Health & Wellness

QUESTION

I suffer from constant, dull lower back pain. Is surgery my only option for relief?

ANSWER

Back and neck pain are, unfortunately, one of the most common reasons patients visit our office. There are many causes of neck and back pain, and about 95 percent of patients can manage conservatively with physical therapy, cortisone injections, massage, osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation, medications and time.

When these treatments have failed to alleviate the pain, conventional treatment may turn to surgery to take away the pain. In many cases, however, surgery is not the best answer and sometimes may not even help a patient.

Advanced Stem Cell Treatments Can Help

Early research has shown that treatment with non-surgical regenerative therapies such as bone marrow concentrate (stem cell) injections and prolotherapy have been helpful for treating a number of conditions for the spine. Regenerative medicine treatments activate your body’s own adult stem cells and blood platelets to stimulate healing and speed repair for bone, muscle, joint, soft tissue and nerve injuries.

We all have healing stem cells in our bodies. Primarily found in bone marrow and fatty tissue, these cells act as repairmen and can regenerate into the type of cell that is needed when injected into an injured area. There are several kinds of stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are the type that we use in orthopedic treatments.

MSCs have the strongest potential to repair muscle, bone, joint and soft tissue injuries.

These cells have the ability to self-replicate, reduce inflammation and differentiate into cartilage, bone, muscle and fat cells to help the body regenerate the lost tissue in the injured area.

They can activate your body’s ability to heal itself.

Healing Back Pain

For example, when these cells are placed in an injured environment, such as a degenerated disc of the back, the cells will recognize that the disc cells have started to break down and will help to regenerate them to give the discs more water content and volume.

By the Cleveland Clinic

CLEVELAND – Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.

Knowing how to spot a heart health emergency and knowing what to do can save someone’s life.

But, a new Cleveland Clinic survey shows many Americans often confuse symptoms and aren’t sure how to help.

The survey results showed 87 percent of respondents believe cardiac arrest is another term for heart attack – but they’re actually very different.

“Somebody that has had a cardiac arrest, that’s not the same as a heart attack,” says Steve Nissen, M.D., chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. “Cardiac arrest is when the heart is either beating wildly or not beating at all and there’s no blood flow.”

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, can be a life-saver during cardiac arrest, but the survey revealed only one in six people know the recommended technique.

“There’s been a change in recent years to chest compressions only, without mouth-to-mouth breathing,” says Dr. Nissen. “Many people didn’t know that in the adult, really all you have to do are chest compressions and many people didn’t know the rate at which to do them. The best rate is somewhere between 100 and 120 times per minute.”

When it comes to a heart attack – where a coronary artery becomes blocked – people often confuse the symptoms with those of a stroke.

“Many people in our survey thought that having slurred speech or weakness is actually a symptom of heart attack, when in fact that’s a symptom of stroke,” says Dr. Nissen. “People who have a heart attack are going to have pain; usually in the center of the chest; it can go to the jaw or down the left, or down both arms. It’s often associated with nausea or shortness of breath.”

By Kathryn Kilpatrick

What do these words have in common?  

Example: Snow, popsicles, wax melt

1. Cards, porch, ship a deck
2. Checks, baseball, emails bounce
3. Clothes, paper, towels fold
4. Safes, codes, walnuts crack
5. Toy, car, door knob rattle
6. Butterfly, flavor, situation delicate
7. Meeting, mind, book open and close
8. Superman, time, squirrel fly
9. Nose, paint, faucet drip
10. Maine, Georgia, Oregon border an ocean

Challenge your brain with a variety of activities.  

Start with a four- or five- letter word and spell it forward then backward. For example, clock would be kcolc.
When that becomes easier for you, try doing longer words. Another idea is to pair the letters of the alphabet from A to Z  with a corresponding number.
Start with A1, B2, etc. If that is too easy, try it in reverse: A26, B25, etc.

This puzzle and memory tip is provided by Kathryn Kilpatrick, a speech-language pathologist. She is available for Memory Fitness and Keep Your Brain Sharp programs and private consultations. Visit memoryfitnessmatters.com for more brain game resources.

If you want to kick off the new year with a new look, there are plenty of ways to iron out wrinkles and suck out fat —  all without having to go under the knife.

Age, genetics and sun exposure play a role in how we look, says Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a cosmetic dermatologist. Non-surgical options generally are divided into three categories: injectables, lasers and other procedures such as chemical peels.

While most non-surgical cosmetic procedures are fairly simple, she recommends using a physician for injections or laser treatments.

“I tell people there’s not on person out there who doesn’t want to look their best. They want to age gracefully,” Dr. Khetarpal says. Skin generally starts showing signs of aging when we’re in our 30s, and some procedures such as Botox injections can be done as soon as smile or brow lines begin to show.

When or if to begin treatment is a matter of personal preference. “Today I treated someone who is 25 and someone who is 91,” Dr. Khetarpal says.

Here’s what’s popular in Northeast Ohio:

Chemical Peels

Sure, you’re beautiful just the way you are. But even the finest artwork could use some polishing. Chemical peels are good for acne scarring, pigmentation issues, removing redness (for folks with rosacea), shrinking pores and anti-aging.

Local medical esthetician Andrea Fenda of Apex Dermatology says chemical peels tend to get an undeserved bad rap. “People think of chemical peels and they think bloody and oozy. But there are many different types and strengths. You would come in for a consult, and they see what’s best for you.”

Are they painful?

“You feel a tingly sensation, so you hold a fan to feel comfortable. You may be pink or red when you leave, but you can resume normal activity,” she says.

As 2018 begins, and we start to work on our resolutions, shouldn’t we spend time on ourselves and our appearance?

With our teeth and lips making up nearly 60 percent of our facial expressions, this is the time to plan on getting our smiles back in shape. Below are some of the options available — many of them done digitally — and information about the time necessary to improve our smiles.

Teeth whitening

Zoom: This can be accomplished with a laser-like, in-office technique. It takes about an hour and a half, and may be followed-up and maintained with at-home whitening.

At Home Method: Whitening your teeth at home involves wearing custom-fitted trays with a gel solution. It takes about two weeks to accomplish the shade change.

Bonding

Tooth-colored composites can be used to fix chips and fractures, as well as to close spaces and change tooth color. Most “repairs” can be done in just one appointment.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

A filling material can be used to fix decayed teeth and to replace old, worn, silver fillings. Depending on the number of restorations to be done, they can often be completed in one day.

Removal of Stains, Tartar and/or White Spots

A dental hygiene appointment, combined with bonding, can eliminate most problems. This can be done in just one visit.

Porcelain Veneers

These tooth-colored restorations can be responsible for a dramatic change in one’s smile, covering the surfaces of the teeth and wrapping slightly over the edge. This conservative treatment generally takes two appointments of a couple of hours each.

Partial or full dentures

Made completely out of a light but strong material, these non-metal prostheses are more comfortable and natural than ever. Impressions, try-ins and placement can require three to four appointments.

Implants

Used to anchor individual teeth and/or dentures, implants resemble natural roots of teeth.