Regenerative Medicine — Stop the Pain!!
Regenerative medicine harnesses the innate power in our bodies to restore, replace, or recreate cells, tissues, or organs. It brings together experts in biology, chemistry, computer science, medicine, genetics and even robotics to deliver innovative, non to minimally invasive therapies to accelerate healing and repair. Think of it like this — when injured or invaded by disease, our bodies have the innate response to heal and defend. Regenerative medicine allows us to harness that same capability without the injury.
Consider how your body fixes itself from something as simple as a deep cut into one of your fingers. Immediately, the body sends platelets to stop the bleeding. Then over the next few weeks, the body will generate new skin, new capillaries (blood vessels) and other tissue that was damaged. In a few weeks, the damage will be fully repaired without any external help other than perhaps some stitches to help reduce the scarring at the point of the cut. Regenerative medicine uses your body in the same way without the cut.
Regenerative medicine includes the following therapies that are discussed here. Numerous others are in use or in development. Stem cell therapy, PRP therapy and Shockwave Therapy are all examples of regenerative medicine at work.
Each of these therapies can be used as a monotherapy (alone) or used in combination with one or more of the other therapies. For example, many conditions respond better to Shockwave with PRP than either therapy used alone.
Which therapies are we offering and for which conditions:
We are offering Shockwave, stem cell therapies and PRP therapies as a mono-therapy or in combination for conditions that will benefit from the therapies in combination. Read on to learn about both therapies and how they can help you heal and overcome pain without surgery and other invasive procedures. All of the therapies can potentially help with faster healing, pain reduction, improved tissue function, and enhanced collagen production.
What is PRP Therapy
PRP therapy, which stands for “Platelet-Rich Plasma” therapy, is a medical treatment where a patient’s own blood is drawn, processed to concentrate the platelets (cells crucial for healing), and then injected back into the injured area to accelerate the body’s natural healing process, often used for musculoskeletal injuries like tendonitis, ligament sprains, and joint pain.
Depending on the patient’s age, stem-cells may be used in lieu of PRP since with aging, stem cells may not be as productive as they are for a younger person.
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes acoustic waves to target and treat various musculoskeletal conditions and erectile dysfunction. It leverages neovascularization (new blood vessels), stimulation of growth factors and other cellular activity, reduction of pain, reduction of scar tissue and helps to reduce inflammation.
How Shockwave Therapy Works
Shockwave therapy applies acoustic waves that transmit high energy to targeted painful spots and musculoskeletal tissues. These shockwaves interact with the body’s tissues to initiate biological responses that promote healing, reduce pain, and restore function. The important thing to understand is that shockwave therapy invokes your own body’s ability to heal and restore pain.
The therapeutic effects of shockwave therapy can be understood through its underlying mechanisms of action:
- Neovascularization: Shockwave therapy stimulates the formation of new blood vessels in the affected area, enhancing blood flow and nutrient delivery. This improved vascularization supports tissue regeneration and accelerates the healing process.
- Stimulation of Cellular Activity: The acoustic waves encourage the proliferation of fibroblasts—cells critical for collagen synthesis—and promote the production of new collagen fibers. This cellular activity aids in the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues, strengthening tendons and ligaments.
- Pain Modulation: Shockwave therapy alters pain perception by affecting the nerve endings and pathways involved in pain transmission. It can lead to the release of endogenous opioids, natural pain-relieving substances in the body, thereby reducing the sensation of pain.
- Calcific Deposition Breakdown: In conditions like calcific tendinopathy, shockwave therapy facilitates the fragmentation and resorption of calcium deposits within the tendons. The mechanical forces generated by shockwaves break down these deposits, allowing the body to eliminate the calcium fragments naturally.
- Anti-inflammatory Effects: Shockwave therapy reduces the levels of inflammatory mediators in the treated area, alleviating pain and swelling. Decreasing inflammation creates a more favorable environment for tissue healing and recovery.
Next, let’s consider some specific conditions and the appropriate regenerative solution for each one of them.
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Condition: Patient presents with gradual onset of dull, aching pain in the shoulder and upper arm. Usually occurs over a period of weeks to months. Patient will often complain of stiffness with limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. It will be difficult to raise, lower, or rotate the arm. Patient might here a clicking or popping sensation in the shoulder. Usually an X-ray is sufficient in the beginning and is used to rule out other things like arthritis.
