by Stemedix | May 23, 2022 | Degenerative Disc Disease, Stem Cell Therapy
Back pain is one of the most frequent physical complaints among adults. It’s also the leading cause of missed work in the U.S. Most back pain goes away on its own within a week or two, but if you have persistent severe back pain or pain that is accompanied by other symptoms, it may be time to see a specialist. Here we will learn when to see a specialist about back pain.
Signs Your Back Pain May Require Treatment
Rest, ice packs, and mild stretching are often enough to relieve back pain, but pain is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong. If you’re experiencing any of the following along with your back pain, make an appointment with a healthcare professional.
Numbness and Tingling
Numbness, burning, tingling, or pain that radiates into the buttocks and down one or both legs could be a symptom of spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis is an orthopedic condition that causes the spinal canal to narrow and put pressure on the spinal nerves. Treatments for spinal stenosis include physical therapy, pain medication, surgery, and non-invasive regenerative medicine.
Incontinence
Experiencing urinary or bowel incontinence with back pain is a sign of a serious problem known as cauda equina syndrome. With this condition, the compression of a grouping of nerves — the cauda equina nerves — causes a loss of bowel or bladder control. Seek emergency medical help if you experience incontinence with back pain.
High Fever
A fever may indicate that your back pain is caused by an infection. Fever is a reaction of the immune system as it tries to combat harmful germs before they do severe damage.
People with compromised immune systems or autoimmune diseases may have difficulty fighting off infection naturally. It’s possible that the two symptoms are unrelated, but fever with back pain could indicate an infection of the spine, a bladder or kidney infection, spinal cancer, shingles, or other conditions that require medical intervention.
Back Trauma
If you have taken a fall, been in a car accident, or experienced another type of trauma, your back pain could be caused by an undetected back injury.
It’s normal to feel stiff or sore for the first 24-72 hours after a trauma, but if rest and over-the-counter pain medication aren’t enough to reduce your pain, you may have injured a muscle or have a small fracture in one of the bones in your back.
Don’t Ignore Pain
Don’t assume your back pain is “nothing” or that it will go away on its own. Back problems can turn into serious health issues if they’re not taken care of properly. If you have any of the above symptoms or pain that persists even though you’re taking care of yourself, pain management can ease your suffering. If you would like to learn more about pain management for back pain contact stemedix today and speak with a care coordinator.
by admin | May 20, 2022 | Stem Cell Therapy, Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Every year, stem cell therapy gains massive traction due to its incredible regenerative and auto-repair properties. More specifically, patients who deal with chronic, incurable conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are closely following any news about this cutting-edge technology.
What is a stem cell?
A stem cell is a special biological entity that has unlimited differentiation potentials and can become any type of cell, hence is also called an undifferentiated cell. The body keeps a large number of these cells in different sites (e.g. bone marrow, umbilical cord, adipose tissue) in case it endures lesions that need regenerative capacities.
The fascinating feature of stem cells is their ability to differentiate into different cell types, including hepatocytes, nerve fibers, osteocytes, chondrocytes, and keratinocytes.
Are stem cells extracted from fetuses?
Perhaps the unethical aspect of stem cell therapy is the most commonly believed misconception out there. This is because early research focused on extracting stem cells from fetuses and embryos, which is what stuck with media outlets and the general population.
However, as mentioned earlier, stem cells are kept in the body to repair inflicted damage, allowing medical professionals to extract these cells and use them to manage a variety of conditions and their symptoms.
How do stem cells help with MS?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition that’s caused by a type IV hypersensitivity reaction, which occurs when the immune system releases antibodies and specific cells to target a certain tissue. In the case of MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths on nerve fibers that allow for fast bioelectrical transmissions of signals.
Stem cell therapy can potentially help MS progression and symptoms in two major ways:
Immunomodulating
By getting rid of the hyperactive immune cells and replacing them with new regulated ones, using stem cell therapy, the reaction against nerve fibers is potentially halted and symptoms may start to temper down.
