About

Mary Harrow, D.O.

Dr. Harrow has been in Colorado Springs since 1995. She graduated from Wright State University in 1990 with a BA in Biological Sciences and from Ohio University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1994. Her internship was completed in Redding, CA at Mercy Medical Center, a UC-Davis program. She took a year for maternity leave and completed residency at the Colorado Springs Osteopathic Family Medicine Program in 1998. Dr. Harrow went back to school and received a certification in Functional Medicine in 2019.

Dr. Harrow's Story

When I was in elementary school and high school, I was a bit of a klutz, but didn't know it. I was always outside and played football with my brothers and neighborhood kids. I enrolled in gymnastics and dance, rode bikes, kickball and any sport I was invited to play - I played. Unfortunately, since I was not very strong or coordinated, I was not invited often, but still gave it my all.

At the age of 26 I was considered "disabled" as a result of my cumulative injuries. A neurosurgeon's consult ended in his recommendation that I go to medical school and figure out my musculoskeletal issues, as he didn't think I was a surgical candidate. So I did.

Starting college at 26 and medical school at 30, I was a considered a "non-traditional" student. After internship and residency, I'd have some of the best osteopaths in the world examine me and treat me, but my treatments wouldn't "hold." They could align my musculoskeletal system, and I'd be out of pain for a few hours, but my body would gradually find its way back to its painful pattern. I found prolotherapy as my saving grace in 1998, thanks to Dr. Thomas Ravin in Denver, CO.

By 2000, I was out of pain, strong, back in sports and started dancing again. My patients saw my dramatic changes and insisted I start training in prolotherapy to be able to help them recover from their chronic musculoskeletal pain. Since then I have continued to learn and teach techniques of prolotherapy along side Dr. Ravin both nationally and internationally.

As for functional medicine, it is a philosophy of health that I have believed since I was 16. Raised on Pop-Tarts, Wonder bread and marshmallow Fluff, I did not have good health. At 16, I was predominately a vegetarian and started seeking a healthier lifestyle.

Working in health food stores in the 1980's, I have always wanted the foundation and science to support healthy living. Surprisingly, medical school lacked significantly in the education of macro or miconutrient needs and healthy lifestyle teachings. I now feel my education is complete - having the best of both worlds - understanding genetics, pharmacology, nutrition, environment, and lifestyle factors and how the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of one's life creates disease or health.