Millions of adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain. Living with pain every day can be frustrating, debilitating, and affect the quality of your life. The doctors and pain management specialists at Advanced Pain and Spine want you to know there are many things you can do to help prevent chronic pain from controlling your life.

Most adults have an occasional bout of pain as the result of a minor injury, or by lifting something heavy. But, for those who experience pain that lasts for three months or longer, it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.

If you have a chronic condition that’s causing pain on a regular basis, here are some helpful tips for minimizing your pain so you won’t have to miss out on living your life to the fullest.

1. Rule out any medical problems.

First, and foremost, take chronic pain seriously and seek appropriate medical care to rule out any dangerous health conditions. Once you confirm your pain is the result of a non-life-threatening situation, you can make some adjustments to your lifestyle, diet, exercise, and daily activities to help ease chronic pain and prevent it from recurring.

2. Stretch more.

Depending on the type of pain you have, you can incorporate specific daily exercises that can relieve or prevent pain.

For example, if you have chronic lower back pain, being aware of correct posture while standing and sitting may prevent pain from worsening. Additionally, relaxing and stretching your muscles can help alleviate tension and stiffness.

Over time, when you keep your muscles flexible and strong, they’ll better support your body, and therefore help reduce pain. Consider complementary treatments like yoga and massage therapy which help relax and stretch tight muscles.

3. Reduce risk factors and make small adjustments.

Take preventive measures when it comes to pain. If a particular joint or area of your body is prone to pain, avoid activities that contribute to that.

In other words, if you’ve injured your knee in the past as a result of playing a particular sport, avoid playing altogether, or be conscious of overuse of your injured knee so as not to aggravate it again.

Chronic back, neck, and joint pain may worsen when your daily activities include repetitive movements or postures like slouching or leaning over a desk. Be aware of these behaviors and take a break regularly. If you sit for long periods of time, you should set a timer so you can get up and stretch every hour.

If you have chronic neck or jaw pain, consider a new sleeping position to help prevent pain, and avoid lying on your stomach, which can make neck and jaw pain worse. Simple adjustments to your daily routine and activities can go a long way in relieving physical stress on joints and muscles that cause pain.

4. Maintain a healthy weight and eat pain-killing foods.

Excess weight is often a contributing factor to chronic hip pain, knee pain, lower back pain, and foot pain. Commit to maintaining a healthy weight to prevent pain. Additionally, consider eating foods that help reduce inflammation and pain. Some of these include:

Cherries

Cherries contain antioxidants to inhibit pain and reduce inflammation to ease arthritis and muscle pain.

Blueberries

These berries contain phytonutrients to reduce inflammation and decrease pain.

Ginger

This is a natural anti-inflammatory, helps digestion, and helps inhibit pain from migraines, arthritis, and sore muscles.

Turmeric

Turmeric aids in digestion, but also has anti-inflammatory properties to ease achy joints.

Salmon

Low-mercury, high-omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, herring, and sardines can help alleviate back and neck pain by improving blood flow and reducing inflammation.

Extra-virgin olive oil

This kind of olive oil is rich in a compound called “oleocanthal” that works like ibuprofen on pain. An added benefit of extra-virgin olive oil comes from lubricin, which helps keeps joints working smoothly and protects cartilage. It might also be helpful for osteoarthritis pain.

Chili peppers

If you can handle a little heat, these red hots contain capsaicin, which is well-known for its painkilling properties. They help reduce and prevent inflammation and trick your brain into releasing endorphins to block pain signals.

5. Ask an expert.

If you’ve tried home remedies and are making efforts to reduce and prevent chronic pain from recurring, but feel you need additional care, we can help. The expert medical team at Advanced Spine and Pain identifies the source of your pain and offers a variety of non-invasive and minimally invasive treatment options, as well as surgery, for both immediate and long term pain relief.

