Stem Cell Therapy: A Promising Option for Arthritis and Chronic Pain

At Team Health Care Clinic in Champlin, Minnesota, our team of health care providers have been studying stem cell therapy as a potential natural healing option for our patients. It follows our mission of “blessing our community by leading people to sustained wellness” through more natural therapies. Because stem cell therapy is an innovative, cutting edge option with some history of potentially unethical or religious objections, we have been researching it for over a year.

This blog post will give readers a basic understanding of stem cells, their ethical use, and why we feel it has some of the most exciting potential in medicine today for patients suffering with arthritis, chronic pain, injured tissue, and much more.

An Osteoarthritis knee
Stem cells are the body’s master cells.
They are undifferentiated cells which allow them to develop into other types of cells that are required to repair or replace damaged tissue. Stem cells can stimulate the formation of cartilage, tendon, ligaments, bone and fibrous connective tissues. For example, it has been shown on MRI to increase cartilage production in joints damaged by arthritis.

Where do stem cells come from?

There is great excitement in adult and amniotic derived stem cells. Amniotic or umbilical cord derived stem cells are harvested from the placenta of a fully formed, delivered baby. Consequently, the use of stem cells from amniotic fluid overcomes the ethical objections to using human embryos as a source of cells. For example, Roman Catholic teaching forbids the use of embryonic stem cells in experimentation but described the use amniotic stem cells “the future of medicine”.

Treatment
With amniotic or umbilical cord derived stem cell therapy, patients purchase the stem cells from a laboratory that guarantees their potency and source. Medical personnel then introduces it into the patient intravenously or via an injection directly into the affected region.
In adult derived stem cell therapy, a high volume of stem cells is obtained from the patient’s own bone marrow or fat tissue (adipose). Once the stem cells have been concentrated, they are injected into damaged areas of the body to promote regeneration and healing.

These therapies are an exciting, safe, nonsurgical treatment option for most chronic pain conditions, wound care, and even some aesthetic abnormalities. At Team Health Care Clinic, we are particularly intrigued with their potential because they are in line with our mission to use natural methods to restore and sustain our patient’s wellness.

What could be more natural than our bodies own stem cells?

Tiffany Watson, CNP

Study Confirms Neurofeedback Effective for Autism, Asperger’s

At Team Health Care Clinic in Champlin, one of our most effective therapies to help those with autism and Asperger’s syndrome is neurofeedback. For this reason we were interested in a recent study using neurofeedback to identify the brainwave pattern unique to those in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) group.

Autism related to brain imbalance Autism spectrum disorder is a group of neurological dysfunctions ranging from hyperactivity to Asperger’s syndrome, resulting in brain imbalances that lead to challenges in thinking, talking, recognizing and expressing emotion, and social interactions.

Autism spectrum disorder and brainwave patterns

Science Daily published a study showing those with autism and Asperger’s syndrome have poorer connections in the brain. The study used neurofeedback to identify brainwave patterns unique to those with autism spectrum disorder, then showed the effectiveness of using neurofeedback training to improve connections in the brain.

The researchers reported: “The team used a quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG), which measures electrical activity through 19 electrodes resting on the head during specific tasks. It allows them to see brainwaves that move at different frequencies, creating a brain map showing more or less activity in different regions of the brain.”

A QEEG compares the patient’s brainwaves to a normal control group’s brainwaves. This is the technology our providers at Team Health Care Clinic use.

Autism non drug treatments

The researchers also looked at the success of individuals with ASD using neurofeedback training to improve brain connections. They found that “neurofeedback training based on a QEEG-guided protocol was more effective than neurofeedback based on symptoms.”

If you know someone who has any of these conditions that fall in the autism spectrum disorder group, please tell them about this exciting technology. Want to learn more? Schedule a free consultation in our clinic.

Jay Bertsch, DC

How Leaky Gut Affects Your Weight

At Team Health Care Clinic, we work with many people who are experiencing digestive symptoms. Leaky gut is
one of the most common problems, causing a number of health issues including weight gain and obesity.

