The Spectrum of Regenerative Treatments
Sports medicine, or regenerative medicine, is a specialized branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and offers an array of treatments and prevention of injuries related to exercise and sports. There is a wide spectrum of regenerative treatments that help people recover and return to their active lifestyles after an injury. Unfortunately, none of these treatments are FDA approved yet. The goal of regenerative medicine is to help you heal and give you a higher quality of life. It is best to assess the various types of regenerative treatments to determine which type is most suitable for your condition. Not all regenerative treatments are equal in value and effectiveness. Each regenerative treatment has its pros and cons based on scientific evidence. The concept of regenerative medicine is regenerating damaged areas and repairing the cells. It’s a revolutionary approach that will change the way medicine is practiced. In many ways it’s similar to the discovery of penicillin in the last century. Our bodies are full of regenerative cells. It’s a matter of knowing how to apply this concept in a non-invasive, natural treatment and in the safest and most effective way. With anything new, lack of standardization can make it confusing to the patients as to what treatment they are exactly getting. It is becoming more and more common now for mushrooming stem cell clinics to use so-called external sources such as amniotic fluid, placenta tissues, and umbilical cords cells. Some even mis-label or call them baby cells; this gives a false impression that these cells may be more potent than one’s own cells. Currently, a whole host of companies are providing an array of stem cells that are being grown in laboratories that sterilize, harvest and package the cells with added stimulants, which are chemicals that can biologically alter the cells. How much efficacy is present in these cells after package and production is an important question to ask. Sterilization does not guarantee a foreign disease from entering your body because it is introducing cells from someone else’s body. This can be risky. Regenerative cells from your own body can be extremely safe provided they are harvested and isolated in a proper manner. Otherwise, they can be equally ineffective and even harmful. It’s high time the FDA regulates this industry before people lose faith in this wonderful discovery all due to the greed of a few snake oil salesman practices. Stem cell therapies have great potential. Let’s not over-sell their promise without proper research and evaluation. Let’s establish standardized protocols and safety standards that can assure some uniformity for treatments. The general intent of regenerative treatments is to regenerate and repair, not just provide symptomatic relief. Manipulation of cells such as adding chemicals or storing cells is neither safe nor effective. There is a risk of introducing foreign sources into your body. A metaphor to illustrate a current array of regenerative treatments is to compare it to that of consuming fruit juice. You can get fresh pressed juice from fruit itself, or you can get juice reconstituted from a concentrate, or you can drink something that is fruit flavored, mixed with other chemicals. Similarly in regenerative treatments, depending on the source of cells and concentration of application, it will determine great results or no results from that particular regenerative treatment. Make an informed decision by understanding the spectrum of regenerative treatments. Based in Newport Beach, CA, the Goswami Clinic is an innovative practice lead by Dr. Gaurav Goswami who treats sports injury, joint pain, back pain, arthritis, declining performance and more. Known for his non-conventional methods, Dr. Goswami specializes in regenerative sports medicine, providing advanced minimally invasive, non-surgical treatments to athletes of all ages and levels with the goal of returning them to optimal performance. Call 949-734-9696 to request additional information.
Amniotic Stem Cells Facts vs. Fiction
Like the search for the Holy Grail, a symbolic quest for the meaning of life and eternal youth, discussions in the stem cell medical industry about the most potent stem cells available have created an ongoing buzz around amniotic stem cells. What are amniotic stem cells, and what’s the intrigue around them? Amniotic stem cells are a mixture of stem cells that can be obtained from the amniotic fluid of a baby fetus in its sac. There are few cells in the amniotic fluid or as some call it “fetal urine.” Though rich in growth factors and certain other anti-inflammatory agents, their regenerative capacity is limited when compared to mesenchymal stem cells. However, many commercially available amniotic products are being used as regenerative treatments, specifically in orthopedics. The use of amniotic stem cells to reverse anti-aging has no scientific or medical backing, yet it is being marketed as a “beauty trend” to combat aging. Furthermore, the question becomes, as a foreign source added to your body, are amniotic products safe and effective? How does this compare with using your own stem cells to restore and naturally regenerate? We don’t have definitive answers to these questions yet. The hype around amniotic stem cells can be a dangerous claim. It’s often assumed that as you get older your own cells may not be as strong as needed to effectively repair, although there is no scientific basis to that argument. Currently, stem cell treatments, especially in orthopedics, can help repair and regenerate, but they do not turn the clock back by many years as some may assume. Sorry, no “fountain of youth” yet! Another reason patients may look toward an