You don’t have to accept pain as a way of life. Learn more about the latest techniques in comprehensive pain management by calling or scheduling a consultation online with one of our doctors at one of our convenient locations.

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Sitting, arthritis, injuries, bursitis, and sciatica are just a few of the reasons your hips may ache or cause daily discomfort. The orthopedic and pain management specialists at Advanced Spine and Pain with locations in Fairfax County, Virginia; Stafford, Virginia; and the Greater Baltimore, Maryland area recommend stretching exercises to help relieve achy, stiff hip joints. Here are some of our favorite, effective stretches you can do anytime you want to increase flexibility, build strength, and ease tension in your hips.

1. Build a bridge.

This is a great stretch to do in the morning since it warms up your legs, abs, and lower back muscles so they can support you throughout the day. Lie on your back on a yoga mat with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart. Let your arms rest naturally beside you on the mat.

Press down through your ankles to your feet, and raise your buttocks off the floor. Tighten your ab muscles for extra support in your lower back. Try to keep your knees in line with your ankles, making a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Be careful not to arch your back.

Hold the bridge position, with your buttocks elevated for three to five seconds. Your shoulders, neck, and head should be comfortably centered underneath you, without putting pressure on your neck. Begin with one set of 10, and try to increase to two or three sets at a time.

2. Build strength in your inner thighs.

Your inner thigh muscles help support your hips, so exercises that make these muscles stronger can help relieve daily hip discomfort, especially bursitis pain. You’ll need an exercise ball or a firm pillow to hold between your knees for this stretch.

Lie comfortably on your back with the ball or pillow between your knees. As you slowly raise both legs, keep them straight and squeeze the ball between your knees. Try to lift your legs so your toes point toward the ceiling without dropping the ball. Work your way up to 10 repetitions and as you build strength in your inner thighs, abs, and low back, add another set or two.

3. Don’t forget to strengthen your outer thighs.

Since you’re working on increasing strength in your inner thighs, it makes sense to give equal attention to your outer thighs. Building up the outer thigh muscles for support is especially helpful if you have arthritis in your hips.

Begin by lying on your side with the hip that doesn’t hurt, or hurts the least. With your top leg out straight, lift from your hip all the way to your foot until your leg is about six inches off the floor. Hold for a couple seconds, then lower your leg.

Be sure not to lift your leg too high if it makes your hip hurt. Do what’s comfortable until you build strength. If you can switch sides without pain, repeat on the other leg. Work your way up to three sets on each side.

4. Increase flexibility with the hip flexor stretch.

The hip flexor stretch is good for easing tightness and increasing flexibility. Kneel on the mat with your right knee, and bend your left leg out in front of you at a 90-degree angle. Position your left knee directly over your left ankle. Your right knee should be directly under your right hip.

Place your left hand on your left thigh for support, and extend your right arm straight up toward the ceiling. Tuck your hips forward and squeeze your buttocks. Hold this position for about 45 seconds or 10 breaths. Repeat the exercise on the other side.

5. Decrease stiff hip joints with the pigeon pose.

Keeping your hip joints as limber as you can ease daily stiffness. The pigeon pose lets you get a deep hip stretch. Begin on all fours with your hands in line with your shoulders and your knees aligned under your hips. Bring one knee forward across your body, and let the other knee extend back in a lunge.

Drop the back knee to the ground, keeping your hips straight. Inhale as you creep your hands forward on the mat. Hold the pose for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat a couple times on both sides of your body.

Regular stretching can make a difference in the amount of pain or discomfort you feel in your hips each day, so try to stretch at least a few times a week, or whenever you need to relieve the tension in your hips. However, if any of these exercises hurt or make your hip joints feel worse, stop doing them and give us a call or schedule an appointment online at any of our locations.

