Connective Tissue Damage The Underlying Culprit of Chronic Pain

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Connective Tissue Damage

The Underlying Culprit of Chronic Pain

_Ross Hauser, M.D._ (http://www.prolonews.com/ross_hauser.htm)

_http://www.prolonews.com/connective_tissue_damage_the_underlying_culprit_of_c

hronic_pain.htm_

(http://www.prolonews.com/connective_tissue_damage_the_underlying_culprit_of_chr\

onic_pain.htm)

 

 

There are many articles written on _chronic pain_

(http://www.prolonews.com/how_chronic_pain_occurs.htm) though rarely is mention

given to the main

culprits for pain, the connective tissues of the spine and joints. Yet by

addressing the deficiency of connect tissues, the lack of _collagen_

(http://www.pro

lonews.com/connective_tissue.htm) and weakness in _ligament_

(http://www.prolonews.com/ligament_and_tendon_laxities.htm) , _tendons_

(http://www.prolonews.com/ligament_and_tendon_laxities.htm) , and muscle, even

people with

rheumatoid arthritis can be cured of their pain--even to test rheumatoid factor

negative in the blood, previously thought irreversible.

What is connective tissue anyway?

Connective tissue is composed of water, _fibroblasts_

(http://www.prolonews.com/connective_tissue_damage_the_underlying_culprit_of_chr\

onic_pain.htm) and

chondrocytes, and the substances made by these cells, collagen and

_proteoglycans_ (http://www.prolonews.com/connective_tissue.htm) .

Water

By weight, connective tissue is comprised of 60 to 80% water. It is water

and proteoglycans that enables connective tissue structures such as ligaments

to be strong and somewhat flexible.

Other than sports or acute injury, the major reason joints stiffen and cause

pain is dehydration. This especially affects the _articular cartilage_

(http://www.prolonews.com/articular_cartilage_growth.htm) and discs, and is a

contributing factors to _degenerated discs_

(http://www.prolonews.com/degenerative_disc_disease.htm) . One of the easiest

ways to begin the reversal of

connective tissue damage is to drink more filtered or distilled water.

Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts make the collagen which makes up skin, bone, tendons, ligaments,

vessel walls and viscera, and proteoglycans which make up connective tissue.

Fibroblasts are crucial for healing because they have the ability to

proliferate and heal injury.

Chondrocytes

Chondrocytes are responsible for formation, maintenance, and repair of

articular _cartilage_

(http://www.prolonews.com/knee_ligaments_and_cartilage.htm) ,

though unlike Fibroblasts, their ability to proliferate and repair injury is

greatly inhibited by a lack of a direct nutrient supply from the blood.

Recent research into Chondrocytes have shown that despite the limited

nutrient supply, these cells can generate new cartilage tissue. These important

findings have dispelled the long held notion that cartilage tissue could not be

repaired and damaged cartilage should be removed by surgery.

 

Proteoglycans

The proteoglycans are highly viscous proteins that are very hydrophilic,

meaning they are attracted to water. The shock-absorbing properties of

articular

cartilage is primarily due to the proteoglycans. For people with arthritis

or athletes with cartilage damage oral chondroitin sulfate and _glucosamine_

(http://www.prolonews.com/prolotherapy_shots_solutions_ingredients.htm)

sulfate are recommended as these substances are components of the articular

cartilage.

Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about

thirty percent of all proteins. Collagen is the major component of connective

tissue, providing tensile strength and structural rigidity to tissues.

The cousins of collagen are the _elastins_

(http://www.prolonews.com/elastins.htm) , proteins which give elastic, resilient

properties to tissues which

need to expand and contract. These tissues are found in the lungs, ligaments,

skin, and large blood vessels. Wrinkles, sagging skin, bags under the eyes

are all a result of collagen and elastin deficiency.

Soft tissues: muscles, tendons, and ligaments and connective tissue

_whiplash injur_ (http://www.prolonews.com/whiplash.htm) _ies_

(http://www.prolonews.com/whiplash.htm) , back strains, _ankle sprains_

(http://www.prolonews.com/anklesprains.htm) , loose joints, _fibromyalgia_

(http://www.prolonews.com/prolotherapy_and_fibromyalgia.htm) , all have as their

root cause in

weakness or deficiency in the soft tissues of the body.

In normal pain free function, muscle, tendon and bone move in unison to

create joint motion. Ligaments which connect bone to bone give the entire joint

stabilization. It is the strength of the ligaments around each joint that is

the determining factor in the joint’s overall stability and ultimately the

level of pain.

The chronic pain error: ligaments are not muscles and muscles are not

ligaments

The main difference between muscles and ligaments is that muscles are

massively strong structures with a tremendous blood supply. Ligaments, on the

other

hand, are small tissues that have a poor blood supply. Muscles, because of

their good circulation, heal quickly and rarely cause long-term problems,

ligaments on account of their poor blood supply, often heal incompletely and

are

the cause of most chronic pain. Ligaments are also more easily susceptible to

injury and weakness due to immobility (lack of exercises) and the aging

process.

Articular Cartilage

Articular cartilage acts as a pad between the surfaces of two bones, it

prevents the bones from making contact and as such is the main line of defense

against _osteoarthritis_

(http://www.prolonews.com/osteoarthritis__prolotherapy_e-newsletter_archives.htm\

) .

