How to Find a Prolotherapy Practitioner

Prolotherapy (short for proliferative therapy) is used to treat chronic joint pain, which may result when weak ligaments and tendons destabilize a joint and cause muscle spasms "See Reference 1." In prolotherapy, a doctor injects an irritating substance into the affected joint, which causes inflammation and, in turn, prompts the body to launch the wound-healing process. As a result, in theory at least, fibrous new tissue grows in the joint, tightening and securing the weak ligament or tendon and thus stabilizing the joint and reducing pain "See References 2, 3, and 4." As with any medical procedure, you'll want to find a skilled practitioner whose advice and abilities you can trust.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Telephone

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Instructions

Investigate the procedure.

• 1

  Try to find unbiased descriptions of prolotherapy and objective studies of the procedure's effectiveness, such as those cited by the American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine and the American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy Integrative Pain Management "See References 3 and 4."

• 2

  Also consider studies synopsized on such websites as Getprolo.com, but keep in mind that many were published in a journal devoted to prolotherapy.

• 3

  Read the studies carefully, so you can make an informed decision about whether prolotherapy is right for you.

Obtain a list of practitioners.

• 4

  If you decide to undergo prolotherapy, investigate which practitioners in your area are qualified to perform the procedure. Prolotherapy may be performed by a specially trained MD or doctor of osteopathy, according to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center "See Reference 1." You can find lists of such practitioners on the websites of the American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine (http://www.aaomed.org) and the American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy Integrative Pain Management (http://www.acopms.com).

• 5

  If you prefer, you can contact these groups by email, telephone, or standard mail by using the following contact information:

  American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine

  600 Pembrook Drive

  Woodland Park, CO 80863

  Phone: [phone]

  Email: [email protected]

  American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy Integrative Pain Management

  303 S. Ingram Court

  Middletown, Delaware 19709

  Phone: [phone]

  Email: [email protected]

• 6

  Check for other local and national websites, such as Getprolo.com, to compare additional lists of prolotherapy practitioners.

Identify practitioners in which you're most interested.

• 7

  Consider the locations and affiliations of the prolotherapy practitioners in your area.

• 8

  Visit the websites of prolotherapy practitioners who have them.

• 9

  Identify a modest number of practitioners you find most interesting.

Ask pertinent questions of each practitioner.

• 10

  Before contacting the practitioners on your list, think about questions you'd most like to have answered.

• 11

  Call each practitioner's office and ask the same questions of each one. For instance, you might want to know how the practitioner trained in prolotherapy, how many prolotherapy procedures the practitioner has completed, where the procedures were done, what percentage of patients experienced reduced joint pain, and what percentage of patients experienced complications after the procedure.

• 12

  Once you've gathered all your answers, compare them and make an appointment with the practitioner who inspires the most confidence in you.