I wholeheartedly believe in the power of the body God made for us to heal itself, so please allow me to tell you about my own experience as a patient. I inherited my mother's degenerative disc disease in my neck and lower back. To look on the positive side of it all, I have experienced for myself almost all of the crazy sensations and gnawing pain that my patients complain of. Being able to name and explain my patients' pain in personal terms is amazingly therapeutic as it validates them and calms their fears.
About 3 months ago my back suddenly got much worse. The searing pain shot down my right leg like lightening bolts, causing the muscles in my calf to spasm to the point that I could barely make it from my bed to the bathroom. My good friend and colleague, Dr. Louis Horn, found a new tear in my L5/S1 disc at the bottom of my spine. The tear was leaking the disc contents onto my right S1 nerve root causing inflammation of the nerve that goes down to the calf and foot. It wasn't a medical emergency, but I was miserable and couldn't function. Traditional steroid injections were no longer effective for me. Dr. Horn and I agreed it was time to try regenerative medicine.
I have long admired the work of the Centeno-Shultz Clinic in Colorado, so I booked an appointment and flew to Denver to beg for relief. After a thorough exam, Dr. John Pitts recommended injections of platelet-rich plasma in the lower lumbar spine to precisely target all of the problems visible on my MRI and to strengthen the support structures of the spine. I had my blood drawn and the lab isolated my own platelets. The injections were done later that afternoon over about 30 minutes. The injections were no more painful than a simple vaccination. I caught the red-eye flight home after a few hours of rest and other than mild soreness in my back, I was significantly better already.
I started physical therapy after a week and progressed rapidly from there. As I write this my pain is 80-90% better than it was. I can sleep through the night again and other than heavy lifting my activity is unrestricted. I can walk much further and faster than I have been able for the past 8 years without the numbness and pain in my lower legs and feet. In the past, steroid injections were hit or miss, but never gave me this much relief.
If you are wondering how this new treatment can help you, by all means call LifeStem for an appointment. I will meet with you personally and help you devise a plan of action that is safe, specific and optimized for your unique needs. Together we can conquer your pain and get you back in the game with LifeStem. Harness the healing power of your own body.
Speak Life,
Amy Pearson, MD