Therapies: For optimal results can include combo treatment of shockwave and PRP. PRP treatment will be once weekly for 3 weeks. Combo treatment will be shockwave followed by PRP (3-5 shockwaves and 3 PRP sessions.) Treatment will also include rehab exercises that can be completed at home.
Low back pain
There are several etiologies but usually involves damage to the discs of the low back, also known as degenerative disc disease. Patient may also bulging or herniated to that may cause a radiation of pain to the buttocks and leg.
Therapies: Treatments can include trigger point injections or shockwave therapy but should be combined with exercises (PT and/or chiropractic care)
Neck and Shoulder pain
Condition: Usually caused by poor posture and/or previous injuries such as a motor vehicle accident.
Therapies: Treatments can include trigger point injections or shockwave therapy.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Condition: Patient presents with severe shoulder pain and is worse when lifting things over the shoulder or far away from the body. May also have arm weakness and hear a crackling sensation on moving the shoulder in certain positions. Imaging will include and X-ray and MRI to confirm diagnosis of a tear.
Therapies: Treatment options can include shockwave therapy, PRP, or combo treatment of shockwave + PRP. PRP sessions are once per week for 3 weeks. Shockwave-3-5 treatments, 1 week apart or Combo treatments are weekly PRP injections followed by shockwave for 3 weeks. Home rehab exercise included.
Shoulder Impingement (Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinitis)
Condition: Patient presents with severe shoulder pain, especially when lifting the arm, reaching overhead, or lying on the affected side; pain can be sudden and sharp. It is a condition where calcium deposits form within the tendons of the rotator cuff in the shoulder causing inflammation and pain due to the buildup of the deposits. The exact cause is unknown but generally is combination of aging, injury, and other conditions such as diabetes. X-ray needed for confirmation diagnosis. Ultrasound is also useful to visualize the calcium deposits.
Therapies: Treatment can include shockwave, PRP, or a combo treatment for best results. Shockwave-3 treatments, 1 week apart , PRP sessions will be once per week for 3 weeks. Combo treatment is shockwave therapy sessions followed by 3 PRP injections, 30 minute wait between treatments. Home rehab exercises be included.
Shoulder Arthritis (Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis)
Condition: Patient presents with shoulder pain and limited range of motion. Patients often present with other co-existing conditions such as a particular torn rotator cuff tendon, labral tears, or frozen shoulder. Need an X-ray to confirm diagnosis.
Therapies: Treatments can include PRP or shockwave. PRP sessions are once per week for 3 weeks.
Biceps Tendonitis
Condition: Patient presents with anterior shoulder pain and is aggravated with lifting, reaching, or brushing hair. Usually caused by overuse, general wear and tear, and aging.
Therapies: Treatments can include PRP or shockwave. PRP sessions are once per week for 3 weeks. Shockwave-3 treatments, 1 week, procedural total of 3000 pulses, but sometimes may need 2 treatments.
Knee Injury
Condition: Patient presents with knee pain and can be either acute or chronic in nature. Sometimes the pain may only occur when loading the knee such as when going up or down stairs and other times may be painful no matter what the patient does. Acute injuries can include ligament sprains, ligament tears, meniscal injuries, strained muscles, or knee fractures. May also, be related to repetitive strain injuries such as when running or playing sports. Generally, an X-ray is required. May order an MRI if treatment fails or if it’s a patient knee pain is chronic and has previously tried treatments elsewhere and failed.
Therapies: Treatment can include shockwave, PRP, or combined treatment. The necessity of combined treatment will depend on the exact mechanism of injury. Optimal results with combo treatment for knee arthritis with meniscal knee injuries. For PRP treatment alone, treatment will be once weekly for 3 weeks. Combo treatment will include 3 PRP sessions followed by shockwave therapy sessions. Home rehab exercises will be included.
Knee Arthritis (Knee Osteoarthritis)
Condition: Patient presents with knee pain, generally chronic in nature, and reduced mobility of the knee. Often times, can be traced back to occupation and/or participation in sports or repetitive activities. Can be associated with damage or injury to the meniscus. Common contributing factors are weight, diet, and lifestyle choices. An initial X-ray is diagnostic and will show decreased joint space.
