My biggest problem in my experience in treating injuries, chronic pain, acute pain, headaches, fibromyalgia through a variety of modalities, is that I rarely see my patients more than 3 times. Maybe 6 visits on the outside. Sigh. I like my patients. I miss them. . .

The 30 yo boxer with a medial meniscus tear that recovered after three prolotherapy injections.

The 70 yo laborer who can now get his arms above his head after three prolotherapy treatments.

The 42 yo martial artist with heel pain that improved after platlet rich prolotherapy.

The 75yo woman who got to cancel her hip replacement surgery after a progenitor cell injection.

The 24 yo fibromyalgia patient who no longer needs her handicap plates after acupuncture treatments.

The 45 yo classical guitarist that no longer has rheumatoid Arthritis after IV therapy and low dose naltrexone.

The list goes on. The list is long. I fear the front desk staff no longer likes me because there is constant new patient paper work and more and more charts to file. Follow up phone calls are something like this: “Is this (insert patient name)? No? She doing a triathalon? Well if she has any new concerns please have her call the office.” Maybe I could have a prolotherapy reunion. But who goes to the doctor when they are well? Maybe I should go back to treating professional athletes as they are prone to injure themselves multiple times.

And it is not placebo effect – I’ve seen pre and post treatment MRI’s that show regrowth of articular cartilage of the knee, healed rotator cuff tendons and repaired ACL tears.

The “prolo” in prolotherapy means proliferation. This injection therapy helps structures regrow becoming stronger and pain free. Even after the last treatment the healing effects of prolotherapy continue.

In some cases platelet rich prolotherapy is a better choice. New technology has made this more affordable and accessible to patients. Your blood is drawn and spun down to the platelets to concentrate your growth factors. This is particularly helpful for structures with very little blood supply (like a meniscus) or more severe injuries. This is similar to surgeries where a blood clot is sewn into a meniscus or labrum to create the regrowth.

I am very excited to be able to offer progenitor cells injections for more severe degenerative conditions. Progenitor cells are cells grown in a lab and differentiated to regrow bone, nerve, connective tissue etc. Orthopedic surgeons frequently paint the tibial plateau and patella after knee surgery with progenitor cells differentiated to regrow bone.

Maybe I should call my treatments “Non-surgical orthopedics?”

What you can expect in your treatment plan is an initial evaluation of your pain including any imaging. It is always helpful to bring any imaging you have. If you are a candidate, you will receive 3 treatments in two weeks. Usually the first treatment is on the first visit. The treatment is an injection of a customized prolotherapy solution into the affected area. After the third we will take two weeks off and you will be re-evaluated. You may need a second round of injections if the injury is more severe.

Then your pain is gone and you never call, you never write. At least wave as you are blowing past me up Camelback Mountain.