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Living with chronic pain can disrupt your life and make it impossible for you to do your job, play with your kids, or remain independent. The good news is there are innovative new regenerative medicine treatments, many now available at Advanced Spine and Pain, that can help restore your quality of life — without major surgery. These treatments include:

• Platelet-rich plasma therapy
• Cell therapy
• Prolotherapy and Neural Prolotherapy

Regenerative medicine can help you alleviate chronic pain to reduce your reliance on pain medications. It can also help restore your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves without the need for a replacement procedure, helping you get back to enjoying an active, pain-free lifestyle.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a procedure where your doctor withdraws your own blood and processes it in a centrifuge. The centrifuge separates the contents of your blood, concentrating the platelets from other cells, utilizing the ingredients in platelets to heal a degenerated structure.

Your doctor extracts the PRP from the sample and injects it into the area where degenerated or diseased joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves are located. PRP contains growth properties that triggers healing of the tissue it’s injected into. As we age, and/or with particular damaging movements, our body degenerates due to lack of blood flow to that area. PRP helps deliver blood flow to degenerated structures, and gives the desired solution to allow them to heal.  

Pain relief isn’t immediate, and can take over a few months to feel the effects, by alleviating pain and reducing inflammation in the affected body part. PRP treatments can be very effective in treating acute and chronic pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis, and injuries.

Cell therapy

Cell therapy works much like PRP treatments, except that in addition to the PRP your doctor also extracts healing cells from your bone marrow or fat. These cells are also concentrated using a special machine, and your doctor can help you decide which is a better choice for your condition.

These healing cells are known for their ability to regenerate different types of tissue, including tendons, ligaments, bones, and cartilage. They also provide PRP with the Bone Marrow or Fat healing cells to improve your blood supply in the damaged structure to promote healing.

Prolotherapy and Neural Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a nonsurgical procedure your doctor may recommend to repair painful or injured joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. When these tissues are injured or damaged, decreased blood flow causes these structures to degenerate. Joint pain often stems from stretched or torn connective tissues that cause the joint to become unstable. In prolotherapy, your doctor repairs the weakened tissues by injecting substances (often sugar alcohols), into the injured area. These solutions dehydrate tissues, reducing swelling in the area, and sending a signal to the brain that they are dehydrated and are in need of water and nutrition to survive. The brain responds by increasing blood flow to the area. Blood flow is important to allow injured or damaged tissues to heal correctly, since it has the integral cells and growth factors to stimulate healing.

The injection triggers your body to heal itself naturally, producing new collagen that repairs and strengthens the damaged connective tissue. Once the tendon or ligament tissue is repaired, joints become stable again and your pain resolves.

It can take several weeks to see optimal results from prolotherapy and neural prolotherapy. You may also need multiple treatments to achieve your joint pain relief goals. This procedure, however, is very safe and does not cause much pain.

What treatment is right for me?

Your Advanced Spine and Pain physician evaluates your acute or chronic pain condition, and prior medical history to determine which regenerative treatment option is best for you. Not all treatments may be effective in relieving your pain and the decision is influenced by several factors, including the nature of your condition, the location of your pain, and other underlying medical conditions.

Ideally, if you are exploring your options for permanent relief of acute or chronic pain without surgery, you should schedule an appointment with the knowledgeable physicians at Advanced Spine and Pain. Learning more about the benefits of regenerative medicine can help you make the most informed decision about your health.

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Low bone mass and osteoporosis affects more than 40 million Americans age 50 and over. Many factors influence your risk for osteoporosis, some of which are outside of your control, such as age and genetics. The good news is you can control diet and lifestyle risk factors and implement a strategy to keep your bones strong as you age. Here are some of our top bone-protecting tips.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being either underweight or overweight is detrimental to bone health. When you’re too small, your bones are at risk of becoming thin and brittle. When you have excess weight, your body can store extra fat in places like your bone marrow, making your bones weak and prone to breaking. Take steps to maintain a healthy body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9.

