Dr. Brian McDonagh, MD, stands out as a seasoned physician with an impressive tenure exceeding 30 years, primarily based in Illinois. His career is a testament to his unwavering commitment to restorative medicine, a field he turned to driven by a personal quest to address his own knee pain. Disenchanted by conventional orthopedic solutions, Dr. McDonagh explored prolotherapy, discovering not only its efficacy in treating degenerative arthritis but also its profound impact on his well-being. This journey of self-healing led him to Neural Prolotherapy, now known as Perineural Injection Therapy (PIT), a groundbreaking approach he deemed highly effective for nerve-triggered disorders. PIT was discovered by Dr John Lyftogt in ChristChurch, New Zealand. He made an invaluable contribution to Neurology. He has taught over 3000 doctors around the world.
Driven by his positive experiences and the substantial healing potential of these therapies, Dr. McDonagh became a pioneer in advocating for their broader acceptance. His expertise in PIT now extends to a wide array of neurological conditions, such as MS, Crohn’s Disease, Migraine, Trigeminal neuralgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), tennis elbow, and lower back pain. His innovative use of dextrose injection can eliminate pain and improve healing by correcting the underlying defective glycolysis where the C-fibers (nerves) run out of ATP and depolarise, triggering spike formation and pain, together with impaired healing. Dextrose temporarilyy restores C-fiber ATP (E) levels until the cell can recover its own ATP production. All of this has shown great results in enhancing muscular strength among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and musculoskeletal disabilities.
Dr. McDonagh’s educational journey began at the prestigious School of Medicine at University College Dublin, Ireland, where he graduated in 1968. After internship and two years of Rehabilitation Medicine at Wayne State, Detroit, Dr. McDonagh was in primary care medicine in suburban Chicago. In a landmark move in 1980, he founded Vein Clinics of America because of his own problem with varicose veins. This initiative marked a pivotal shift from traditional vein stripping surgery to minimally invasive, ultrasound image-guided injection treatments, revolutionizing the management of vein disorders. His pioneering work, published in the Journal of Phlebology in 2002, has gained international recognition and adopted in most countries.
Dr. McDonagh’s career is a narrative of innovation, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of healing. His contributions to medicine, especially in the realms of restorative and neurological therapies, underscore his role as a distinguished physician committed to improving patient care and outcomes.
Given the comprehensive list of adverse events and side effects associated with corticosteroid injections as highlighted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and medical research, there is a substantial rationale for considering non-steroidal approaches in the treatment of pain. For example, injecting only corticosteroids into a joint can rid the pain but the joint cannot heal because cortisone blocks all physiological activity including healing. Then you could have the surgery that you were trying to avoid initially.
Dextrose Prolotherapy was discovered by George Hackett MD, a trauma surgeon in Canton, Ohio, during the 1930s. He was motivated at that time by what he saw as excessive orthopedic surgery. It was very successful. While it should have been welcomed as a victory for cost-effective medical care, it was denied by the healthcare insurers. Most doctors thought it was denied because it was so good that it reduced the need for orthopedic surgery, and probably reduce the value and price of the insurance coverage. This could reduce their profit margin on their sales of surgical insurance. This is still the situation today, some 90 years later, where the insurers are denying safer treatments that push patients into unnecessary major surgeries that carry more serious risks. This should be illegal. There are many other safe out-patient procedures that could replace existing major surgical procedures.
We would all be better off if we had cost-effective medicine where the decisions are made by the doctor and patient.
At our clinic, we believe in the power of innovative treatments to not only alleviate pain but to transform lives. Our patients’ success stories are a testament to our commitment to pioneering care and personalized treatment. From debilitating chronic pain to mobility-restricting conditions, our approach has opened doors to new beginnings and restored hope where it was once lost.
We invite you to explore these inspiring testimonials and see for yourself how our innovative treatments are making a difference.
Kenilworth’s LJ is a 19 year old violin music student who presented at Dr. Brian McDonagh’s office with a painful, paralyzed left arm.
LJ began playing the violin when she was only 3 yrs old. She was a child prodigy, and played at Suzuki Violin. She attended the Music Institute of Chicago in Winnetka and had the honor to play Carnegie Hall while still in middle school. When she was 12 yrs old she began to have pain and weakness in her left arm. After seven years of pain, suffering, many doctors and treatment suggestions LJ had all but given up. She moved onto theatre and other activities to spend her time, all along missing the passion she loved most, playing the violin.
