healingways
Prolotherapy
To Ease Chronic Pain | by Brigit Ingram
T
he practice of stimulating the body to mend itself by generating a healing
response from the immune system is an ancient one. In many modern inte-
grative health therapies, some old ways from the days of Hippocrates have been
made new again, often with a fresh twist of technique or technology.
T
he concept of prolotherapy, the “The traditional philosophy of anti- infl ammation,” says Stephen Wilson,
latest approach to pain manage- infl ammatory methods such as rest, ice, M.D., of Advanced Physical Medicine
ment, is traceable to one used by elevation and compression (RICE), anti- in St. Clair Shores, MI.
Hippocrates (460-370 BCE), renowned infl ammatory medications or cortisone Dr. Wilson is Board Certifi ed in
as the “father of medicine,” on Greek shots to heal injury is totally fl awed,” Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pain
soldiers with dislocated or torn shoul- declares Hauser. “Regeneration and Management and is a Certifi ed Medical
der joints. Today, it comes served up healing are pretty simple. No infl amma- Acupuncturist.
in a dextrose solution, injected into tion, no healing.” “I have several patients that come
the ligament or tendon attached to the Hauser explains why prolotherapy into my offi ce for prolotherapy,” explains
bone. The body’s response, a local- is so effective in easing pain. “Prolo is Dr. Wilson. “One patient in particu-
ized infl ammation in the weak area, derived from the word proliferate, or lar had pain in his shoulder for which
increases the blood supply and fl ow of grow. Prolotherapy injections proliferate, he has seen multiple physicians and
nutrients, thus encouraging the tissue to or stimulate the growth of new, normal received steroid injections. He received
repair itself. ligament and tendon tissue,” he advises. little to no benefi t from this treatment
Although patient response var- “The cause of most chronic mus- and inquired about prolotherapy. I
ies depending on an individual’s own culoskeletal pain is ligament and/or performed three injections to his left
healing ability, the average number of tendon weakness.” He explains that shoulder using the prolotherapy solution
prolotherapy treatments is four. Severe ligaments connect bones together to and the patient noted signifi cant im-
cases may need 10 or more. provide stability for joints. Tendons provement–to the point where he had no
In 1992, Dr. Ross Hauser, a physi- connect muscles to bones, providing pain in the left shoulder and he is now
cal medicine and rehabilitation special- movement of joints. Weakened liga- being treated with prolotherapy for his
ist, assumed the practice of Dr. Gustav ments that can no longer perform cause lower back pain.”
Hemwall, prolotherapy’s leading physi- overlying muscles to contract, in order “Prolotherapy,” he adds, “has con-
cian expert and proponent at the time. to stabilize the joint. The result—mus- tinued to make a difference in the lives,
Hemwall treated more than 10,000 cle spasms and knots—make movement function, and pain level of multiple
patients worldwide and collected data painful. “Thus, stimulating the growth patients in my practice. I believe the use
on 8,000. According to Hemwall, in of new tissue can strengthen lax liga- of prolotherapy will continue to grow
a study of 1,871 of his patients, 75 ments and tendons and relieve most rapidly in SE MI, especially as people
percent of those who completed treat- chronic painful conditions.” become more aware of this treatment
ments found complete relief from their Referral pain patterns like sciatica, versus some of the more traditional mea-
chronic pain. which travel from the originating site to sures.
Hauser subsequently founded Car- distant sites, also respond well to pro- Caring Medical Rehabilitation
ing Medical & Rehabilitation Services, lotherapy, as do the smaller fi nger and Services is located at 715 Lake St., Ste.
in Oak Park, Illinois, and over a period jaw joints. 600, in Oak Park, IL, call 708-848-7789
of 16 years has written seven books on “Patients for whom prolotherapy or visit CaringMedical.com.
the topic of prolotherapy. Adamant that would provide a good alternative and Stephen Wilson, M.D. and Ad-
the fundamental process by which the complementary treatment option are vanced Physical Medicine is located at
human body heals and strengthens itself patients that clearly would like natural 24345 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores, MI.
is infl ammation, Ross relishes his role treatment measures to help heal liga- Call 586-563-3300 or visit
as medical myth-buster. mentous and arthritic conditions and CeasePainNow.com.
34 Oakland, Macomb, Livingston & St. Clair, MI
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