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Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, MD, says… “I have been a patient who has benefited from Prolotherapy. I was so impressed with what prolotherapy had done for me that on several occasions, just to satisfy my curiosity, I watched Dr. Hemwall work in his clinic and witnessed the unbelievable variety of musculoskeletal problems he was able to treat successfully. Many of his patients were people who had been treated for years by all sorts of methods, including major surgery, some of which had left them worse off than they were before. I saw so many of them cured that I could not help but become a “believer” in Prolotherapy.” Who is a good candidate for a trial of Prolotherapy? People who have pain syndromes related to ligament, tendon and/or cartilage damage* may benefit from Prolotherapy.
* A proper examination by a chiropractor, physical therapist or other health professional trained in physical medicine is recommended. What is Prolotherapy? Prolotherapy is a highly effective method of treating chronic pain and has been used since 1936. Injured ligaments, tendons, and joint capsules are injected with a nutrient solution that directly stimulates the growth of collagen, the protein that ligaments are made from. This makes them stronger. How does it work? Prolotherapy strengthens the ligament by rebuilding the collagen. Glucose is the fuel cells use to rebuild the collagen. The healing process can be expected to continue for one to four weeks following each treatment. As the tendons and ligaments grow stronger and more capable of doing their tasks, the pain is relieved. How is Prolotherapy different from cortisone injections? Prolotherapy repairs the injury by strengthening ligaments through stimulating a controlled inflammatory response. Cortisone stops the inflammation but may reduce the healing response resulting in weakened tissue. Cortisone can rarely be injected into the same area more than three times. Why do ligaments heal so poorly? Ligaments have a slow metabolism, poor blood supply and are susceptible to continual structural stress that inhibits healing. Does Prolotherapy help muscle tension? Yes. Recurring muscle tension is one of the signs that the ligament is not stable or strong enough to do its job. In a way, a muscle in spasm is trying to act as a ligament. Once the ligament is strong the muscle tension will normalize. How many treatments will I need? For many people relief can be rapid. A trial of 3-8 treatments given at 1 to 4 week intervals is usually recommended. Many patients have reported partial or complete relief from pain after only one or two sessions. The number of treatments varies with the severity of the condition. Patients who are smokers, have autoimmune diseases, take anti-inflammatory medication and/or cortical injections have reduced healing response. How much does it cost? The cost for each treatment is $125. This is a Naturopathic service and can be billed under Group Health Benefits. Do I need to do anything else as part of my prolotherapy treatments? For more information, go to: www.getprolo.com or talk to you chiropractor, medical doctor, physical therapist or dentist. |
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