Healing Is Possible

Written by Britt Steele / Photographed by Michael Scott Evans A staggering ninety-five percent of individuals will suffer from some form of chronic, ongoing pain throughout their lives- most commonly, in the neck, the back or both. After learning such a shocking statistic, I’ve been anxious to dive deeper into the medical practice of one […]

MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AND THEIR ROLE IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

How Mesenchymal Stem Cells are Used in Regenerative Medicine Mesenchymal Stem Cells (or MSCs) extracted from one’s body are multipotent cells, meaning that they are able to change into other types of cells such as osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage), myocytes (muscle), and adipocytes (fat). These cells work to create new bone and new cartilage, […]

WHAT IS PLATELET-RICH PLASMA (PRP)?

How Platelet Rich Plasma is Derived from the Body  In order to obtain PRP from an individual, a vial of blood must be drawn. The amount drawn is often around 30 ccs. A sample of this size will generally yield between three and five ccs of PRP. This yield varies based on the number of […]

EARLY SIGNS OF DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE AND CHRONIC LOWER BACK PAIN

How the Discs in Your Spine Work The discs are situated between each of the vertebrae in your back. They are designed to cushion the bones and absorb some of the forces of impact when you run, bend or twist. There are two parts of each disc. The first part is the outer layer, which […]

LIMITATIONS ON MOBILITY AFTER SPINAL FUSION

Understanding the Spinal Fusion Procedure The goal of spinal fusion is to connect adjoining vertebrae by using techniques developed from researching the actual healing process that broken bones undergo. Bone-compatible materials made from bone grafts or bone substitutes will be inserted between the vertebrae targeted for fusion. Surgical screws, rods or metal plates are used […]

MAKEUP AND MECHANICS OF THE SPINE

The Anatomy of the Spine The spine runs from the pelvis near the hips all the way up to the skull, and it is divided up into four separate sections: the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, the lumbar spine, and the sacrum. The first three of these sections are all composed of separated vertebrae, while […]

THE DISCSEEL® PROCEDURE AND DISCECTOMY – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

The Anatomy of Intervertebral Discs Intervertebral discs are composed of two layers: a soft, gel-like inner layer called the nucleus pulposus and a tougher, fibrous outside layer known as the annulus. The annulus helps to provide support for the disc, and the inner layer helps to provide cushion with various movements, such as bending, twisting, […]