So, just what is leaky gut?

Normally, the cells that line the intestinal tract are held together in tight junctions by linking
proteins. When these proteins break down, the junctions loosen and allow elements to enter the bloodstream that
should remain in the gut. This would include various bacteria, viruses and improperly digested food. This will cause
inflammation and put increased stress on the immune system. A recent study from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart,
Germany shows that increased gut permeability or ‘leaky gut’ is related to weight gain, obesity and fatty liver. This study
concluded that improved diet and weight loss will improve leaky gut as well as fatty liver.

Besides fatty liver, other conditions have been linked with leaky gut:

Nutritional supplements are often incorporated into the treatment of leaky gut.

● Multiple Sclerosis
● Rheumatoid Arthritis
● Thyroid Disease
● Colitis
● Lupus
● Eczema
● Inability to Lose Weight
● Anxiety and depression

One of the main causes for leaky gut is an upset of the
microbiome, the beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive
tract. This upset can have many sources such as:

● stress
● poor diet with too many sugars and starches and not enough fiber
● antibiotics
● pain medications including over the counter pain relievers
● lack of exercise
● insomnia
● overgrowth of Candida
● hypersensitivity to various foods, especially gluten

Leaky gut can be identified through a blood test. It can also be treated, mostly by eating better and losing weight.
Additionally, it can be helped by utilizing nutritional supplement support like probiotics, glutamine and other nutrients.
If you are experiencing any of the above conditions your should consider having your gut evaluated take the necessary steps to stop the leak.

Tim Bertsch, DC, DABCI

Vertigo, Dizziness, Loss of Balance | Causes and Treatment Options

Dizziness and balance problems are serious issues that can affect many aspects of life including your ability to work, participate in activities and even your independence.

By addressing specific areas of the brain to “reactivate” the communication pathways, the brain can be stimulated and your function can be restored. At Team Health Care Clinic, we have the expertise to address specific areas of the brain to reactivate the communication pathways, stimulate the brain to restore function and ultimately resolve your dizziness issues.

Team Health Care Clinic is a great resource for patients experiencing dizziness, balance issues or vertigo.

If you or someone you know is suffering from loss of balance or dizziness, contact us for a free consultation.

Leading Drug Free Treatment for Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia and ADHD: rTMS

rTMS or Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a drug free, noninvasive treatment best known for depression and is currently offered at Team Health Care Clinic in Champlin, MN. rTMS is an FDA cleared device for treatment of depression but has also been shown to be beneficial for ADHD, anxiety, insomnia, and other brain-based disorders. Since the earliest studies were focused on people with depression, virtually all insurance plans, including Medicare, cover rTMS for resistant depression.

What is rTMS?

rTMS is a medical grade magnet that is used to balance the speed of the frequency of firing of the nerves in the brain. The magnet sends a signal that can be varied to stimulate or slow down the nerves in specific regions of the brain, depending on the patient’s disorder.

For example, people with depression, concussions and ADHD are found to have a slowing of the frequency of firing of the brain. People with anxiety and insomnia are often found to have a faster than normal firing of the brain. In our clinic, we use a 19-lead electroencephalogram, or EEG to determine the frequency of firing in the brain.

An EEG measures the electrical firing of the brain much like an EKG measures the heart. Huge data bases have been developed that have allowed us to make comparative studies of our patient’s EEG versus a normative data base. We can now objectively determine if a patient’s symptoms are related to abnormal firing of the brain and require a modality such as rTMS to speed up or slow down the firing. No guesswork!

A cautionary warning to all readers considering rTMS: Not all rTMS providers select their patients based on this objective high-tech EEG testing. Many are still determining their patient’s candidacy by their symptoms alone. We find our patients are impressed and feel validated when the objective testing determines that their brain is simply not firing as it should.

rTMS is NOT electroconvulsive therapy.

rTMS should not be confused with electroconvulsive therapy or even medication management where side effects are potentially severe such as cognitive impairment, sexual dysfunction, weight gain and many others. Our patients resume normal activity following a treatment session as the worst side effect may be a mild headache. Even this is rare.

