Stem Cell Injections: What to Expect

The Stem Cell Injection Experience

Many patients considering stem cell injections like to know what to expect from their regenerative orthopedic medicine experience. First, we perform stem cell injections on a “same day” outpatient basis. The entire procedure is performed using local anesthesia so there will be no pain or discomfort and you will be able to talk comfortably. Your body actually has several “storage sites” of stem cells that are available for us to use to repair degenerated and injured structures and tissues. We find that it is easiest and most effective to take stem cells from your hip bone. The “harvesting” procedure is performed using local anesthetic injections, only takes a few minutes and is painless as well. Once we obtain your stem cells we process them in a centrifuge to separate the “healing cells” from the “non healing cells”. Within a few minutes we can transfer them into a syringe and use them to inject into the degenerated, damaged or injured areas. The entire injection procedure will take about 3-4 hours. Most people can go about their daily lives immediately after the procedure. Some people begin to feel results immediately, although it’s more likely that it will take a few days or even weeks to begin to see significant effects or to feel that your symptoms have decreased. Keep in mind that stem cell treatment is a “repair” process which usually takes 2-3 months to be fully effective and produce the desired results. Typically, we will repeat the procedure about 4-6 weeks after the initial stem cell injection to allow the stem cells to continue growing and multiplying into the injured, damaged or degenerated tissue. Depending on the extent of tissue damage that has been repaired, as well your general health, the healing benefits can last for months or years. It is important to understand that the stem cells don’t stop working, but your activities, work, athletic or sports activities can augment, sustain or detract from the long term treatment effect.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cell injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

Help for Tennis Elbow Pain

About Tennis Elbow

Did you know that tennis elbow is a painful and disabling problem for more than just tennis players! “Tennis elbow” is the common term for the clinical symptoms caused by overuse of the arm, the forearm and the muscles in your hands that result in elbow pain. It’s common in tennis players with some 50% of tennis players experiencing tennis elbow at some time. Tennis elbow-known medically as “lateral epicondylitis” also affects athletes and people just like you who participate in leisure or work activities that require repetitive arm, elbow, wrist, and hand movement-especially while tightly gripping something. This can include golfers, baseball players, bowlers, gardeners or landscapers, carpenters, mechanics and housekeepers-because of vacuuming, sweeping, and scrubbing. The pain experienced with tennis elbow is very uncomfortable and disabling because it often develops slowly and is made worse by lifting, gripping or squeezing objects or moving your wrist to open jars, using a knife and fork or brushing your teeth!

The good news is that with regenerative orthopedic treatment injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP) we are often able to quickly eliminate pain and restore the arm, forearm and wrist function and strength to normal!

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To get help for tennis elbow or learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including platelet rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell (SC) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+,  www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

Skiing, Basketball & Football ACL Knee Injuries

Skiing, Basketball & Football ACL Knee Injuries

“Winter marks the time of year we hear many complaints from active recreational skiers as well as competitive skiers who are experiencing knee problems such as pain, swelling and instability associated with mild sprains and strains as well as injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),” shared Daniel Southern, M.D., Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Physician in Wilton, Connecticut.

The ACL is often sprained, strained or torn from the hard “start/stop-plant & pivot” movements on the basketball court or football field and bad falls on the slopes. The ACL is the main stabilizer of the knee in forward and backward motion. Significant instability in the ACL risks the development of secondary knee damage. Active adults involved in sports or jobs that require pivoting, turning or hard-cutting need to consider how to deal with ACL problems in a way that allows relief of symptoms along with restoration of mobility and stability.

The surgical solution to an ACL tear is to replace it with a graft tendon from another area of the body. The problem is that the repair goes in at too steep an angle and cannot replicate the stabilizing ability of the original ligament. The microinstability with the replacement results in high re-tear rates with athletes being up to 6 times more likely to re-tear the same or opposite ligament. Additionally, recovery from replacement ACL surgery can take up to 6 months or longer.

For patients with even a few strands of intact ACL, the regenerative medicine treatment consists of the insertion of a fine needle into the ligament and injection of the patient’s own bone marrow containing stem cells mixed with platelet growth factors. Rehabilitation of the knee begins within a few weeks and recovery with return to activities can be as little as half that of surgery while retaining the full stabilizing ability of the native ligament.

While ACL surgery might seem like the only alternative, the regenerative orthopedic medicine approach of using stem cell treatment can provide a sound alternative to restoring knee function and stability. In addition to tears, stem cell injections are also common for knee ligamentous sprains and strains and can significantly reduce down time associated with recovery.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To get help for ACL knee injuries or learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD

Who Can Benefit from Regenerative Orthopedics?

