sraw will suggest further testing be conducted to uncover any questions remaining by the end of the first session.  Tests you have completed from the past may be requested, as well.

 

Step 3

Examination

Your initial session will include a physical examination.  The area of pain and surrounding areas will be examined.  Assessment may include gait assessment, orthopaedic testing and/or applied kinesiology.  Dr. Sraw may also use ultrasound to assess the injured tissue(s).

 

 

More information on Perineural Injection Treatment:
www.lyftogtmed.com