Chronic Pain / Prolotherapy
By Jeffrey A. Morrison, M.D.

What conditions are treated with prolotherapy?
Arthritis, backaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee pain, herniated discs, chronic headaches, tennis elbow, shoulder pain, varicose veins, almost any joint pain.

How effective is prolotherapy?
The success of prolotherapy depends on a number of variables, including the patient's history and ability to heal. In patients with low back pain with hypermobility, 85-95% of patients treated experienced remission of pain with prolotherapy. In comparison, the Journal of Bone and Joint Therapy reports only a 52% improvement in patients treated surgically.

Is prolotherapy treatment painful?
Because prolotherapy uses inflammation to heal the body, it may result in mild swelling and stiffness, which can be treated with pain relieves such as Tylenol. In addition, the amount of pain involved with an injection will vary depending on the structure to be treated and the choice of solution in the injection.

How long and how often will I need prolotherapy?
The number and frequency of treatments will be determined on an individual basis. As few as two or three treatments given every one, two or three weeks may be all that is needed to achieve the desired result. We ask patients to avoid any heavy-duty exertion during the treatments, but they are able to resume their normal life and work schedule.

What is my philosophy in treating patients with pain?
I take a comprehensive and holistic approach to resolving chronic pain. I evaluate each patient thoroughly with a history and physical exam and specialized laboratory analysis. I may ask patients to have X-rays performed before beginning prolotherapy. I will use my expertise in clinical nutrition to recommend specific supplements to maximize your health and healing process. I support each patient's goal of living without chronic pain.