Who Can Benefit from Regenerative Orthopedics?

“Anyone who experiences the pain, loss of range of motion or the disability of orthopedic injury or arthritis should consider regenerative orthopedic medicine options,” commented Daniel Southern, M.D., a Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Physician in Fairfield County, Connecticut. “Stem cell treatment can provide a minimally invasive alternative to surgery to allow you to return to normal daily activities, a fit and active lifestyle and work responsibilities more quickly.”

Regenerative Orthopedics fills the gap in treatment of musculoskeletal injuries between non-operative care and surgery. Regenerative orthopedic injections of stem cells and platelet rich plasma can facilitate and quicken healing and recovery from sports related joint and soft tissue injuries. Any patient who has not responded to therapy, time, relative rest, and steroid injections is an ideal candidate for regenerative treatment. Patients with nagging, chronic injuries that limit function and prevent full participation in workout or athletic activities are also ideal candidates. Patients who have suffered strains such as to ligaments of the knee or shoulder and who wish to speed recovery time and ensure robust repair of damaged tissues should consider regenerative orthopedic injections.

Maybe your doctor has recommended surgery but you are not ready or willing to consider surgery. Regenerative orthopedic treatment, if appropriate, may be tried as an alternative. They are safe, relatively painless, and do not cause any further damage to tissues. In the best case, regenerative treatment provides an alternative to surgery that makes surgery unnecessary

The more common sports injuries we can offer help for include sprained ankles, groin pulls, hamstring strains, knee ligament sprains or meniscal tears, shoulder rotator cuff tears, throwers’ elbow, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow. We treat chronic arthritic joint pain and even advanced arthritic disease can be managed with regenerative procedures. But even if the joint pain is new, patients do not have to despair that this means spending the rest of their lives with nagging pain limiting participation in activities they enjoy. Regenerative procedures can restore joint health allowing return to full activities with minimal or no pain.

Stem cell treatments are not simply a “last resort” for those considering invasive surgery or joint replacement but rather an option to explore if you need quick healing and recovery to get you back to sports, athletic or work activities without the painful rehabilitation and long period of restricted activity that comes with surgery.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about who can benefit from Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, or www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

Back Pain: Get Back to Your Game!

Back Pain: Get Back to Your Game!
Whether you are an elite athlete or a recreational athlete, back pain and injury can be a personal low point. Regardless of the sport-skiing, basketball, football, gymnastics, ice skating, soccer, running, golf, or tennis-ALL create challenges to the spine. The spine undergoes a lot of stress, absorption of load, twisting, turning, and bodily impact. Even for the most fit of elite athletes, these strains can cause back pain and injury. Sometimes the back pain in athletes can be traced to a specific event or trauma whereas others are brought about by repetitive minor injuries that result in micro traumas.

The Goal: Get Back to Your Game!
Unfortunately many athletes are hesitant if not downright opposed to getting help for back pain. Many minimize or deny complaints or symptoms to avoid potential consequences. The thought of decreased activity-missing a workout or missing a practice is not appealing. The thought of losing a choice position, missing a competition, letting the team down-being removed from the game, for the short or long term-just not acceptable! To say nothing of what this can do to your self esteem, self worth and perhaps even financial stability.

The Goal: Get Back to Your Game!
Too many athletes “deal with it” and tolerate the pain. They use some OTC anti-inflammatory tablets or gels or crèmes and “tough it out”, risking further injury by making demands on a traumatized spine and leading to possibly more serious injury resulting in even greater loss of time practicing and competing.

Back Pain & Injuries
Back pain is a symptom of problem or injury. Muscle strains, ligament sprains, and soft tissue contusions account for as much as 97% of back pain in the general adult population. The majority of athletes with low back pain have a benign source of pain and with proper diagnosis and treatment we can get them back to their activity with minimal if any disruption.

Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine for Back Pain
While most back pain responds to conservative treatment with relative rest, anti-inflammatories, stretching, and strengthening, you may have pain that isn’t responding. Perhaps you have an MRI that doesn’t explain why you are having the pain or that shows damage for which surgery is being recommended. Maybe you have had injections to address the pain but still are not improved. In these cases, regenerative orthopedic evaluation can be very helpful. We will examine you for commonly overlooked problems that often do not show on MRI such as ligamentous instability and facet syndrome. Your treatment will be reviewed and every effort will be made to clarify the diagnosis. Especially in cases where surgery is being recommended, regenerative procedures may offer an effective alternative treatment.