Engage in the right exercise

A combination of resistance training and weight-bearing aerobic exercise is proven to boost bone mineral density and lower your risk of osteoporosis. The thicker your bones are, the less vulnerable they are to fractures. You don’t need to become a bodybuilder either. Just 20 minutes of strength training with small amounts of weight and 15 minutes of weight-bearing cardio exercise like walking or climbing stairs is enough to protect your bones.  

Cut back on cola and coffee

It’s a good idea to put coffee and cola on the back burner if you’re a woman over the age of 65. Scientists haven’t pinned down the exact mechanism, but cola and coffee appear to have a negative effect on bone mineral density in women. Moderate amounts of these beverages are unlikely to cause a problem, but cut back if you’re having several cups a day.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces your risk for chronic diseases — and it turns out your intake also impacts your bones. There’s no doubt that fruits and vegetables are nutritious, but did you know that high intakes are linked to better bone density and a decreased risk of osteoporosis? Just another reason to load up your cart with these disease-fighting foods next time you’re at the grocer.

Monitor your bone mineral density

Osteoporosis is often thought of as a silent disease. Unless you’re actively monitoring your bone mineral density, you may be unaware that you’re losing too much bone mass. See your provider at Advanced Spine and Pain for an osteoporosis screening. If you catch bone density issues before osteoporosis develops, you can take steps to slow bone loss and protect the health of your bones.

Quit smoking

By now most adults know that smoking is bad news for your general health, but you may not know that nicotine interferes with the way estrogen works in your body, negatively impacting bone density and paving the way for osteoporosis. The good news is that many resources are available to help you quit.

Get enough calcium

Calcium is essential to strong bones throughout all life stages and especially as you move into your senior years. Your bones and teeth store nearly all the calcium in your body, and getting it through diet and supplements is crucial. Failing to get enough calcium puts you at a higher risk for osteoporosis. If you’re looking to boost your intake, adding dairy foods — such as milk, yogurt, and cheese — is a simple way to do so.

Get adequate vitamin D

Vitamin D is another important nutrient that helps keep your bones strong and wards off osteoporosis. It facilitates calcium absorption, and when it’s in short supply your body has no choice but to pull it from your bones to meet its daily requirement. This can leave your bones weak and vulnerable to fractures. Have your vitamin D levels checked and discuss a treatment plan if you’re deficient.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol

Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol consumption. Overindulging hurts bone health. Excess alcohol interferes with calcium balance and messes with your hormones. To keep your bones strong, limit how much alcohol you drink. Your bones will thank you.

Get quality sleep

Restorative sleep not only benefits your general well-being, it’s necessary for bone health. Over time, not getting enough sleep negatively impacts your bones and is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis. If you have insomnia, or suffer from problems falling asleep or staying asleep, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options.                                                

Following these tips helps keep your bones strong at any age. For comprehensive spine care, call our office or book online to schedule an appointment at Advanced Spine and Pain.

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Learning you have a herniated disc can trigger a lot of questions, including whether or not you’ll need surgery. You may even wonder if a herniated disc can heal on its own.

The answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. At Advanced Spine and Pain (ASAP), the orthopedic specialists can evaluate your condition to determine if your disc issues will require treatment. However, you should also understand the ins and outs of a herniated disc to make the most informed decision concerning your health.

Why does a herniated disc cause pain?

Disc herniation is when the the outer layer of the disc ruptures, which permits the gel-like center to spill out. The gel can then put pressure on the nearby nerves, resulting in chronic pain.

Can a herniated disc heal without help?

The pain of a herniated disc can resolve without medical intervention, but it doesn’t always mean your disc problem has healed.

Symptoms of a herniated disc may resolve on their own due to a number of reasons, such as:

Immune system reaction

If your body’s defense system detects the presence of inflammatory proteins, it can trigger an attack to remove them from your body. This action can relieve some of the pressure on your nerves and reduce the severity of your pain.

Exercise benefits

It may be possible that regular extension exercises can help move the damaged part of your disc away from the nerves in your spine, alleviating your pain and mobility issues.

