Prolotherapy: History of Prolotherapy and Prolotherapy Research

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Prolotherapy,
Its History and Medical Research
Prolotherapy is the injection of an irritant solution into the joint, or where the ligaments and tendons attach to the bone. These are the areas where pain is often most intense.

The idea of introducing an irritant into an injured joint is far from new.

Twenty-five centuries ago, Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, introduced heated metal probes into the dislocated and painful shoulders of javelin throwers. He believed that this would tightened the shoulder capsule by creating tough scar tissue and that the scar tissue would keep the shoulder in place.

In the more modern era, in 1939, Dr. George S. Hackett, a medical doctor working for insurance companies, noticed that car accident victims who suffered from chronic pain, seemed to have chronic pain because of injured or non-healed ligaments and tendons.

Dr. Hackett reasoned that repairing these connective tissues would resolve much of their pain. He introduced an irritating compound to reactivate the body's natural mechanisms to prompt the production or "proliferation" of new collagen tissues. Dr. Hackett coined the term "Prolotherapy," ("prolo" short for "proliferation" therapy) to describe the technique.

Dr. Hackett is considered the "father" of modern Prolotherapy because of his extensive research and lectures on the subject, and because he introduced the technique to many other physicians, including Gustav A. Hemwall, M.D.

In 1955, Dr. Hemwall attended a Prolotherapy presentation given by Dr. Hackett at the National Meeting of The American Medical Association. Thoroughly impressed by Dr. Hackett's results in pain management, Dr. Hemwall soon became Prolotherapy's leading practitioner, a role he would continue until his retirement in 1996 at the age of 87.

Dr. Hemwall's first attempts with Prolotherapy yielded astounding results.

Dr. Hemwall's first attempts with Prolotherapy yielded astounding results. Patients who he had treated unsuccessfully for years, were suddenly healing and living nearly pain free lives after only a few sessions.

In his career, Dr. Hemwall administered Prolotherapy to over 10,000 patients, one of which was future United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D., who, after his own dramatic results with Prolotherapy, offered the treatment to his own patients.

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Prolotherapy

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Patient's stories herein, and the language used, is intended to inform and educate. HOWEVER, it does not imply that you or anyone else will receive the same outcome.

Prolotherapy and other modalities mentioned are medical techniques that may not be considered mainstream. As with any medical procedure, results will vary among individuals, and there could be pain or substantial risks involved. These concerns should be discussed with your health care provider prior to any treatment so that you have proper informed consent and understand that there are no guarantees to healing.

Neither Dr. Darrow, nor any associate of Joint Rehab offer medical advice on this website. This information is offered for educational purposes only. Do not act or rely upon our information without seeking independent professional medical advice. The transmission of this information does not create a physician-patient relationship between you and Dr. Darrow or any associate of Joint Rehab. Neither Dr. Darrow, nor any associate of Joint Rehab guarantees the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, or adequacy of any resources, information, apparatus, product, or process available at or from this transmission. The photos in this Web site feature models for illustrative purposes and do not depict real patients.

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