By using highly targeted regenerative orthopedic injections into areas of spine injury including ligaments, joints, and discs, we can work to get you back to your game-comfortably. This might include stem cell injections and platelet rich plasma injections (PRP) to quicken recovery from sprains and strains and to repair damaged ligaments, discs, and joints. Anti-inflammatory and growth factors in these regenerative injections facilitate the non-operative removal and repair of damaged tissue which allows stabilizing muscles to strengthen. These are same-day procedures done in as little as an hour causing minimal discomfort and virtually no down time. Often patients experience decreased symptoms within one week but the full effect takes 2-3 months.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To get help for back pain and injury, restore strength, range of motion and flexibility or learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are the only cells in the body able to morph into other types of specialized cells. Stem cells are found in many parts of the body but are concentrated in the bone marrow. When a patient’s own stem cells are injected into a damaged joint, they appear to amplify the body’s own natural repair efforts by reducing inflammation, accelerating healing, and preventing scarring and loss of function. Stem cell injections are a powerful approach to all stages of arthritis and can also be used for treatment of ligament, tendon, cartilage, and even bone problems. Stem cell injections can offer an alternative to joint replacement for some patients. In general 85% of patients having stem cell injections feel reduced pain with fewer symptoms after 6-8 weeks and report continued improvement for up to 6 months or longer.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cell injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-456-5717 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

What is Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine?

About Regenerative Orthopedics
Regenerative Orthopedics is field of medicine that helps the body in the natural healing process by stimulating the regeneration of cells. Regenerative orthopedics mobilizes the human body’s repair mechanism to heal degenerated or damaged tissue. By using a patient’s own adult stem cells along with growth factors contained in the patient’s blood, regenerative orthopedic injections reverse pro-inflammatory, destructive processes within a joint or spinal disc and create an environment in which the body’s damaged tissues can re-grow and repair themselves without invasive surgery. Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine uses the body’s own ability to heal itself and allows healthy tissue to flourish and eliminate symptoms. Regenerative orthopedic injections allow us to concentrate stem cells and growth factors right at the sites of pain and injury whereas traditional orthopedic medicine and pain management use surgery and steroid injections to remove damaged tissue and to mask symptoms.

Regenerative Orthopedics consists of non-surgical injection treatments-most often with stem cells-to treat common work or sports injuries, including degenerative joint problems, or just “wear and tear” injuries to tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and discs that result in acute or chronic pain, as well as compromised athletic performance.

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.

Meet Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Specialist Daniel Southern, M.D.

What Does a Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Specialist Physician Do?

“As a Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Specialist Physician I am dedicated to helping people minimize or eliminate acute and chronic pain and restore function through Regenerative Medicine treatments. For those involved in sports or physically active recreational activities including hiking, we are able to help with quick recoveries from common sprains and strains along with the more overuse related degenerative types of injury. My goal is to stimulate and support the natural healing process contained within the human body in order to actually heal, repair or even “grow back” the damaged tissue, rather than simply treating the symptoms.”

Meet Daniel Southern, M.D.

Dr. Southern is Fellowship trained in Spine and Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He earned his Medical Degree from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center and completed a Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York Presbyterian Medical Center in NYC.  Dr. Southern is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Pain Medicine and Sports Medicine.  

As a Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Physician as well as an avid athlete and former professional dancer, he has a keen sense of the physical demands and effects that pain compromised movement can have on sports performance as well as every day mobility and daily lifestyles.

Dr. Southern specializes in Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments that include many non-surgical options. These include injection therapy with stem cells, platelet rich plasma (PRP), and alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M), along with disc regenerative therapy and joint regenerative therapy for common work or sports injuries and degenerative joint problems such as osteoarthritis. In many instances, with regenerative orthopedic treatments, Dr. Southern can provide an alternative for patients considering invasive surgery or joint replacement who hope to avoid long recovery periods with limited or restricted activity and the painful rehabilitation process that comes with invasive surgery.  Regenerative Orthopedic treatment options may also be appropriate for patients who might have other medical conditions that make the risks and complications of invasive surgery less attractive.

“The power to heal is contained within the human body.  Regenerative Orthopedics taps into this power to heal and brings it to bear on injured areas of the body with the goal of restoring strong native tissues without surgery.”

  

Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’

To learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-456-5717 or visiting http://www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+ or http://www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD.