Intravenous (IV) and Injection Therapies

IV Therapy
Intravenous therapy can be formulated for a wide spectrum of conditions. Simple vitamin and mineral solutions are generally safe and can be administered easily, for example to boost the immune system during acute illness or help with energy during times of fatigue or heavy stress. Treatments such as these may take as little as 15 or 20 minutes. In more serious conditions, such as heavy metal toxicity, autoimmune disease, or chronic infections, longer-term approaches using more sophisticated IV solutions can be utilized with potentially dramatic effects. Protocols are tailored according to the individual and their condition, and a thorough screening is required prior to commencing any treatment.

Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy, also known as a type of sclerotherapy, is a procedure used to strengthen joints weakened or damaged by over-use or chronic injury. Ligament or tendon attachments once stretched, torn, or otherwise injured often have difficulty returning to pre-injury level of functioning due to limited blood supply to these structures. Chronic injuries of these structures can cause instability at the joints and further both pain and dysfunction, setting up a vicious cycle. Unlike surgery, which can often produce more scarring and limited range of motion without addressing the root cause of dysfunction, prolotherapy can actually cause healing of the joint structures without cutting into, or removing, tissue.

Prolotherapy works by stimulating the generation of new fibrous tissue, through injections of small amounts of a natural substance, such as dextrose, or corn sugar, and anesthetic. Once joint structures are strengthened, both joint and muscle pain can be significantly, if not fully diminished. Treatment course varies and depends on the joint being treated, but typically results are seen within 4-6 treatments, although often patients will see significant improvement after one visit. For more information about sclerotherapy and associated research, visit www.acospm.com, or inquire with Dr. Minarik.

Neural Therapy
Neural therapy utilizes a local anesthetic, procaine, and often homeopathic preparations to remove or treat electrical interference fields in the body, originally caused as a result of wounds, scars, surgery, infection, even mental-emotional trauma. These interference fields may produce chronic pain or musculoskeletal dysfunction, or produce more broad ranging problems such as chronic sinus issues, menstrual dysfunction, pelvic pain, digestive disturbances, insomnia, breathing difficulty, etc - the list goes on. The procaine and additional medicines are injected either at the surface of the body, such as around painful areas, or slightly deeper to get at nerve bundles suspected to be "stuck" in a dysfunctional pattern.

Injections are done with tiny needles, and are usually very well tolerated, with minimal, if any, discomfort. Procaine is one of the earliest, and safest anesthetics, being easily metabolized in the plasma, and not requiring the liver for breakdown and detoxification, as with other more complicated compounds. Most patients tolerate this medicine well, even if previous problems with other anesthetic medications.

Trigger Point Injections
Trigger points are regions of hyper excitability in soft tissue, that lead to exceedingly tender points in muscles and chronic pain surrounding the area. Trigger points can often cause referred pain, in well established patterns, leading to symptoms extending beyond the simple area of affected muscle - such as headaches being due to referred neck muscle dysfunction. There are numerous techniques to eliminate these points. Injection of procaine, or other similar substances, is an easy and quick method to often immediately reduce or eliminate musculoskeletal pain. It allows chronic, tight or inflammed muscles to relax, allowing increased blood flow and oxygen, toxic metabolite elimination, and the establishment of a more functional muscle group.

Our Practitioners offering Prolotherapy, Trigger Point Injections and IV therapy
Ryan Minarik, ND, LAc.

Our Practitioners offering Neural therapy
Ryan Minarik, ND, LAc.
Shannon Weeks, ND