Therapies: Treatment can include shockwave or PRP. Treatment includes 3 PRP injections 1 week apart. Home rehab exercises will be included.
Jumper’s knee (Patellar tendinopathy)
Condition: Patient presents with knee pain between the knee cap and where the tendon attaches to your knee cap. Pain can interfere with playing your sport and may also notice the pain when climbing stairs or when rising from a chair. May experience redness or swelling around the joint. Jumper’s knee is often a sports-related injury caused by overuse of your knee joint. Diagnosed by X-ray.
Therapies: Treatment can include PRP or shockwave. 3 PRP injections 1 week apart. Shockwave-3 treatments, 1 week apart. Home rehab exercises will be included.
Runner’s Knee (patellofemoral malalignment/chondromalacia patella)
Condition: Patient presents with a dull aching pain underneath the kneecap while walking up or down stairs, squatting, kneeling, and sitting with your knees bent for a long period of time. May hear a popping or grinding sensation when bending the knee. Can result from poor alignment of the kneecap, complete or partial dislocation, overuse, tight or weak thigh muscles, flat feet, or direct trauma to the knee. X-ray is the initial imaging test.
Therapies: Treatment may include PRP or shockwave therapy. PRP is once weekly for 3 weeks. Shockwave therapy- 3-5 treatments one week apart.
Golfer’s Elbow and Tennis Elbow (Medial and Lateral Epicondylitis)
Condition: Patient presents with a painful condition of the elbow and is caused by repeated muscle contractions at the forearm, which leads to micro tears where the tendon attaches to the elbow. Tennis elbow is the lateral aspect and golfer’s elbow is the medial aspect.
Therapies: Treatment may include shockwave therapy or PRP. PRP is once weekly for 3 weeks. Shockwave therapy- 3-5 treatments one week apart.
Plantar Fasciitis
Condition: The most common symptom is stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel. Its caused by repeated overstretching or overuse which causes irritation or inflammation of the fascia.
Therapies: Treatment may include shockwave therapy or PRP. PRP is once weekly for 3 weeks. Shockwave therapy- 3-5 treatments one week apart. Home rehab exercises included.
Achilles Pain (Achilles tendinopathy)
Condition: Pain and tenderness in the back of the heel and lower calf, especially when first getting up in the morning or after periods of rest. X-ray to rule out other conditions.
Therapies: Treatment may include PRP or shockwave therapy. PRP is once weekly for 3 weeks. Shockwave-3-5 treatments, 1 week apart.
Ankle Ligament Injuries
Condition: Pain is the most common symptom of ankle ligament injury and can be associated with swelling and bruising. Sometimes the joint may develop stiffness and the patent may have difficulty walking. X-ray to rule out severity of injury and to rule out fracture. Home rehab sessions included.
Therapies: Treatment includes either 3 sessions of PRP or shockwave therapy
Hip Arthritis
Condition: Hip pain, swelling, stiffness, and restricted range of motion. Cartilage in the ball and socket joint becomes worn out.
Therapies: Treatment includes either PRP or shockwave therapy. Home rehab exercises included. PRP sessions are once weekly for 3 weeks.
Hip Bursitis
Condition: Trochanteric bursitis results in pain on the outer side of the hip which usually increases with prolonged walking or climbing stairs.
Therapies: Treatment includes either PRP or shockwave therapy. PRP sessions are once weekly for 3 weeks.
Generalized muscle pain and tenderness (Myofasical pain syndrome)
Condition: Can have several causes but may be related to posture, fibromyalgia, previous injuries, etc.
Therapies: Treatment can include trigger point injections or shockwave therapy. Trigger point injections are biweekly for 2 weeks on average.
IT Band Syndrome
Condition: Common overuse injury that causes pain on the outside of the knee. May hear clicking popping.
Therapies: Treatments may include trigger point injections or shockwave therapy.
Hamstring Injury
Condition: Sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh or Pain that worsens with movement or stretching
Therapies: Shockwave-3-5 treatments, 1 week apart
Baker’s Cyst
Condition: A fluid-filled swelling that occurs behind the knee joint. Shockwave-2-3 treatments, 1 week apart.
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