Water absorption

The herniated part of your disc contains water, which your body gradually absorbs. This causes the herniation to shrink in size and pull away from the surrounding nerves.

These factors may relieve pressure on the nerve but don’t resolve the herniation. This can mean you’ll continue to have recurring nerve pain, which may require medical intervention.

Will I eventually need surgery for a herniated disc?

Typically, nonsurgical treatment options are the first path your specialist will recommend to alleviate your symptoms.

However, if your chronic pain interferes with your personal life, your job, or generally reduces your quality of life, surgical options can help you restore functionality and mobility.

If you have a herniated disc without symptoms, your Advanced Spine and Pain (ASAP) doctor will monitor your condition and recommend effective therapies to keep you moving and pain-free.

How can I relieve herniated disc pain at home?

To alleviate existing pain and prevent future pain caused by a herniated disc in your everyday life, you can use heat and cold therapy to reduce inflammation and manage pain. Start by using cold packs on the affected area for a few days then switch to heat therapy to loosen your muscles and provide relief from any discomfort you feel.

It’s also important to stay active. If you lie in bed for prolonged periods, it can cause weakness in your muscles and joints. This can complicate herniated disc pain and limit your natural recovery ability. Rather than rest for too long, try walking or low-impact aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes a day to stretch muscles and improve your strength.

If these therapies aren’t effective in keeping your comfortable, or pain interferes with your work or personal life, schedule a consultation with an Advanced Spine and Pain (ASAP) provider as soon as possible for a thorough evaluation.

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Low back pain is one of the most common medical problems Americans adults face. About 80% of adults will experience low back pain that lasts for six weeks or less — called acute low back pain — at least once. A smaller percentage will develop chronic low back pain, which lasts for longer than six weeks.

About 10% of chronic low back pain is discogenic, which means it’s related to the discs between your vertebrae. If your low back pain is discogenic, radiofrequency intradiscal biacuplasty (IBD) may be a treatment option. IBD is a specific type of radiofrequency ablation, which is a technique that heats up parts of the nerves causing your pain and stops them from sending pain signals.

An alternative to surgery

Often, discogenic pain is treated with surgical interventions such as spinal fusion or disc replacement. Such surgeries are invasive, require extensive recovery time, and are not always successful. IBD is a possible alternative that is far less invasive and has shown good results.

If you have a damaged disc between your vertebrae, you feel pain every time the vertebrae around that disc move. Torn or otherwise damaged discs are unlikely to heal. Removing the damaged disc and fusing two or more vertebrae together is the most common solution, but IDB offers another option.

IBD is nerve ablation inside the disc

Radiofrequency ablation uses energy to heat up the nerves that send pain signals and make them stop. IBD does the same thing, but to the nerves within the damaged disc. Along with the heating, IBD uses a cooling radiofrequency technology, which allows more nerves to be treated.

When you have IBD, your doctor places two electrodes on your damaged disc. Energy is delivered to stop the nerves from working, so they no longer send pain signals. Then the electrodes are cooled, and your doctor can continue working without damaging the healthy tissue.

The procedure is much less invasive than surgery and requires 1-2 days of recovery time, rather than several weeks. You may experience some swelling or discomfort, but far less than would be expected with spinal surgery.

Studies show IBD works

In 2013, researchers compared the results from patients treated with IBD with those of patients who received a sham treatment. Neither the researchers nor the patients knew who was getting which treatment. The results showed that IBD helped many of the participants who received it.

Twelve months after the 2013 study, the researchers followed up with the patients who’d gotten IBD and learned that they still had less pain than before the treatments. Another study compared conservative conventional treatment, such as anti-inflammatory medications and rehabilitation, to conservative conventional treatment plus IBD. The patients who received both conservative conventional treatment and IBD had better results.

The team at Advanced Spine and Pain specialize in pain management, including low back pain, and they stay at the forefront of new techniques and developments that could benefit you. If you’re interested in IBD and would like to learn whether or not you’re a candidate, schedule a consultation today by calling one of our offices or clicking the “appointment request” button.