Re-myelinization
Instead of targeting the immune system, stem cell therapy also helps by having the ability to regenerate myelin sheath. Note that the process of re-myelinization does not occur spontaneously without having progenitor cells to rely on.
In other words, if the patient does not receive stem cell therapy, the myelin sheaths that were destroyed in the relapse phase are irreversibly lost.
How long does it take for possible symptom improvement?
Typically, patients experience symptom improvement after several months of receiving therapy, with peaking results between the 3rd and 6th-month post-procedure. Some may experience feeling improvements earlier. The types of symptoms expected to improve include all signs that were triggered by multiple sclerosis-related inflammatory and immune reactions.
Is stem cell therapy superior to conventional treatment?
The answer to this question is not straightforward, as many factors fall into play. To keep it short, conventional therapy focuses on suppressing your immune system, which predisposes you to several infectious pathogens. Moreover, it cannot modulate the immune system nor regenerate the damage inflicted on the nerve fibers.
Incorporating stem cell therapy in the treatment of MS has opened a door to new opportunities to manage a condition that was initially thought incurable. It is important to remember that this is a management tool that can be done in conjunction with traditional medicine as well as healthy lifestyle choices.
by Shoot To Thrill Media | May 18, 2022
Spinal Cord Stimulation Now covered by Medicare and Insurance What is Spinal Cord Stimulation? Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive procedure that sends low levels of electricity, from an implanted device, directly into the spinal cord to relieve...
by admin | May 18, 2022 | Health Awareness
The American diet may be convenient, but it also allows for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The symptoms of many vitamin deficiencies may develop slowly, so you could be unaware of any concerns until they interfere with your life.
The five most common vitamin deficiencies involve iron, calcium, and vitamins B6, B12, and D.
1. Iron
Iron deficiencies are a common cause of anemia, which is characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells. Iron helps the body produce a part of red blood cells called hemoglobin.
Symptoms of an iron deficiency include:
- Brian fog
- Fatigue
- Symptoms of depression
- Muscle cramping
You can ensure your body receives iron from your diet by including beef, chicken, eggs, leafy greens, lentils, and beans.
2. Calcium
Calcium deficiencies may cause bones to become weak and brittle. Calcium also supports nerve and muscle function.
Symptoms of a calcium deficiency include:
- Muscle cramping and spasms
- Muscle aches and pains
- Irregular heartbeat
- Poor appetite
Dairy products, soy, almonds, leafy greens, and sardines all serve as excellent sources of calcium.
3. Vitamin B6
Bodies don’t store vitamin B6, so it’s essential to replenish it with your diet daily. Vitamin B6 supports the body’s immune system, the heart, and the brain. It’s also part of the process that converts the food you eat into energy.
Symptoms of a vitamin B6 deficiency include:
- Skin rashes
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Weakened immune system
- Confusion
Vitamin B6 is found in animal and plant-based foods, including tuna, salmon, dark leafy greens, bananas, cantaloupe, and poultry.
4. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 serves many essential roles in the body, including aiding in creating red blood cells and maintaining appropriate levels of homocysteine, which can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Patients with a vitamin B12 deficiency may experience:
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Struggles with balance
- Yellowing skin
- Dementia
- Infertility
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in fish, meat, poultry, and dairy products. In addition, fortified breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts serve as sources of vitamin B12.
5. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is instrumental for bone and immune system health. Those who don’t get enough vitamin D may be more prone to bone fractures and softening.
Symptoms of a lack of vitamin D include:
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Back pain
- Frequent illnesses
To ensure your body gets enough vitamin D, the best foods to eat are fatty fish and fish liver oils. You can get vitamin D from egg yolks, fortified dairy products, cereals, and spending time in the sun.
Visit our practitioner-grade supplement sites for quality sources of vitamins:
https://stemedix.metagenics.com/
https://stemedix.ehealthpro.com/
by Shoot To Thrill Media | May 13, 2022
Radiofrequency Ablation Radiofrequency Ablation Now covered by Medicare and Insurance What is Radiofrequency Ablation? Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive, FDA approved procedure that has shown to provide pain relief for patients with back/neck pain...
St. Petersburg, Florida
