My Story as a Prolotherapist
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I became fascinated with pain during my Physical Medicine residency. I began accumulating articles on bizarre pain syndromes and obtained quite a collection. What struck me most was the magnitude of the pain problem. It seemed as though everyone either had pain themselves or knew someone who was suffering from chronic pain. I also saw the lack of significant pain relief by modern treatments such as surgery, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
It appeared that the longer people had pain, the less likely such treatments were going to help cure their chronic pain. Pain clinics and pain programs do help some people, but have a poor cure rate. Pain programs teach people to live with their pain. The psychological aspect of the pain is addressed, but in many cases the cause is not determined.
When I began seeing pain patients during my residency training program in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, I thought they were a very difficult group of people to treat. They often appeared depressed, and traditional approaches to pain management did not seem to help. Then I said to myself, How would I feel if I had pain day after day and no one could find a cure?” The families of many who suffer from pain often begin doubting the reality of their loved ones’ pain. Many chronic pain patients who frequent pain clinics experience broken homes and lose their jobs because of the pain. It became evident to me that these patients’ pain was indeed real and that pain pills and support groups did not cure the pain.
In April 1992, I contacted Prolotherapy pioneer Dr. Gustav Hemwall and he allowed me to observe him in his clinic. I was astonished to see him perform 30, 50, or 100 injections on a patient at one time! He called his treatment Prolotherapy. The only other time I had come across the term was when a fellow resident showed me a book on the treatment. I later discovered that Dr. Hemwall was one of the authors of that book!
During the next few months, I spent a considerable amount of time in Dr. Hemwall’s office. People traveled from all over the world to be treated by this 84-year-old man. I have nothing against age, but to think that someone would travel from places like England, Mexico, Florida, and California to receive pain management was incredible. I learned that if someone suffers from pain and someone else has a technique that will help alleviate the pain, time and expense are minor considerations.
It was clear that Dr. Hemwall was helping those whom traditional medicine had not helped. His average patient had been in pain for years and had tried it all: surgery, pain pills, anti-inflammatory medication, exercise, therapy, acupuncture, and hypnotism. Most patients had seen more than five physicians before consulting Dr. Hemwall. Almost all the patients I observed improved after one or two Prolotherapy treatments. People found relief from pain that had plagued them for years. Many said they wished they had known about Prolotherapy years ago.
Three months later, I began utilizing Prolotherapy in my medical practice as a treatment for chronic pain. I have effectively used Prolotherapy in nearly every joint of the body. In January 1993, I began working alongside Dr. Hemwall in his Prolotherapy practice. Since then, my wife and I have opened Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services, a Natural Medicine clinic that cares for people with chronic diseases using natural methods, including Prolotherapy.
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