Many people have experienced low back pain at some point in their lives. Suffering from this type of pain is arguably one of the most common shared human experiences in our patient population. Low back pain is the number one reason people miss work in America and it disrupts many people’s quality of life and ability to enjoy the activities they love.
Dr. Shounuck Patel of The Patel Center for Functional Regeneration in Newport Beach, CA is leading the way in pioneering the existing standards of non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain. Dr. Patel offers non-surgical ortho-biologic treatment options for low back pain, helping his patients get back to doing things they love without having to undergo surgery.
What are Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain?
There are two major categories of low pain: acute and chronic.
- Acute low back pain typically occurs suddenly and can persist from days to weeks and, in rare circumstances, a couple of months. However, it ultimately goes away without any lingering or residual symptoms. Some people describe acute low back pain as their “back going out” which is often times associated with an injury to disc shock absorbers of our spine. While acute low back pain can resolve with rest and care, it’s essential to pay close attention if these episodes occur frequently.
- Chronic back pain refers to pain that persists in one way or another for longer than three months. Approximately 20% of people with acute low back pain then develop chronic low back pain.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is one of the most common and growing regenerative medicine procedures that can help reduce low back pain. This treatment involves extracting the growth factors found in the patient’s own blood, and reinjecting the joint and surrounding pain generators under precise image guidance.
PRP Therapy requires a highly advanced process that purifies your own blood in a centrifuge that separates the blood into three parts:
- Platelet Rich Plasma: this has a high concentration of growth factors that encourage the body’s own biological processes and promote recovery. This can be made at different concentrations and modified to contain or remove things like different white blood cells.
- Platelet Poor Plasma: this contains proteins that may be used for specific circumstances.
- Red Blood Cells: these are removed because can cause damage if reinjected
Dr. Patel understands that an effective PRP treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach and each case requires different concentrations of Orthobiologics to effectively treat a low back injury. That is why here at The Patel Center for Functional Regeneration, each concentration of PRP is precisely calibrated to the patient’s anatomy and degenerative condition.
Risks of Traditional Pain Management
Unfortunately, it’s more common for patients to receive traditional treatment methods rather than regenerative treatments like PRP or cell therapy. More common treatments include opioid pain medications, short-term and cortisone injections, and invasive surgery.
These traditional treatments may be effective for certain situations, however, they are used way too frequently and carry major risks.
Pain medicine, for example, may help an acute low back injury, but it shouldn’t be used long-term. Chronic opioid use can result in addiction which is a real risk. Opioid pain medications can contribute to hypersensitivity to pain called opioid hyperalgesia. This term means that people taking opioid pain medicines can feel more pain.
Cortisone injections may be suitable for younger patients experiencing sports injury or pain. However, for most of the aging population, these injections offer only a short-term option for relief with many unwanted long-term side effects. Cortisone is known for increasing blood sugar levels in patients with diabetic conditions. Studies have shown that high levels of cortisone injections in postmenopausal women can lead to premature osteoporotic fractures. Cortisone injections can also contribute to long-term tissue damage in some patients.
Dr. Patel acknowledged that in some more severe cases, surgery may be necessary. However, the surgery takes a toll on the body, especially the lower spine. Surgery carries many risks, including worsening degeneration, paralysis, chronic pain, and sometimes even death. When possible, it’s always best to avoid back surgery and let your body heal itself naturally.
Non-Surgical Treatment of Low Back Pain with Dr. Shounuck Patel
Dr. Shounuck Patel of Newport Beach, Orange County, CA understands that every patient is unique and requires a personalized treatment plan. Dr. Shounuck Patel offers cutting-edge regenerative and non-surgical treatment options for treating low back pain which include PRP, Cell Therapy, and Advanced Physical Therapy with the best therapists in southern California!
Get back to doing the things you love!
Contact us to schedule your consultation and determine if you are a candidate for regenerative medicine treatment for your low back pain.