outside source is that they are apprehensive about the harvesting process. Though again, harvesting your own cells is a very short, minimally invasive procedure and leaves absolutely no footprint or scars. Some practices may not harvest your own cells for reasons of convenience and lack of familiarity or experience. For most of us, it’s easier to pull something out of a prepared vial and inject rather than performing a laborious process of preparing your own cells. These vials of amniotic fluid/cells become like “shelf products” and are used on as-needed basis with no real evidence of their efficacy and very little understanding of the potential risks involved. Right now, there are more questions than answers when it comes to amniotic products. Hopefully in time we will learn more about them. A more effective and promising, non-surgical treatment is regenerative cell therapy. Regenerative cell therapy or “stem cell therapy” in mainstream terms, utilizes your own regenerative cells to heal and restore your damaged ligaments, cartilage or menisci, whether it’s a knee, shoulder, hip or any painful joint in your body. Give your body a chance to heal itself naturally with your own cells rather than relying on an outside source. To learn more about regenerative treatments for your knee, shoulder or hip, call 949-734-9696 to request additional information or to learn more schedule an initial 1:1 evaluation. [activecampaign form=10] Based in Newport Beach, CA, the Goswami Clinic is an innovative sports medicine clinic lead by Dr. Gaurav Goswami who treats sports injury, joint pain, arthritis, declining performance and more. Known for his non-conventional methods, Dr. Goswami specializes in regenerative sports medicine, providing advanced minimally invasive, non-surgical treatments to athletes of all ages and levels with the goal of returning them to optimal performance.
Plantar Fasciitis: How To Treat This Terrible Heel Pain
Everybody experiences foot pain from time to time. Our feet ache after standing or walking around for long periods of time. They hurt if we wear the wrong shoes. Usually, foot pain is caused by external circumstances—high heels, we’re looking at you!—but sometimes, like with plantar fasciitis, it is an internal issue. What Is Plantar Fasciitis? The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot and connects your toes to your heel bone. It acts sort of like a shock absorber and a support for your foot’s arch. When the plantar fascia gets inflamed (or somehow torn), that inflammation (or injury) is called plantar fasciitis. In other words: plantar fasciitis is medical speak for heel pain. What Causes Plantar Fasciitis? This is going to sound weird, but typically plantar fasciitis is caused by the overworking of your foot (or feet). The condition, for example, is common in runners and in people who spend a lot of time on their feet. It is important to understand, though, that “use” doesn’t necessarily mean frequent running, standing, or walking, so don’t use this as an excuse to spend all day every day on the couch! Other factors like age, the structure, and mechanics of your feet, your weight and even your job functions can figure into your plantar fasciitis. How Do You Know If You Have Plantar Fasciitis? The biggest symptom of plantar fasciitis is the pain. But not all painful feet suffer from plantar fasciitis. This condition typically presents in the mornings or after you’ve been off your feet or have been standing still for a while. When you stand up or start walking again, you’ll feel a sort of stabbing pain through your foot. Once you start walking you might be able to “walk it off”, but the pain doesn’t ever truly disappear. What’s The Prognosis For A Plantar Fasciitis Patient? Good! Great, even! While plantar fasciitis hurts, it can be treated and you can recover from it. Until now, with or without treatment, it has a tendency to linger on with periods of quiescence and exacerbation. Overall, it certainly interferes with the quality of your daily life. My Foot Hurts! What Do I Do? First, don’t panic. Not all foot pain is the result of an inflamed or torn plantar fascia. Sometimes our feet just get sore. If you notice that the pain is particularly bad or if it keeps coming back, you need to make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will do an exam and you’ll likely have to have some imaging tests done before an official diagnosis can be made. The Diagnosis Is Official. Now What? Treatment and recovery are going to depend primarily on how severe your plantar fasciitis has become. If your pain is mild and you are still getting around okay, you might be told to wear a brace or special orthotics, and you’ll be able to get some pain relief using ibuprofen and other over the counter anti-inflammatories. If the injury/inflammation is severe, you might need medical treatment and possibly even surgery to correct the issue. Before you panic, though, you should know that surgery for plantar fasciitis is very uncommon and rarely solves the problem. Most of the time, injections like steroids will be recommended. While these may provide temporary relief, with repeated injections their efficacy decreases. Are There Alternatives? Since traditional treatments have had less than satisfying outcomes, it is always a good idea to explore newer options. There is a treatment called Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP). This is where your doctor takes a sample of your blood and removes its red and white cells. This leaves behind a plasma that is rich in platelets. This plasma is then injected at the site of injury…in this case, your heels. PRP contains almost 10 different agents that help your body respond to injury and promote repair. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, which will help to relieve your pain. You can think of it as your body’s own version of Advil! Why Consider PRP For Plantar Fasciitis? Unlike steroids which can cause damage at the cellular level, PRP is completely natural and uses your body’s own materials so there’s no risk of side-effects. Plus, it is faster and far less invasive than surgery. And, unlike traditional treatments, PRP rarely needs to be repeated. When prepared correctly, one injection is usually enough. It is important to know that not all PRP treatments are the same. Besides the method used to prepare PRP, there are several factors that the practitioner must consider, like platelet count, your health, etc. If you’re considering PRP, you may want to meet with a specialist who can help you figure out whether it is your best option. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can I exercise with plantar fasciitis? Yes! But it might hurt, so you’ll need to give your feet some extra care. Q: Can I run with plantar fasciitis? Yes, though you might have to shorten your run and/or run at a slower pace. You may also need to wear special shoes. Q: Can massage help plantar fasciitis? There’s no scientific evidence proving that massage is an effective treatment but if it eases your pain, go for it. Q: Can plantar fasciitis be seen on an X-ray? No, but your doctor will usually order one anyway to rule out other problems like bone spurs. An ultrasound or MRI can be more helpful. Q: Can plantar fasciitis cause leg pain? Yes. Sometimes the pain radiates upward. Also, problems with the Achilles tendon can lead to plantar fasciitis. Q: Can you cure plantar fasciitis? Sort of. There are tools and techniques you can use to alleviate the pain and keep it from returning so it can certainly feel like it. Q: Can plantar fasciitis cause knee pain? No. If you are experiencing knee pain, something else is going on there (though you might still have plantar fasciitis). Call your doctor ASAP
Natural Treatments For Arthritis
Arthritis is so common that 1 in 3 over the age of 30 and 1 in 2 over the age of 50 suffer from this debilitating disease. However, the most common treatments for arthritis only provide marginal pain relief and don’t focus on regaining peak functional ability. With those kind of outcomes, it’s no wonder that people suffering from arthritis are turning away from traditional procedures and looking for more natural treatments.
Sports Injury Recovery: From Treatment to Rehab
Athletes understand that competing comes with a price of potential injury that could change their sports careers, especially if they don’t properly address their health conditions. Since athletes are mostly Type A personalities, excellence and relentless training come with an overwhelming toll. Fatigue and recovery from the competition and ongoing workout can be a hard journey to sustain. And it takes professional therapists and doctors to assist in sports injury, recovery, and therapy. What do athletes need to know about their fitness regimen? As an athlete or a person with an active lifestyle suffering from a repeated or one-time injury, there will come a time when it’s necessary to prepare your body to return to your sport with endurance, power, and agility. This type of sports therapy, known as “return to play therapy,” is specific to the sport you play. With a “return to play” approach, you’re guided through the proper steps and exercises to help you recover quickly. You learn how to condition your body and the injured site to return to rigorous play. Movement patterns and imbalances are assessed and corrected to prevent fewer injuries including repetitive motion injuries, rotator cuff injuries, and overuse injuries. At the Goswami Clinic, we offer a comprehensive treatment and rehab program to ensure the highest level of recovery and sports therapy to allow athletes to return to their play and respective competitive sports. With this integrated sports injury, recovery, and prevention program, we can help personalize individual’s goals, sports lifestyle, and training to deliver the most optimized outcome while treating and healing the root of the injury. The role of muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue is an exercise-induced reduction in maximal voluntary muscle force, which may be caused by peripheral changes at the level of the muscle (peripheral fatigue). It may also occur because the central nervous system fails to drive the moto-neurons adequately (central fatigue). Fatigue is inherently a part of exercising but in our training plan and preparation, we can identify imbalanced patterns at the core of injury causality and correct them through targeted training. Depending on the nature and extent of the injury, therapeutic exercises, home exercise programs, and manual techniques are included as well in the program. Our rehab program and regenerative cell treatments are carefully designed to help with preventative injuries for future play while healing any injured areas as holistically as possible. To learn more about our sports therapy program and regenerative treatments for your knee, shoulder, ankle, hip or spine, request additional information or to learn more give us a call or schedule an initial 1:1 evaluation. [activecampaign form=10] Based in Newport Beach, CA, The Goswami Clinic is an innovative sports medicine clinic lead by Dr. Gaurav Goswami who treats sports-related injuries, joint pain, arthritis, declining performance and more. Known for his non-conventional methods, Dr. Goswami specializes in regenerative sports medicine providing advanced minimally invasive, non-surgical treatments to athletes of all ages and levels with the goal of returning them to optimal performance.