As stated, articular cartilage have the ability to re-grow and heal, yet the

long held notion of damaged cartilage having no regenerative properties led

to many people being subjected to arthroscopies and subsequent joint

replacements.

Beginning in the early 1960’s medical studies reported that healthy

cartilage cells (chondrocytes) had very little or no ability to proliferate.

Since it

was then thought that cartilage could not be repaired, orthopedic surgeons

developed techniques to address the problems of chronic pain in degenerative

joints. The first total _hip replacement_

(http://www.prolonews.com/hip_replacement_alternatives.htm) surgery occurred

at this. A short time later the

_arthroscope_ (http://www.prolonews.com/arthroscopic_surgery_alternative.htm)

was invented.

Medical alternatives to surgery

A small number of physicians (presently less than 300) have turned to a

non-surgical treatment first developed in the late 1930’s that has shown very

promising results in the treatment of chronic pain. By using _Prolotherapy_

(http://www.prolonews.com/what_is_prolotherapy.htm) , these doctors have

accelerated the rate of cartilage growth and strengthened the complete joint

structure in patients with " no cartilage. " Using this therapy many hip and

_knee

replacements_ (http://www.prolonews.com/knee_pain1.htm) surgeries have been

avoided.

 

In Prolotherapy, a series of injections, consisting mostly of naturally

derived substances such as cod liver oil, sugar, salt, or corn extract are

given

at the site of the chronic pain—usually where ligaments and tendons attach to

the bone. These injections are designed to stimulate the immune system by

tricking the body into thinking a new injury has occurred.

The injected substances, as foreign matter, mimic an injury by causing

irritation and mild _swelling_ (http://www.prolonews.com/myths.htm) in the

painful area. The immune system responds to this " injury " by sending

macrophages,

cells that remove debris and irritants from the body. After the macrophages

carry off the irritants for elimination, the immune system sends in

fibroblasts, cells that rebuild connective tissue where damage has occurred.

This

rebuilding process results in new ligament growth which can be 40% stronger

than

the original ligament. It also results in the acceleration of re-growth of

cartilage tissue! Consequently, the physical structure supported by this

connective tissue becomes stronger and more stable, thereby eliminating or

greatly

diminishing the pain triggered by the corresponding nerves and muscles.

Harold Wilkinson, M.D. professor and former chairman of the Division of

Neurosurgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, performed a 16

year Prolotherapy study culminating in 1995. In his report, Dr. Wilkinson

states that it was noteworthy that " a sizeable portion of people with

unresolved

chronic pain had more than a year’s pain relief with only one _Prolotherapy

injection_

(http://www.prolonews.com/prolotherapy__what_are_in_prolotherapy_injections.htm)

.. " While these results were obtained with a single injection,

most Prolotherapy sessions involve multiple injections given in each session.

Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

_C_ (http://www.prolonews.com/cortisone_sports_prolotherapy.htm) _ortisone_

(http://www.prolonews.com/cortisone_sports_prolotherapy.htm) _injections_

(http://www.prolonews.com/cortisone_and_prolotherapy.htm) and

_anti-inflammatory_

(http://www.prolonews.com/can_i_take_anti-inlammatory_agents.htm) drugs have

the following effects on connective tissue healing:

- They decrease blood flow which inhibits the ability of immune cells to get

to the area where damage needs to be repaired.

- Inhibits fibroblast proliferation thus restricting the body’s ability to

repair damage.

- Decrease collagen strength by decreasing protein synthesis and

regeneration of collagen tissue

- Decrease tendon and ligament strength

- Accelerate cartilage breakdown

In addition many recent studies have shown that physician and patient alike

are weary of the _prescription_

(http://www.prolonews.com/what_about_prescription_narcotics.htm) of _NSAIDS_

(http://www.prolonews.com/can_i_take_anti-inlammatory_agents.htm) because of

harmful and well-known side effects.

 

If someone exhibits evidence of _systemic inflammation_

(http://www.prolonews.com/food_healing_prolotherapy_hauser_diet.htm) , such as

being tender all

over or having a diagnosis of fibromyalgia or a rheumatological disease, then

high dose proteolytic enzymes like bromelain can be given. Omega-3 fatty

acids, oils such as evening primrose oil, borage oil, and flax seed oil may

also

be used and are typically necessary when weaning someone off of

anti-inflammatories. Initially, switching from anti-inflammatory medications to

Ultram or

Tylenol may be used because its anti-inflammatory effects are generally

negligible.

Many factors affect connective tissue healing

There are many other factors that affect connective tissue healing, but the

next most important factor is the _nutritional_

(http://www.prolonews.com/how_nutrition_can_heal_your_chronic_pain.htm) and

medical status of the person.

People who consume very healthy diets and do not have systemic medical

conditions, have an excellent chance to heal their chronic pain. If they

experience positive jump signs where tendons or ligaments attach to the bones,

then

they have almost a one hundred percent chance of curing their chronic pain with

Prolotherapy.

RELATED ARTICLES

_Benign Congenital Hypermobility

_ (http://www.prolonews.com/bch.htm) _Degenerative Joint Disease _

(http://www.prolonews.com/degenerative_joint_disease_prolotherapy.htm)