Solutions Integrated Medicine Blog

     For patients suffering with severe knee pain that have exhausted oral medication, injections are commonly the next step. Cortisone is usually the first stop, but unfortunately causes damage to the joint and can be dangerous to use. A safer alternative is called Hyaluronic Acid, or rooster comb injections. Hyaluronic acid is a component of the synovial fluid inside your joints and acts as a lubricant. The degeneration that occurs in osteoarthritis also breaks down this fluid, so hyaluronic acid injections can help replace it. For more information about how this can help you put off surgery and where to get it here.

     If you’re going to spend money outfitting your car with new tires, it makes sense to spend a few more dollars getting them aligned and balanced at the same time. Even though these procedures cost extra, they are important details you don’t want to miss. Without good alignment or the right balance, the new tires are almost guaranteed to wear out faster. It seems few in their right mind would do this, yet we meet numerous patients willing to spend good money for regenerative medicine, but think they’re saving costs by skimping on the ‘extras’ – like orthotics, rehab or nutritional supplements. 

     When you’ve been through all the conservative measures of treatment and still have neck or back pain, the next step is often an MRI. It’s very frustrating however when the MRI is negative and fails to show a good reason for the pain. Unfortunately this is quite common in car accident injuries and whiplash. This situation is not only stressful to the patient, but also attorneys when there is litigation involved. Without a proper diagnosis, treating the cause of the problem will be impossible, adding further expense and time the patient will be in pain.

     One of the most common reasons for a total knee replacement is degeneration from Osteoarthritis. Most doctors advise patients to wait as long as possible for a joint replacement, so buying time can be a very important issue. One of the healthiest ways to do this is with a good knee brace. While most knee braces and compression sleeves will provide some amount of support, it’s important to choose the correct style to get the most benefit, particularly when facing surgery. The best type of brace to help with pain and possibly put off surgery is called an ‘unloader’ or offloading knee brace. These braces have hinges on each side and are adjustable in not only size, but also the amount and type of support they offer.

     Just when you thought things were getting better… While we have never fully recovered from the opioid crisis, things were starting to improve; and then the pandemic hit. A report dated August 4, 2021 by the AMA shows the COVID pandemic made our nation’s drug overdose epidemic even worse. (1) CDC data shows prescription opioid overdose deaths in 2020 hit the highest numbers ever recorded; 136 people/day die from prescription opioid overdoses. This is equivalent to a Boeing 747 crashing every 3 days and killing every passenger. In most cases, even when doctors cut off the supply, it’s too late… addicts will find their fix; 80% of people addicted to heroin started with prescription opioids. (2)

     Dropping items, inability to open jars/lids and trouble buttoning garments are just a few of the aggravations commonly experienced by sufferers of arthritis in the hands and fingers. Deterioration of the thumb joint, arthritic nodules on the knuckles and stiffness in the fingers can make normal daily activities arduous and painful. Severe cases of arthritis in the hands leave many patients literally crippled. Besides pain medication and topical rubs, traditional medicine offers very little hope for this problem. Prescription arthritis medicine is expensive, taxing on the body and rarely does much either.

     A good back brace can be extremely beneficial in both rehabilitation and injury prevention. Lumbar supports and braces for the lower back are readily available over the counter and also as a prescription. While purchasing a back brace from WalMart may be convenient, chances are high the product does not offer the correct support or falls apart after the first use. PLUS without instructions about how to use a lumbar support, there’s a high chance you could also be using it incorrectly. Without knowing when/how to properly wear or how to adjust them, back braces can cause more harm than good! Keep reading to learn the right way to get the most from a lumbar brace here…..

     When you’ve injured your neck in a car accident, getting to the right doctor as soon as possible can make ALL the difference in your recovery. If your doctor doesn’t know what to look for and misses an important diagnosis, you will be in pain for longer if not permanently! A study performed on whiplash patients looked at their health status 17 years after the accident and found 55% still suffered from pain caused by the original trauma.”(1) When the ligaments in the spine are sprained (whiplash), they create a condition called spinal instability. If not treated fairly quickly after the injury, cervical ligaments begin deteriorating and the problem becomes chronic much sooner than normal.

     For acute injuries to your neck or back, we often recommend chiropractic care. This is the healthiest, safest and fastest way to get pain relief, and also stimulate healing. After an initial amount of chiropractic care has helped and the spinal condition is stable, many patients still require ongoing follow-up care - this is 'after care'. Injuries to the spine leave scar tissue, added with the deterioration of aging creates potential future needs for care – regardless of how much stronger and better you felt after your initial program. Most will agree… staying in contact with your chiropractor after he/she ‘got you out of trouble’ can pay big dividends in the quality of your body’s future. There are two types of long-term spine support after care that chiropractors provide for their patients:

     The latest advancement in regenerative medicine is a new product called InterFyl, that’s promising to be the next ‘wonder treatment’ for patients with chronic joint pain. This is a natural product that’s classified as an HCT (Human Cellular Tissue product), so the treatment is an allograft. InterFyl comes so highly anticipated because it’s formulated specifically for joint problems and degenerative joints, however is also recommended and extremely effective for other chronic ligament problems. InterFyl is also now the only FDA cleared regenerative medicine 361 product that will be covered by Medicare (for qualified patients). Keep reading to learn why there’s so much hype about this exciting new breakthrough here…