June 2017 - Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of Minnesota

PRP Injections for ACL Tears

June 26, 2017/0 Comments/in PRP /by Matthew Thorson

ACL tears in the knee can cause a significant amount of pain and severely decrease a patient’s mobility. Many patients who hear about ACL tears think that the only effective treatment option is surgery – but that’s not always the case. In this article, we are going to talk about ACL tears and how they can be effectively treated with Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, also known as PRP injections.

ACL Tears

An ACL tear is an injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (which connects the shinbone to the thighbone) in the knee. This injury is most often caused by a sports or exercise injury. Many basketball, football, soccer, and tennis players (both amateur and professional) have sustained ACL injuries. Symptoms of an ACL tear can include pain and swelling in the knee and leg, as well as a decreased range-of-motion.

PRP Injections vs. Surgery

Surgery is a common treatment option for ACL tears and injuries. It’s true that some severe ACL tears may be best treated with surgery – especially in professional athletes who want to return to peak level performance as quickly as possible. However, many ACL tears can be treated with alternative methods.

PRP injections offer patients an all-natural, non-surgical alternative for the treatment of ACL injuries. PRP therapy uses the platelet-rich plasma from the patient’s own body and re-injects it to stimulate regrowth and regeneration in the injured area. The procedure is non-invasive and relatively pain-free, especially when compared to surgery.

PRP Therapy Clinic in Edina

At Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN, our board certified pain management physicians have decades of experience treating patients for all types of painful injuries and conditions. We are trained in the most innovative procedures – including PRP injections – and have the knowledge and expertise to help you manage your pain. Contact our skilled PRP therapy doctors today to set up your appointment. We have clinics located in Edina and Minneapolis, but treat patients throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. Give us a call today to see if Platelet-Rich Plasma is right for you.

Can I Get Medical Marijuana for my Back Pain in Minnesota?

June 19, 2017/0 Comments/in Back Pain, Medical Marijuana /by Matthew Thorson

Medical cannabis is still relatively new in Minnesota and a lot of patients have questions about the process itself and whether or not medical marijuana is an option for their condition. In this article, we are going to talk about the conditions that qualify for medical marijuana in Minnesota and answer the question: “can medical marijuana be prescribed for back pain in Minnesota?”

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana

In order to receive a prescription for medical cannabis in the state of Minnesota you need to be diagnosed with a qualifying condition. Not all conditions are eligible for medical marijuana treatment in Minnesota. Here are the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana:

Intractable Pain
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Seizures
Cancer
Severe and persistent muscle spasms
Glaucoma
Terminal illness with severe pain, nausea, and/or wasting
HIV/AIDS
Tourette’s Syndrome
Chronic Cachexia (wasting and/or severe nausea)
Crohn’s Disease

If you have one of the above conditions you could qualify for prescription medical cannabis. Lower back pain is a very general symptom that could be caused by a wide variety of conditions (including some of the above). So to answer the question of this article, yes medical marijuana can be prescribed to treat low back pain as long as it is caused by one of the above qualifying conditions.

Twin Cities Medical Marijuana Doctor

The first step in the process is to find a Minnesota pain doctor who is able to prescribe medical marijuana (like us), and make an appointment to discuss your situation. Our Minnesota pain doctors are board-certified in pain management and have decades of experience treating patients with all types of conditions and injuries. We are also qualified to prescribe medical cannabis in Minnesota. Contact our Minneapolis / St. Paul medical marijuana doctors today to see if you qualify for medical cannabis in Minnesota.

PRP Therapy for Whiplash

June 12, 2017/0 Comments/in PRP /by Matthew Thorson

Whiplash is a relatively common and usually minor injury to the neck. Many patients who sustain whiplash injuries don’t seek any form of treatment, which can result in pain in the future. In this article, we are going to briefly discuss the causes and symptoms of whiplash, and talk about the benefits of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy for treating whiplash.

Whiplash – Causes, Identification & Symptoms

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues in the neck, caused by a quick back-and-forth movement on the head and neck. Here are some of the more common factors that can result in a whiplash injury:

Car accident
Sports injury
Work injury
Slip & fall accidents

Many patients do not even realize that they have whiplash immediately after an accident. Take a car accident for example. Your adrenaline may be so high that you aren’t aware of the symptoms of whiplash right away. Then, a day or two later you may notice pain in your neck.

Treating Whiplash with PRP Injections

Whiplash is typically treated with conservative methods (surgery is rarely needed). Bracing, rest, and pain medications are the first line of treatment. However, these often provide only a short-term solution – especially in more severe cases. PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injections can be much more effective, while still being minimally invasive. PRP uses the patient’s own blood (and the plasma therein) to encourage tissue regrowth and regeneration in the body. It’s a completely natural way to help your body in its own healing process after a whiplash injury.

Minneapolis PRP Doctors

At Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN, our board certified pain management doctors have been treating patients for over twenty years. We specialize in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, and are trained in a wide spectrum of treatments – from prescription medications to stem cell treatment methods. If you are experiencing whiplash pain in your neck, PRP injections may offer you the relief you’re looking for. Contact us today at our Edina or Minneapolis pain clinics to set up your appointment with one of our Minnesota PRP doctors and see if you are a good candidate for regenerative medicine.

Will My Pain Go Away on its Own?

June 5, 2017/0 Comments/in Pain /by Matthew Thorson

When experiencing pain, one of the first questions many patients have is: “will this go away on its own, or should I seek treatment for my pain?” The answer to this question can vary significantly from patient to patient, but there are some general benchmarks you can use to determine when to seek treatment vs. when to wait. In this patient education article, we’re going to talk about how to determine whether or not your pain is going to dissipate on its own, or whether you need to seek treatment.

When is it OK to Wait?

Not all pain needs to be treated immediately by a physician. Many people experience mild pain every day that goes away on its own. Take stubbing your toe on the couch as an example. In most cases, a stubbed toe will hurt for a little bit and heal on its own. Of course, some stubbed toes are more serious and require medical attention, but these are rare cases.

A good rule of thumb when determining whether or not to seek further treatment is to listen to your body’s pain signals over the course of a few days. If you stub your toe and it really hurts the day of the stubbing, but dissipates over the next day or two, you are likely OK. However, if the pain does not resolve (or gets worse) over the following couple days, then it’s time to consider seeing a doctor.

When to Seek Treatment

There are certain situations in which it’s obvious that you need immediate medical treatment. Severe car accidents, for example, often necessitate a trip to the Emergency Room. For other pain symptoms that require immediate medical care see our article on the topic.

Minneapolis Pain Clinic

Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN treats patients for acute and chronic pain conditions throughout the Twin Cities. Our board certified pain management specialists have decades of experience treating everything from headaches to degenerative spine conditions. We are well versed in all the most innovative treatment options, including stem cell techniques like PRP injections and Prolotherapy. No matter what type of pain you are experiencing, you have treatment options. Contact our Minnesota pain doctors today to set up your appointment at our Edina or Minneapolis clinics.