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At any given point, 31 million Americans are suffering from lower back pain. Your lower back moves in six different directions, making it mobile and flexible, but also quite vulnerable to injury.

This doesn’t mean you’re inevitably going to experience low back pain. A few smart lifestyle changes can help keep your low back healthy and fully functioning.

Move objects smartly

Poor mechanics when lifting or moving heavy objects can cause injury to your back, like muscle strains. When you pick up a heavy box, for example, you should lift with your legs — not your back. Squat down to pick up the item rather than hinging forward from your waist.

Also, consider how you slide heavy items. If possible, opt for pushing rather than pulling. Stand close behind the object and push with engaged abdominal muscles and the power of your arms. Avoid leaning forward or bending your back as you push.

Drive defensively and comfortably

Instead of aggressively speeding, switching lanes, and cutting into traffic — potentially causing a wreck — learn to be the skillful driver who can maneuver their way out of a serious situation on the road. Car accidents can cause trauma that can lead to short-term and long-term back pain.

When you take long car (or airplane) rides, make a habit of carrying a lumbar support pillow and pack lightly and smartly so as not to strain your back with heavy bags. Take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch your hips and back, even if that means taking longer to get to your destination.

Reform your unhealthy habits

Smoking can increase your risk of lower back pain. It reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the bones and soft tissue of the area. This denial of nutrients causes degeneration and subsequent back pain.

Quit smoking or, better yet, never start to begin with. Reach out to the team at Advanced Spine and Pain if you need help kicking the habit.

Drinking too much alcohol raises your levels of inflammation, which also contributes to pain. You don’t have to pass up the drinks altogether, just moderate your intake. Stick to just one or two drinks per day.

Keep an eye on the scale

Your goal isn’t to become supermodel skinny; it’s to keep your weight in a healthy range, so you aren’t putting extra stress on your back.

Make it a habit to eat healthily and keep your portions in check. Plus, get up and move regularly during the day. It helps you burn calories to maintain your weight and encourages mobility in your spine.

Posture perfect

Avoid slumping and slouching, especially over your computer if you have a desk job. Stand regularly to stretch your legs, hips, and back. When you sit, make sure the chair allows your knees to be about hip height, the computer monitor at eye level, and the desktop just above your waist.

Until you amend your lifestyle to support a healthy back, consult Advanced Spine and Pain to help you manage low back pain and get you on the road to good health.

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Millions of Americans experience chronic pain, which is defined as pain that lasts for months or even years. Two of the most common sources of chronic pain are the back and neck — in fact, more than 26 million adults in the U.S. have frequent back pain.

Chronic pain takes a dramatic toll on your quality of life. Being in pain makes it more difficult for you to work, sleep, move comfortably, enjoy time with friends and family, and participate in hobbies and activities. About 28% of adults with low back pain say the pain limits their activity.

Our orthopedic specialists at Advanced Spine and Pain have a range of treatments that can help reduce pain. One of these treatment options is ketamine infusion, which gives new hope to people with chronic pain.

New use for an old drug

You may have heard of ketamine as the illegal street drug Special K. But surgeons have used it for decades as an anesthetic for people and animals.

Recently, researchers have discovered that ketamine has other important uses. For example, mental health care providers have found that it can successfully treat some types of treatment-resistant depression.

And pain researchers have learned that it delivers welcome relief for some types of chronic pain.

How ketamine reduces pain

Ketamine works by blocking certain pain receptors in the brain and resetting some nerve cells in your spine and brain.

Ketamine reduces some types of pain more effectively than others. Generally, we consider using ketamine infusion for the following types of pain:

• Neuropathic pain
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Traumatic spinal cord injury
• Some types of cancer-related back pain
• Certain kinds of nerve and back pain

Patients who have success with ketamine infusions like them because their pain relief can last much longer than with some other types of treatment. You may feel better for days, weeks, or even months, depending on what kind of pain you have.

