Princeton's Ask the Doctor May/June 2018

H E A L T H A R T I C L E S A N D Q & A

First, there is Dorsal Spinal Cord Stimulation (DSCS). What’s great about living in this decade is that DSCS is now more effective and safer than ever before. The reason for that is the introduction of High Frequency (HF) DSCS within the last three years. With HF DSCS, we can achieve 70 to 80% average pain relief for both chronic low back pain and chronic leg pain. More traditional devices use low frequency stimulation, which provides less than 40% average relief of low back pain. Furthermore, when the HF DSCS device is on, it does not cause any persistent tingling in the back or the limbs, unlike the older devices. Finally, it is safe to drive with the HF device on, another big advantage over the traditional devices. Secondly, Spine medicine and Regenerative medicine (sometimes called Biologics) have merged together in the last five years to create one of the most promising and radical new treatments - Intra-discal Stem Cell Therapy (ISCT). ISCT involves the injection of stem cells into injured or degenerating painful intervertebral discs in order to provide relief of chronic low back pain. The stem cells can come from the patients themselves via bone marrow aspiration, or from an external lab harvesting them. Two year outcome studies of ISCT are showing 60-70% average relief of chronic low back pain - results far better than the average 45% pain relief provided by Spinal Fusion Surgery. Pain relief from ISCT usually sets in within 1-2 months of the injection and the pain relief is holding at least two years so far. Longer outcome studies are pending. The procedure uses needles and does NOT involve surgery. Finally, the cost for ISCT is only a small fraction of the cost of Spinal Fusion Surgery. With efficacy and features like this, ISCT is quickly becoming the preferred treatment of discogenic low back pain. Question: What are two of the newest and most promising treatments in pain management? Answer:

Scott Jarmain, MD FAAPMR Interventional Spine/Pain Management Board-Certified in Physiatry & Pain Medicine Coastal Spine, A Spine Center of Excellence Mount Laurel, NJ

Capital Health Hopewell, Two Capital Way, Suite 238 Pennington, NJ 08534 856-222-4444 • coastalspine.com

Vitamin K, the Anti-Aging Supplement By Lauren Kolacki

As we get older, we become more familiar with our bodies, and more familiar with the idea of them changing against our control. Our bone density decreases causing us to become weaker, move slower, and be at a higher risk for breaking a bone. Our brain cells deteriorate which slows down our reflexes and alters our memory, hearing and vision. Our arteries experience arteriosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, which causes a spike in our blood pressure. One minute you are young claiming this will never happen to you and the next you are aging, and this is…happening to you. Vitamin K is a group of fat soluble vitamins that has an abundance of health benefits. Vitamin K can increase bone mineral density and reduce fracture rates in people who suffer from osteoporosis. For those with no previous bone complications, aside from aging, Vitamin K improves overall

bone health, especially when administered with vitamin D. Studies have shown that an increase in Vitamin K, improves episodic memory. Vitamin K also, prevents mineralization, where minerals build up in the arteries. This helps to reduce blood pressure and enables the heart to pump blood freely through the body. This process resulting in a reduced risk of heart attack or stroke. Vitamin K can be found in green tea, leafy greens (kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli) liver, soybean oil, wheat bran and fermented dairy (yogurt, cheese) /soy (miso, natto). By being sufficient in Vitamin K, you prolong the detrimental matters that accompany aging.

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