When Dr. McDonagh saw LJ she hadn’t been able to play or even pick up her violin. Her arm had been deteriorating for 7 yrs. She came to his office after her mother had read an article about Dr. McDonagh and his specialty practice in Winnetka Kenilworth Living. Previously LJ had been seen by several other doctors, but the cause of her problem was unclear.
Fortunately, Dr. McDonagh sees patients with many versions of peripheral neuropathy. However LJ’s case was unusual because it affected only one limb. This suggested a work related cause. Physical examination of her shoulder, arm and hand revealed nerves that were tender to touch but only in one arm. He concluded that she had a traumatic neuropathy, caused by overuse of her left arm from enthusiastic violin playing.
Nerves can become neuropathic from overuse, this resulting in painful inflammation and loss of function, progressing to painful paralysis. Only one treatment was required for her. So, her progressive seven year disability disappeared within a few minutes. She is now capable of resuming her violin career. When I met her at Dr. McDonagh’s office on a rainy Friday last month, I could see the joy in both her and her mom’s eyes. It’s not fair to be so young and have something that brings so much joy to your life taken from you. LJ will be playing her beloved violin for many healthy years to come!
Whether you have migraines or other nagging neurological afflictions that afflict us as we grow older, Dr. McDonagh might just have the answer for you.
Mike Stark • Mar 23, 2023
My name is Christine. I used to be handicapped. Now, thanks to Dr Brian McDonagh, I am handi-capable! We first met in 1984 at a seminar. Not long afterwards, Dr McDonagh founded Vein Clinics of America. This medical group was a pioneer of injection treatments for varicose vein problems.
In 2008, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which progressed quite rapidly. I was in extreme pain 24/7. I had what is referred to as the “MS hug.” I was suffering with “locking fingers,” restless leg syndrome, and neuropathy in my feet. I was losing functionality to the point of having extremely limited mobility. Getting around required a cane, walker, or wheelchair. My neurologist prescribed Copaxone shots, as well as Baclofen and Tizanidine four times a day. I was so drugged that I was never awake for very long. These daily shots, and 8 pills a day, did not relieve my pain, they simply knocked me out … and then of course, I couldn’t sleep well at night. I was in constant pain, and I was beginning to suffer severe depression. Even with the side effects, I felt the meds were worth taking if they could help… but they didn’t. My condition continued to decline. Then, when I had a major exacerbation in October of 2019, I literally turned into a couch potato. My neurologist told me I could be bed-ridden or in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. When laying down, I couldn’t hold my head up … and standing upright was limited to just 5 minutes at a time. Simple tasks such as laundry, became an all-day job. My husband had to help me get into and out of bed and bath. He had to help me get on and off the couch and chairs … and most humiliating, on and off the toilet. My world was crashing down. The Copaxone shots were causing side-effects of necrosis, rapid heartbeats, back spasms, and hyperventilation. Sometimes it caused such pain that I actually had to scream. I couldn’t work. My husband’s ability to work was now limited. The high cost of my meds (over $4,000/month) drove us bankrupt. We lost our home and had to live in a house that I hated. Something had to change. Suicide was becoming a viable option. That’s when Dr. McDonagh came back into my life. We hadn’t seen each other in decades. But, when he found out from a friend what I was going through, he immediately contacted me to say he could help.
I was quite skeptical, but I felt it couldn’t hurt to try. OMG … after my very first session, my pain levels dropped by 50%. I was able to walk out of his office without my cane. This was huge! Thanks to his peri-neural injections, my pain became less with each session. His work on my shoulders was a Godsend. The neuropathy in my feet changed so much I could feel my toes. My neck could hold my head up. My restless leg had disappeared, and my locking fingers moved freely. The MS hug greatly diminished, and I could walk without a cane for short distances. I still use the walker for long distances because of chronic back problems. Nevertheless, I am now able to walk and be upright for 20 minutes at a time, so among other things, laundry has ceased being an all-day job for each load. Yes, I feel you should give Dr. Brian McDonagh a chance to help you. I can’t tell you what will happen for you, but for me the results have been lifesaving. My husband is proud to tell people that he has gotten his wife back. My children do not worry about me taking my own life. My home is getting organized, and I can now travel to see my grandchildren.
