As well as your full hormonal profile, you will learn the downstream effects of any prescribed hormone replacement therapy. DHEA, for example, an important hormone often supplemented, is also a precursor for estrogen and testosterone. 

There are milder 'good' estrogens, and potentially harmful 'bad' estrogen metabolites, so it is important to know what is happening to your hormones.  It is recommended after taking DHEA or other hormone replacement therapy for several months to make sure your hormones are staying in the safer ranges. 

Due to their elastic nature both ligaments and tendons are prone to injury, weakness and overstretching which can cause pain. Lack of blood supply to these already traumatized tissues can prevent complete healing following injury resulting in chronic weakness, laxity and pain in the area.

The most common reason for treatment with prolotherapy is chronic pain that doesn't go away.

It can be used to treat many different conditions such as arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, dislocations, headaches, heel spurs, hip degeneration, fibromyalgia, knee injuries, osteoporosis, plantar faciitis, rotator cuff tears, sacroiliac sprain, sciatica, scoliosis, spinal defects, tennis elbow, TMJ dysfunction and whiplash injuries to name a few.

Prolotherapy provokes affected ligaments and tendons to heal themselves. A combination of procaine (local anesthetic) and dextrose (sugar water) solution is injected into the tissue where it attaches to the bone. This induces localized inflammation which increases blood supply to the area and promotes healing by stimulating the actual growth of new and stronger tissue.

Although the theory of how prolotherapy works is simple the technique requires a well trained and skilled practitioner who has vast experience in this field.

The number of treatments required varies with individual situations but most conditions take between 3 - 6 sessions, usually given at three to six week intervals. Healing begins within just a few hours of the treatment.  

Patients treated in our practice with prolotherapy range from adults of all ages and occasionally even children. Olympic athletes, NHL players, amateur athletes, active and sedentary people alike have experienced long term pain relief with this modality of treatment.

If you are interested in finding out if prolotherapy would be an appropriate approach to your situation book an appointment soon with Dr. Saul Pilar or Dr. Ara Elmajian for an evaluation.

Dr. Pilar is a medical school graduate from the University of Toronto and has had extensive prolotherapy training through the Hackett Hemwall Foundation at the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Ara Elmajian is a graduate from the University of Alberta's dental school. He has been trained in prolotherapy through the Hackett Hemwall Foundation at the University of Wisconsin. He has years of experience utilizing prolotherapy to treat the dental and TMJ component.