Here's a list of "Prolo Docs." Quite a few D.O.'s in the bunch.
http://www.getprolo.com/
More on the history and procedure:
http://healthplusweb.com/alt_directory/prolotherapy.html
Review article on prolotherapy:
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 May;83(5):379-89.
Critical review of prolotherapy for osteoarthritis, low back pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions: a physiatric perspective.
Kim SR, Stitik TP, Foye PM, Greenwald BD, Campagnolo DI.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07101-1709, USA.
The current scientific literature relevant to the use of prolotherapy for osteoarthritis, low back pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions was reviewed and critically analyzed to determine a clinical effect. Three randomized, controlled studies were found studying the use of dextrose/glycerine/phenol prolotherapy for chronic low back pain; however, they were inconclusive due to the lack of adequate controls, heterogeneity in patient diagnoses, and variations in solutions injected. Two randomized, controlled studies were found that provide some evidence supporting the use of 10% dextrose prolotherapy for osteoarthritis. The sample size of the study (n = 13) involving osteoarthritic thumbs and fingers may have been too small to be strongly conclusive; however, it provides preliminary data to support future studies. Two studies involving osteoarthritic knees report an improvement in anterior cruciate ligament laxity; however, they did not have control groups for comparison. Only case reports were found supporting the pursuit of controlled clinical studies of prolotherapy for chronic neck pain. On the basis of the scarce body of literature critically reviewed to date, the clinical efficacy of prolotherapy in treating osteoarthritis, low back pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions remains inconclusive.
Randomized trial of prolotherapy for chronic low-back pain:
Spine. 2004 Jan 1;29(1):9-16
Prolotherapy injections, saline injections, and exercises for chronic low-back pain: a randomized trial.
Yelland MJ, Glasziou PP, Bogduk N, Schluter PJ, McKernon M.
Centre for General Practice and School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
[email protected]
OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of a prolotherapy injection and exercise protocol in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with two-by-two factorial design, triple-blinded for injection status, and single-blinded for exercise status. SETTING: General practice. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred ten participants with nonspecific low-back pain of average 14 years duration were randomized to have repeated prolotherapy (20% glucose/0.2% lignocaine) or normal saline injections into tender lumbo-pelvic ligaments and randomized to perform either flexion/extension exercises or normal activity over 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain intensity (VAS) and disability scores (Roland-Morris) at 2.5, 4, 6, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: Follow-up was achieved in 96% at 12 months and 80% at 2 years. Ligament injections, with exercises and with normal activity, resulted in significant and sustained reductions in pain and disability throughout the trial, but no attributable effect was found for prolotherapy injections over saline injections or for exercises over normal activity. At 12 months, the proportions achieving more than 50% reduction in pain from baseline by injection group were glucose-lignocaine: 0.46 versus saline: 0.36. By activity group these proportions were exercise: 0.41 versus normal activity: 0.39. Corresponding proportions for >50% reduction in disability were glucose-lignocaine: 0.42 versus saline 0.36 and exercise: 0.36 versus normal activity: 0.38. There were no between group differences in any of the above measures. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic nonspecific low-back pain, significant and sustained reductions in pain and disability occur with ligament injections, irrespective of the solution injected or the concurrent use of exercises.
