Mesotherapy – an innovative modality in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain
João C. Alvesa,b,c,d,e*, DVM, PhD, DECVSMR
aDivisão de Medicina Veterinária, Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR). Rua Presidente Arriaga, 9 1200-771 Lisbon, Portugal.
bFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal;
cCentro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal;
dI-MVET – Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisbon University Centre, Portugal;
eMED – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal.
*Presenting author: [email protected].
Intradermal therapy, commonly referred to as mesotherapy, is an administration technique where drugs or other substances are deposited in small quantities into superficial layer of the skin. This technique creates a small deposit of medication in the skin, over the area of the condition being treated, from which the drugs are slowly released to the surrounding tissues, including joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This technique modulates the drugs’ kinetics, inducing a slow absorption, and prolonged local mechanism of action. For these reasons, mesotherapy has a rapid onset of action, a prolonged local action, and a drug-sparing effect, having been described as superior to systemic therapy for musculoskeletal pain relief in humans (Mammucari et al., 2011, 2012).
The use of mesotherapy for the management of painful musculoskeletal conditions has been described in humans, horses, and dogs. Treated conditions include back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and others (Allen et al., 2010; Alves & Santos, 2017; Mammucari et al., 2021). In dogs, studies show different mesotherapy protocols, emplying varying treatment frequencies and medications, can be superior to NSAIDs in the management of musculoskeletal pain (Alves et al., 2018, 2022, 2024).
In this workshop, we will discuss musculoskeletal indications for mesotherapy, treatment technique, commonly used medications, and treatment protocols. Participants will become familiar and comfortable with selecting the best approach to specific cases and conditions.
References:
Allen, A., Johns, S., Hyman, S., Sislak, M., Davis, S., & Amory, J. (2010). How to Diagnose and Treat Back Pain in the horse. American Association of Equine Practitioners Anual Convention, 384–388.
Alves, J. C., Santos, A., & Fernandes, Â. (2018). Evaluation of the effect of mesotherapy in the management of back pain in police working dogs. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 45(1), 123–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2017.07.006
Alves, J. C., Santos, A., Jorge, P., & Lafuente, P. (2022). A multiple-session mesotherapy protocol for the management of hip osteoarthritis in police working dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.22.08.0132
Alves, J. C., Santos, A., & Lafuente, P. (2024). Evaluation of different substance combinations in a multiple-session mesotherapy protocol for the management of osteoarthritis in dogs: a retrospective study. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(8), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.10.0588
Alves, J. C., & Santos, A. M. (2017). Evaluation of the Effect of Mesotherapy in the Management of Osteoarthritis-Related Pain in a Police Working Dog Using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 32(1), 41–43. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.tcam.2017.07.002
Mammucari, M., Gatti, A., Maggiori, S., Bartoletti, C. A., & Sabato, A. F. (2011). Mesotherapy, definition, rationale and clinical role: a consensus report from the Italian Society of Mesotherapy. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 15(6), 682–694. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21796873
Mammucari, M., Gatti, A., Maggiori, S., & Sabato, A. F. (2012). Role of Mesotherapy in Musculoskeletal Pain: Opinions from the Italian Society of Mesotherapy. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/436959
Mammucari, M., Russo, D., Maggiori, E., Paolucci, T., Di Marzo, R., Brauneis, S., Bifarini, B., Ronconi, G., Ferrara, P. E., Gori, F., Mediati, R. D., Vellucci, R., Migliore, A., Natoli, S., Expert panel, & Cancer Genome Center. (2021). Evidence based recommendations on mesotherapy: an update from the Italian society of Mesotherapy. La Clinica Terapeutica, 171(1), e37–e45. https://doi.org/10.7417/CT.2021.2278
