The Prolotherapy Doctor’s Examination

A Prolotherapy physician will physically examine the patient, being careful to gently press on the suspect area causing pain. When the physician’s touch elicits an intense pain spot, known as a trigger points or tender point, this is the spot where Prolotherapy is given.

One of the tests you can do at home to determine if you are a candidate for Prolotherapy is to gently press, for example your knee that hurts, the joint causing pain. If you can put your finger on an exact spot of acute pain, you have found the trigger or tender point, the junction of bone and connective tissue that is injured or weakened. Prolotherapy is also effective for areas of the body that are painful but not tender.

The Injections
Unlike the cosmetic use of collagen which requires injecting bovine collagen into the skin to rejuvenate and restore a more youthful appearance, prolotherapy stimulates your body to produce it’s own collagen to rejuvenate and rebuild your body’s infrastructure. The ingredients used in Prolotherapy consist of a variety of tested, refined, and researched compounds that have been successful in helping alleviate chronic pain.

At our practice at the Darrow Sports & Wellness Institute, we use a mild dextrose solution in 99% of our cases. Our practice is also somewhat unique when it comes to patient comfort. Injections are injections and there are people who hate them, fear them, even get queasy over them. We make every effort to minimalize pain and reduce the stress associated with getting an injection. Where most Prolotherapist use a thick, long needle, we use a short, very thin needle, this has a significant impact on lessening discomfort. Additionally we use a “derma-jet” anesthesia spray. Nearly all the pain associated with an injection occurs at the point where the needle breaks the skin. A quick spray from the “derma-jet,” numbs the skin just before the injection so the patient hardly feels anything.

The Treatment
The solutions used in Prolotherapy are designed to have a “double-edged” effect: a combination of anesthetic and proliferant qualities. (Patients who suffer from chemical sensitivities are given a simple dextrose solution.) The anesthetic agent alleviates the “pain trigger,” this also lets me know (as the Prolotherapist) that the solution was placed in the proper area, while at the same time the proliferant agent begins to strengthen the ligaments and tendons at the trigger or tender point site.

The injections at the trigger points cause an irritation, that stimulates the body’s natural process for repairing damaged tissue by creating collagen and cartilage. Joints are gradually pulled back into proper alignment as the newly produced collagen reinforces the muscles, tendons and ligaments, then shrinks to tighten the joint capsule and prevent excessive and unnatural movement. This is all part of the natural healing process. Rather than just alleviating the symptoms like pharmaceutical pain-killers do, Prolotherapy fixes the very structure of the body, effecting a hopefully permanent cure, instead of surgically removing important anatomical components. Prolotherapy fixes the damage, naturally and permanently.