Apr 27, 2017 | PRP, Regenerative Treatments, Spine and Neck, Stem Cell Procedures, Uncategorized
Not all injuries occur through strenuous exercise or overuse. Some are caused by car accidents like our next testimonial, Denise Lawson. She experienced pain in her head, neck and shoulder afterwards, which is typical in a high-impact wreck. For some, these symptoms typically fade over time, but for Denise, this eventually lead to degenerative disc disease in her neck. At first the pain was tolerable. As time went on, it became debilitating and she could no longer raise her arm above her head without experiencing searing pain. After exhausting all forms of interventional treatments such as cortisone injections, acupuncture and chiropractor, she finally turned to regenerative treatments.
Diagnosing Treatable Issues
During her consultation, much care and consideration was brought into creating a suitable treatment plan to help with her pain. Our physicians look at the bigger picture and treat our patients as a whole. They saw that her pain in the neck and shoulder were related and those areas were able to be treated at the same time. She started small with our super concentrated Platelet Rich Plasma treatment, which can be customized to the physician’s orders. Our Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) can help heal small tears, sprains and strains in tendon and ligaments. After a few injections she was able to go back to the physical activities she once loved and never thought she could do again, such as boat racing on the Potomac River! She was so happy with the progress in her neck and shoulder that she decided to undergo stem cells in her knee once she started to experience pain there as well. Today, she is completely healed and rowing her way to a long, pain-free life!
Mar 2, 2017 | Blog, News and Events, Nutrition, Regenerative Treatments, Staff Articles, Stem Cell Procedures, Uncategorized
What Patients Can Do to Help the Success of Regenerative Therapies
Often, patients ask what they can do to help achieve the best results possible from their regenerative therapies. Most importantly, patients can follow the pre and post procedure guidelines. This includes avoiding certain medications, remaining non weight baring for the time recommended by the physician, adhering to any bracing or activity restrictions. Nutrition is another important aspect that can aid in the success of regenerative therapies. Typically, this involves a diet high in protein. This can also include additional supplementation.
Stem Cells and Supplements
Patients frequently ask questions about over-the-counter supplements and how these supplements can optimize Stem Cell treatments. Often, patients are already utilizing a supplement regime. Acknowledging that nutrition and supplements can, in fact, impact the outcome of regenerative procedures, the researchers at Regenexx in Colorado decided to get more definitive answers. They have performed laboratory testing to determine how mesenchymal stem cells react to a wide variety of dietary supplements. The extensive experiments took about one year and, in the end, Regenexx was able to identify several supplements that help promote healthy stem cell function before, during and after the treatment.
The supplement is in liquid form and is taken daily. The physicians at StemCell ARTS will, typically, recommend that patients begin the supplement at least two to three weeks prior to the start of their stem cell treatment. In addition, patients may be recommended to continue taking the supplement for one to three months following the stem cell series of injections. Continuing to take the supplements promotes joint health. The Regenexx Advanced Stem Cell Support Formula supplements can be purchased through the StemCell ARTS offices, located in McLean, VA and Chevy Chase, MD.
Watch this video from the Regenexx website to see how the supplement was created!
Feb 23, 2017 | Articles by Body Part, Blog, Conditions, Platelet Lysate, Prolotherapy, PRP, Regenerative Treatments, Stem Cell Procedures, Uncategorized
STEMCELL ARTS AND FACEBOOK LIVE
As regenerative therapies gain more popularity, StemCell ARTS is aware that many people have numerous questions regarding these new treatment options. That is why StemCell ARTS is excited to utilize Facebook Live to help provide more information. The physicians understand that, prior to committing to an office visit, potential patients want more details regarding regenerative treatments and whether or not these treatments may be right for them. Facebook Live will help the physicians at StemCell ARTS to answer these questions, in real time. Please feel free to tune in when the physicians go live to ask your questions and hear the questions answered during the live feed. If a question is not addressed during the live feed, the staff will respond to the remaining questions in a timely manner. If there is someone who you feel may benefit from these videos, please share the live videos and help StemCell ARTS get more information to those interested in these new and exciting regenerative treatment options! Click the link below to see Dr. Benjamin Newton go “LIVE” for the first time.
EVALUATING HAND AND WRIST CONDITIONS
Dr. Benjamin Newton reviews some common conditions of the hand and wrist, in more detail. In addition, Dr. Newton describes how the physicians at StemCell ARTS approach the initial evaluation. The initial evaluation is important to help the physicians establish a primary diagnosis. This diagnosis is essential to determining the recommended treatment plan. Dr. Newton discloses what some of these recommended treatment plans could entail. Some treatment plans may include other modalities, such as physical therapy or bracing, to name a few. When reviewing potential treatment options, Dr. Newton also talks about the regenerative therapies that can be used to treat common injuries of the hand and wrist. He describes how the various treatments help the primary diagnosis and how these treatments are administered.
Dr. Newton Goes “LIVE”
Feb 16, 2017 | Articles by Body Part, Blog, Conditions, Osteoarthritis, Procedure Outcomes, Regenerative Treatments, Staff Articles, Stem Cell Procedures, Uncategorized
HAND ARTHRITIS
Hands are used frequently in most daily activities. As a result, the pain and discomfort caused by arthritis of the hand can negatively impact how people go through daily life. Since hands are used so often, the constant swiveling and pivoting of the joints in the hands easily wear out the joints. Arthritis, especially of the hands, is often thought to happen later in life. However, the persistent motion of the hand joints can cause the condition to appear early in life. This is particularly true of people who use their hands for athletic activities, or those who perform intricate arts and crafts. Previously, surgery was one of the only options for those suffering from arthritis of the hands hoping to relieve the pain.
