Regenerative Medicine at ARA

New and Exciting field of Regenerative Medicine is revolutionizing medical field and PM&R as a specialty. What used to be possible only in syfy movies - is a reality. And it is done in medical offices, majority of times as a same day procedure.

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If you are ready to make an appointment now, please head here.

Conditions that can be addressed at ARA, using Regenerative Medicine approach are some of the common acute and chronic musculoskeletal ailments:

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• Low back pain, acute and chronic related to spondylosis lumbar spine

• Sciatica

• Neck pain related to spondylosis of cervical spine

• Shoulder pain due to 

• Knee pain due to acute or old injury

• Knee pain due to osteoarthritis

• Hip pain related to injuries; labral tears

• Hip pain related to osteoarthritis

• Pain in the lower portions of lower back extending into hips and legs, on one side or both

  • this is of particular interest for Dr. Chitchyan​

• Piriformis syndrome

• Acute and Chronic muscle strains and sprains 

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Acute and Chronic tendinitis/tendinopathy/tendinosis

  • tennis elbow, golfers elbow, pitchers elbow, runner's or jumper's knee​

  • Dr. Chitchyan coined two new "conditions" - mom's back and car injury back - which are actually in our experience related to tendinopathy/tendinitis

• ​Ligamentous injuries - acute and chronic​

• Sexual dysfunction - male or female

  • P-shot for men​

  • O-shot for women

• Alopecia, aka boldness - male or female

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...and many more

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Most of the time, treatment will start and end with single PRP procedure. Rarely, Dr. Chitchyan would suggest additional procedures. In some cases, a PRP needs to be followed by Stem Cell treatment, in others Stem Cell and PRP treatment has to happen at the same time for the results to be evident.

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So, what is Regenerative Medicine and what does that mean for you, as a patient?

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Regenerative Medicine is an emerging field of Medicine that is exploring our natural ability to heal. It is in the early stages of exploration and remains investigational and controversial.

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Now that we have official warning out of the way, lets talk science. It is amazing how many miracles we witness every day and how many we do not pay attention to. Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and his three laws of physics from a simple miracle of an apple falling on his head. And a simple act of healing is the miracle that is the basis of most commonly used Orthobiologic - Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP. 

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Another miracle that is the basis of the Field is creation of human being. Afterall a single cell developed into you and me. Now it was a unique cell of course, as unique as you and I. And that cell is the "mother" of all stem cells - an omnipotent stem cell - because that cell is not only able to create us but also the structures that support us, as we grow inside our mothers. The cells that eventually create us are called pluripotent stem cells. In 1998 researchers were able to take those cells from embryos without doing any harm to them. Further, scientists were able to cultivate and grow them into what is known now as Human Embryonic Stem Cells or hESCs in the lab. 

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In adult bodies, we do not have embryonic pluripotent stem cells. However every organ and organ system has its own partially specialized stem cells, capable of creating different types of cells that are unique to their location and function. Of course, as we grow older our stem cell population decreases. 

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So it would make sense to isolate these precocious cells from where they are abundant and transport them into the tissues that need them for healing. But because these cells in adults are somewhat specialized only cells from same type of tissue can potentially have healing ability.

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And although it would be much more impactful for humanity to regrow a heart, however on a day to day basis much more practical is ability to heal musculoskeletal injury. And that's where the term Orthobiologics is originating. 

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So, what are the Orthobiologics that are used at ARA?

Orthobiologics we use at ARA have superior safety compared to any other medication as we obtain them from your body, do not store them and do not do much in regards to processing aside from putting it through centrifuge. In fact the only adverse reaction described with any of the procedures performed at ARA are temporary pain at the site of procedure. 

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We can isolate Platelet Rich Plasma from blood, Mesenchymal Stem Cells or Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Adipose tissue and Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Bone Marrow. 

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In last few years, there are new and possibly more exciting developments in the field of Stem Cells as we now can safely isolate, grow and basically produce embryonic stem cells. These are produced in a highly regulated labs and products are becoming more and more accessible to us. Some of the more known products are Exosomes or Exosome concentrates.

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To learn further about PRP, click here,

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If you are ready to schedule a consultation with Dr. Chitchyan to discuss this approach to healing, please fill our the form below.