Dr. Darrow: Prolotherapy is a simple injection of dextrose and a local anesthetic, like those used in dentistry work.
What the dextrose does is start a very small inflammatory response in the body. Inflammation kicks up the immune system, the immune system brings up fibroblasts which are small cells that produce collagen. Wherever we put that small needle, we will be stimulating collagen growth (Studies have shown ligaments actually get 50% thicker and their strength becomes 200-400% stronger.) Typically a person needs to get injected two to four times to show improvement, and if it is a really bad injury, we may have to inject up to eight times over a period of a couple of months as it does take collagen a couple of months to grow.
My body is one of the best examples of how it works because I have been healed many, many times of many injuries with Prolotherapy, it has been a magical treatment, after I was told that I would need surgery, and refused it and I learned about Prolotherapy and I healed it up myself.
One of the things I do is make patients promise that they are going to heal, it kind of takes the burden off of me…
I too think prolo thereapy can be real good but each Dr. seems to do it a little different. I find that the more zinc added the more it seems to inflame the area.