Thank you and God Bless you Dr. McDonagh.
Christine Q
I’ve had symptoms of Crohn’s disease sine I was 7 years old. I struggled with eating, gaining weight, being extremely fatigued and with a general feeling of “brain fog’ when the symptoms were most severe, with cramping, 20+ visits to the bathroom, and utter exhaustion became the norm.
I had surgical resection of the terminal ileum, removing 24 inches of my bowel at the age of 22. Slowly life returned to a different norm but being out in public required a quick scan for bathroom locations at all times. Sugar, carbonated beverages, dairy, beef, pork and gluten had been eliminated for a healthier gut. Use of L-glutamine powder on a daily basis has been key, acting as a “wall paper paste” to help seal the leaky gut syndrome and assist in nutrient absorption.
Constant lower right quadrant pain ranging from a 3 out of 10 to a 9.9 out of 10 seemed to be what life would consist of with Crohn’s disease, spastic colon and random spasms.
I was examined by Dr. McDonagh who found evidence of a neurogenic cause to the Crohn’s dis. He then gave me 3 small injections in the abdomen and the Crohn’s pain subsided within 30 seconds; immediate relief! I have not had any pain or Crohn’s symptoms since. And importantly, the frequency of bowel movements diminished to 2-4 per day with normal consistency (without any watery mucous stools). Mental clarity and focus have returned. Brain fog is gone and fatigue reduced as my body healed. For me this was truly life changing. I cannot recommend this enough. The quality of my life has soared. Should the symptoms return I would immediately repeat the injection based treatment.
Susan S.
Wow Dr. McDonagh
I can’t believe it! Best I’ve felt in 25 years. Incredible! What a gift you are!
Jodi
I’m in my 50s. I had Migraine since age 13, with 2-3 attacks a month, each lasting 2-3 days. It was debilitating, and I could not function normally. About five years ago I had 2 injection treatments by Dr. McDonagh on the first day, and one treatment the next day. Relief was almost immediate. I’ve had no Migraine medicines since.
Stephanie S
It must be wonderful to have the ability to completely change another’s life for the better in such a huge way. Getting them out of pain. Just want you to know what I huge difference you have made to my quality of life. No more back pain after 20 years. Thank you,
Patty
For several years I suffered from severe arthritis pain in my right hand & thumb. Dr Brian McDonagh treated me in 2015. I had 3 treatments in his office and the hand was pain free. The thumb joint pain was persistent and required 3 additional sessions. I am pain free since that time with no additional treatments or medications. I highly recommend him.
Gerald I.
My mother-in-law suffered with shoulder pain for many years, and no other treatment helped her. She tried orthopedic treatments, physical therapy, massages, many different drugs, to no avail. Three visits with Dr McDonagh and she is pain free for more than 6 months now. I wish I heard about his neuropathy treatments years ago, it’s life changing.
Luciano, Buffalo Grove
Traveling overseas to visit my daughter last summer, I found myself grappling with excruciating pain in my right leg and knee, which significantly hindered our mobility and travel plans. The discomfort was so severe that I felt like a burden to my family, especially when it came to walking or traveling. Despite my skepticism, my daughter persuaded me to see Dr. McDonagh for a complimentary consultation. At that point, I was almost resigned to the idea that surgery was my only remaining option.
To my astonishment, during my initial visit, Dr. McDonagh administered injections throughout my afflicted leg and knee. I experienced a slight alleviation of pain on the very first day, but it was the dramatic improvement after the second set of injections that truly took me by surprise. By the third and final day of treatment, I found myself walking normally, entirely free of pain—an outcome I hadn’t dared hope for. In a moment of sheer spontaneity and joy, I even ran across the street to hail our Uber, something I hadn’t done in years. The realization of my newfound mobility moved me to tears.
Seven months have passed since that transformative experience, and I remain completely pain-free. My journey from skepticism to gratitude compels me to recommend Dr. McDonagh unreservedly to anyone suffering from chronic pain. His treatment didn’t just alleviate my pain; it restored my freedom and quality of life.
Jose, visiting Chicago from Brazil.