Receiving ketamine infusions

Patients who have ketamine infusions come to our office, where our medical staff administers the ketamine through an intravenous (IV) line. Infusion typically takes from a half-hour to several hours, depending on what kind of pain you have.

The dosage of ketamine that you receive during your pain-relief infusions is much lower than the amount given for surgical anesthesia.

Sometimes we administer other types of medication along with ketamine infusions. These drugs can help improve your degree of pain relief and/or reduce potential side effects.

In addition to relieving pain, ketamine infusions can help reduce your reliance on opioid medications and other pain-relief drugs.

Some people can’t have ketamine infusions. For example, we may not recommend them if you have high blood pressure, a fast heart rate, or a history of seizures or certain types of head injuries.

Find out if ketamine infusions are right for you

If you have chronic pain related to back, neck, or spine conditions, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Our orthopedic specialists work with you to determine the best strategy for reducing your pain.

Advanced Spine and Pain is the leading provider of total spine care and pain management in Fairfax, Stafford, and Arlington counties in Virginia and greater Baltimore, Maryland. Call for an appointment today or book through this website.

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What to Expect with an Epidural Injection

ESI is often recommended in combination with a comprehensive rehabilitation program, like physical therapy or home exercise, to help restore strength and core musculature to prevent future pain episodes. The ESI is injected into the lumbar spine through a medical needle. The injection is strategically placed between the protective layers of the spine and bony elements to reduce the risk of harm or injury to you.  The ESI medication includes a numbing agent and a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation in the pain site. In patients that benefit from this treatment, pain relief can be felt almost instantaneously.

How Effective Are Steroid Injections?

Epidural steroid injections are effective for about 50% of our patients, depending on the condition, but some may not feel much, or any, effect from ESIs. In these cases, our doctors will evaluate the specific circumstances to determine whether a second attempt is in order. Should a second attempt still fail to provide any relief, our doctor may recommend other treatment options. If you experience partial relief with your first ESI, our doctor may attempt a series of injections over time. Determining a treatment plan is on an individual basis and is dependent upon your unique case, so ESI should always be discussed with Advanced Spine and Pain’s (ASAP) medical professionals to determine whether the treatment is right for you before administering the steroid.

Who Can Benefit from ESIs?

Epidural steroid injections work by controlling local inflammation and inhibiting the inflammatory response. This occurs due to the direct injection at the source if the pain. It has been found to be effective for many patients with the following indications:

• Annular tear
• Compression fractures
• Cysts
• Degenerative disc disease
• Facet joint arthritis
• Leg pain
• Lower back pain
• Lumbar disc herniation
• Sciatica (radicular) pain

ESI is NOT recommended for the following patients: pregnant, present with an infection, may have an allergic reaction to the solution, taking blood thinners, have a bleeding problem or have an uncontrolled medical problem.

Are Epidural Injections Painful?

If ESI treatment is right for you, you will first be given a local anesthetic to numb the area where the steroid will be injected. This inhibits the pain receptors to ensure the ESI is as pain-free as possible.

What Are the Risks Associated with ESI?

When performed properly, the risks of epidural steroid injection are minimal, but risks do include:

• Bleeding
• Dural Puncture
• Infection
• Nerve damage

Are There Any Side Effects of Epidural Injection?

The steroid medication may result in side effects, but these are rare and less than prevalent than those of oral steroids. Side effects may include:

• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Facial flushing
• Fever
• Headache
• High blood sugar
• Sleeplessness
• Stomach ulcers

Always discuss any questions or concerns you have with a medical professional prior to being administered an ESI to be as informed as possible about your medical treatment.

How Long Do the Effects of an Epidural Last?

