Chronic pain can be one of the most physically and emotionally discouraging ailments we face. It interferes with function, freedom, and our ability to live fully. Beyond that, it can dominate the mind—especially when the pain lingers even during rest. Over time, the brain becomes more sensitized to the source of pain, and the threshold for discomfort drops. Eventually, simple movements or light pressure can trigger a disproportionate amount of pain.
Dannielle, a 48-year-old insurance coder, knows this firsthand. For five years, she suffered from medial elbow pain—commonly referred to as “golfer’s elbow” when it affects the origin site of the forearm flexor muscles. “It started out as an annoying ache,” she told me, “but eventually became a sharp, stabbing pain whenever I used my arm for anything.”
The repetitive strain from using a computer mouse and keyboard—her daily tools at work—caused her pain to worsen. Writing, lifting objects, even holding a cup became difficult. “It got to the point where my elbow hurt even when I was doing nothing,” she said. Her pain, typically a 7 out of 10, began affecting her sleep and daily functioning. Eventually, she also experienced numbness in her thumb, a clear sign of nerve involvement.
Seeking relief, Dannielle filed a worker’s compensation claim. She underwent 18 sessions of physical therapy and received a corticosteroid injection. When that failed to help, she was prescribed Meloxicam, an anti-inflammatory medication. It provided no relief. “I was frustrated,” she recalled. “It felt like I tried everything, and nothing was working.”
When she finally visited my office, I found that she had marked tenderness and pain with resistance along her medial elbow, particularly at the origin of her forearm flexor muscles. She also had signs of damage to the ulnar collateral ligament—an area not typically involved in classic golfer’s elbow. Repetitive motion and poor blood supply to connective tissue had likely led to microtears, degeneration, and chronic dysfunction. It was clear that this wasn’t a problem that could be suppressed with medication. It needed to be healed.
Dannielle agreed to undergo Prolotherapy using dextrose, a regenerative injection technique designed to stimulate the body’s natural healing response. “I was nervous at first,” she admitted, “but Dr. Bankole explained everything and made me feel comfortable.” Using palpation, we precisely identified and targeted the damaged areas. She tolerated the treatment well, with minimal discomfort.
When she returned for her second session, she lit up: “I feel 75% better already!” she said. The stabbing pain was gone, her discomfort at rest had completely resolved, and she had regained full sensation in her thumb. By the third treatment, she was pain-free at rest and reported only mild pain (3 out of 10) with use. After her fourth and final session, she said, “I feel like I got my arm—and my life—back.”
Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT), also known as Prolotherapy, is an effective, non-surgical treatment for chronic pain caused by connective tissue damage. It stimulates the body’s own wound healing cascade, using natural substances like dextrose, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), ozone, and stem cell-derived exosomes. For the right candidates, success rates range from 75–80%.
If you’ve been dealing with persistent joint, ligament, or tendon pain—and especially if you’ve “tried everything”—Prolotherapy may be the solution you’ve been waiting for.
Dr. Ayo Bankole
Dr. Ayo Bankole is a California-licensed naturopathic doctor with advanced training in Prolotherapy. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy and Regenerative Medicine and offers natural, non-invasive solutions for chronic pain conditions.
Want to know if Prolotherapy is right for you?
Call 909-981-9200 to schedule a free Discovery Call today.