STEM CELLS TO TREAT HAND ARTHRITIS
Fortunately, StemCell ARTS offers stem cell procedures that help patients achieve pain relief AND avoid surgery. Seem too good to be true? Patients frequently ask if these procedures work and how patients are responding post stem cell procedure. Being part of the Regenexx network of physicians, StemCell ARTS tracks the outcomes of all patients who undergo regenerative procedures with the office. With all Regenexx network affiliates following the same protocol, StemCell ARTS is able to provide outcome data of all patients who have received the same Regenexx procedures across the country.
What does this mean for patients? This means that, when patients ask if these procedures work, StemCell ARTS is able to provide them with data to answer that question. Take the infograph provided in the link, below. This data reflects all 124 patients, as of 2015, who have had stem cells performed to treat hand arthritis. Of the 124 patients, 93 were treated for hand joints, 26 for the wrist, 18 for other hand joints (such as the thumb), and greater than 60% of the patients suffered from severe arthritis. Prior to the stem cell procedures, patients were reporting an average of 5.6 pain level. Post stem cells, the pain level had decreased to an average of 2.9. This means that some pain levels were higher than the 2.9, others were lower. What patients should take from this data is that the average pain level for these 124 patient was cut nearly in half.
Think that stem cell treatment might be right for you? Come see the physicians at StemCell ARTS. They will provide a comprehensive exam and review any imaging. Once the examination is completed, the physicians at StemCell ARTS will provide you will a customized treatment plan that they feel will be most successful in treating each patients’ specific condition.
Stem Cell Outcome Data – Hand
Jan 19, 2017 | Articles by Body Part, Blog, Conditions, Platelet Lysate, Procedure Outcomes, PRP, Regenerative Treatments, Spine and Neck, Staff Articles, Testimonials, Uncategorized
For patients suffering from back pain, there are a number of treatments that can be suggested. Although surgeries of the spine, such as ‘fusions’ or ‘laminectomies’, can sound daunting and invasive, in some instances they are necessary steps to help patient return to a functioning lifestyle. For some patients, these surgeries are successful and patients can resume living their lives pain free. However, for other patients, the pain level post procedure is similar to what was experienced prior to having a surgical procedure of the spine. If surgery fails to resolve the patients pain, are all options exhausted? Are these patients destined to continue with life-limiting pain?
Luckily, StemCell ARTS is able to provide several regenerative treatment options that have helped our patients say “good-bye” to their post-surgical pain. Our procedure use the patients’ body’s own biologics to help itself heal. Our trained phlebotomists take a sample of the patients’ blood and process this, by hand, in the lab found in each of the StemCell ARTS offices. The blood is placed into a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds to separate the platelets from red blood cells. Those platelets are further processed and concentrated depending on their specific use. In Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), the platelets are injected into, and around the point of injury to jump start the body’s natural healing curve. For Platelet Lysate (PL), the platelets are frozen and broken open for immediate release. PL is recommended by the regenerative physician when PRP may be expected to cause too much inflammation. PL may also be suggested if the patient needs prompt relief since this procedure is comparable to a cortisone injection, but with the body’s own platelets in lieu of steroids.
One patient shares his story about how StemCell ARTS helped him regain his life following his spinal decompression surgery. When surgery failed to provide the necessary pain relief, Judge Thomas Moore sought the regenerative procedures offered at StemCell ARTS. Read more to see how our procedures changed Judge Moore’s life!
Nov 14, 2016 | Blog, News and Events, Regenerative Treatments, Research, Staff Articles, Stem Cell Procedures, Uncategorized
Patients frequently ask how the physicians at StemCell ARTS stand out from other physicians performing regenerative procedures. A recent chapter written by Dr. Mayo Friedlis and Regenexx founder, Dr. Chris Centeno, provides evidence to help answer that question. Dr. Friedlis and Dr. Centeno co-wrote a chapter for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America journal focusing on regenerative medicine. Specifically, this chapter focuses on how to perform a better bone marrow aspiration.
Bone marrow aspirations are a crucial step in the stem cell procedure process offered at StemCell ARTS. The stem cell series of injection is a three step process completed during span of 7-10 days. There is one injection every 2-5 days. The second visit of the series is the stem cell procedure. The patient comes to the office in the morning for the stem cell aspiration. This procedure typically takes about an hour. It takes approximately two hours to process the sample and the patient returns to the office that same day for the reinjection of the stem cells into the injured area. The reinjection can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Performing a successful and efficient bone marrow aspiration is essential to promoting the best possible sample for reinjection. Factors that StemCell ARTS physicians utilize to perform a better bone marrow aspiration includes the use of guidance, both fluoroscopic and ultrasound, newer techniques to help yield higher stem cell counts, patient preparation, proper equipment, and numerous other considerations.
When contemplating stem cell treatment for an injury or disorder of the spine or joints, it is important to ensure that the physician is applying proper techniques. The alternative could include a subpar bone marrow aspiration that would result in a less than optimal reinjection sample. If a patient is going to incur the cost and the commitment to undergo a stem cell procedure, the physicians at StemCell ARTS make sure they have the technology and skills to create the best experience for the patient and offer the best chance for success following the procedure. If you are thinking about stem cell treatment for your musculoskeletal injuries, consider StemCell ARTS and a physician who literally “wrote the book” on the topic.
Regenexx Stem Cell Therapy