Every person is different, but if the ESI is effective for pain relief, you may be able to feel the effects for any length of time from a couple of weeks to several years. While our medical professionals are unable to predict how long the treatment will last for you, many patients have exhibited notable improvements in function and pain reduction relatively quickly.

Is ESI Right for You?

If you are experiencing pain and need relief, contact our team at Advanced Spine and Pain. Our team of highly trained and experienced medical professionals can help you decide whether the treatment is right for you.

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If you can’t entertain the idea of undergoing reconstructive surgery to provide relief for your chronic condition, you’ll be glad to know that the benefits associated with stem cell therapy have increased considerably in recent decades.

Today, researchers are discovering ways to apply this treatment approach to common chronic conditions, for instance, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and heart disease. At Advanced Spine and Pain (ASAP), they adopt the most innovative methods to ensure their patients enjoy life without limitations or pain.

Established in 2010 by Dr. Thomas Riley, ASAP has maintained its repute as a leading provider of spine care and pain management in Stafford, Fairfax, and Arlington counties as well as the greater Baltimore. If you’re new to this treatment approach, you might be skeptical. Fortunately, you can expect these benefits.

How Stem Cell Therapy Works

Stem cell therapy or regenerative medicine encourages the reparative response of dysfunctional, injured, or diseased tissue through stem cells or their derivatives. Researchers grow these cells in a laboratory where they undergo manipulation to specialize in particular kinds of cells, for instance, nerve, blood, or muscle cells.

Subsequently, the implant of the cells can take place in a person, for instance, if he or she has heart disease. In this case, a physician can inject the cells into the heart muscle. This therapy is a relatively fast and simple outpatient procedure.

Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy

1. Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular illnesses can deprive the heart tissue of oxygen, causing the formation of scar tissue, which alters blood pressure or blood flow. According to research, stem cells from adult bone marrow can differentiate into those required to repair the blood vessels and heart due to the secretion of numerous growth factors.

2. Helps heal incisions and wounds

Studies have discovered that stem cell therapy can help enhance the growth of new healthy skin tissue, enhance collagen production, stimulate hair development after incisions or loss, and help substitute scar tissue with newly developed healthy tissue.

3. Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Current progress in the treatment of illnesses such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s reveal that transplanted adult cells can work in the formation of new brain neurons, cells, and synapses after brain injuries or cognitive degeneration.

4. Autoimmune Diseases

Stem cell therapy for autoimmune illnesses is a new option for persons living with severe and debilitating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Autoimmune diseases arise when your immune system attacks its own tissues, cells and organs. At ASAP, stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive procedure that seeks to maintain downtime to a minimum.

5. Orthopedic Conditions

This therapy can help those experiencing the discomfort associated with orthopedic conditions, spine disease and sports-related injuries. At ASAP, they address the underlying sources of pain while offering an opportunity for healing effects and lasting relief.

The Functions of Stem Cells

Stem cells are your body’s raw materials i.e. they generate other cells with specialized roles. Under the appropriate conditions in a laboratory or the body, these cells split to produce more cells-daughter cells.

Subsequently, the daughter cells become new stem cells through self-renewal or specialized cells through differentiation. In turn, the specialized cells have a more specific role; for instance, heart muscle, brain cells, or blood cells. Researchers have unearthed numerous sources of stem cells, including:

Embryonic

The stem cells originate from embryos that are 3-5 days old. During this stage, the term used to describe an embryo is a blastocyst, which comprises 150 cells. These cells are pluripotent, implying they can split into additional stem cells or become any kind of cell in your body. This versatility enables embryonic cells to serve the purposes of repairing or regenerating diseased organs and tissue.

Adult Cells

These stem cells are in small quantities in the majority of adult tissues, for instance, fat or bone marrow. In comparison to embryonic cells, these ones have a more restricted capacity to give rise to various body cells.

Are you looking for a reliable practice to address your spine-related pain with stem cell therapy? Advanced Spine and Pain is fully equipped with knowledgeable experts, so don’t hesitate to contact them today.

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