As one patient put it, “what do I have to lose?” when she considered her treatment options for anxiety. rTMS is a low risk, highly success option for qualified candidates. Here is what one rTMS patient had to say about his results:

If you are interested in learning more about rTMS, call our clinic at 763-323-1492 to schedule an “rTMS consultation and examination” with one of our medical providers.

Joe Bertsch, DC

Getting Back In the Game: Sports Injuries and Physical Therapy

School is back in session, fall weather is here and the kids are back to practice and games. It’s the season for football, soccer, tennis, dance, and volleyball. Unfortunately, when sports are in full swing, so are the number of sport injuries we see in the physical therapy department at Team Health Care Clinic. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE working with young people at our clinic, but seeing them miss out on their favorite activities is a bummer.

Some of the common sports injuries we see are:

Ankle sprains
Hamstring strains
Tennis elbow – sports that require gripping activity cause this, not just “tennis”
Hip flexor strain
Sciatica
Shoulder injuries

These most common types of injuries are strains and sprains. They are injuries that affect the soft tissues such as muscle, ligaments and tendons in the body.

Sprains are injury to ligaments. These structures connect bone to bone and give joints their integrity. These injuries are sustained when a joint is stretched beyond its normal motion causing tearing or disruption to the ligament.

Strains are injuries that affect the muscles and tendons. Tendons attach muscles to the bone. Strains are muscles that have been over stretched or over used with repetitive motions. Injuries can be caused by a trauma such as a collision or over training. There is usually pain, swelling, and an altered movement pattern when these tissues are affected.

You can reduce your risk for soft tissue injury by:

Warming up and stretching: this will increase the blood flow to your muscle tissues. Your muscle now responds like a warm piece of taffy vs. a cold piece of taffy. The muscle is going to be more flexible.
Condition for your activity: do some pre-season work outs to prepare your body and gradually increase your intensity.
Stop when you are fatigued: this reduces the risk of over use and abnormal movement patterns placing you at risk for injury.
Wear appropriate footwear and protective gear: contact sports without a helmet? You get the idea.
Cross train: this prevents over training and repetition injuries.

Fellow parents and coaches, we need to be attentive to our athletes. Child and teen athletes are especially prone to injuries, because they are still growing. During growth spurts, muscles are placed under more stress and stretch. Along with this they experience muscle imbalances and weakness. Look for signs of discomfort, a reduced desire to play or different movement patterns. This is a warning that could indicate something significant is going on. Pressure to participate can lead to decisions to play while injured, and put our athletes at risk for additional injuries. Continuing to play while injured prolongs their recovery and places them at risk. The biggest risk factor for a soft tissue injury is a previous or untreated injury. If an athlete has an injury and it is persisting, they need to seek care. Doing so early on will prevent further damage, and not delay their return to get back in the game.

Andrea Newport, PT

Reduce Inflammation, Improve Brain Function

What if I could tell you how to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by 50% and serious cardiac events by 90%? Lets also add improved attention, mood, skin, joint pain, and resistance to concussion. This treatment intervention will help these and most other conditions by improving the health of billions of your cells, reducing inflammation and improving brain function. At Team Health Care Clinic in Champlin, MN we make sure our patient’s road to restored health starts with addressing this key foundational marker of health.

So what is this foundational treatment? It is omega 3 fatty acids. You probably have heard of this important nutrient– also called fish oils. You may even be taking them. However, if you are like me and almost every one of our patients, you may be missing one very important step to make sure you are benefiting from your fish oils. That step is determining if you are even taking a therapeutic dose and, if so, whether or not it is improving your health markers.

You can’t know unless you test.

In order to reap the immense benefits of taking omega three fatty acid‘s, you must have therapeutic levels in your blood. Omega-3 deficiency in the United States is rampant. In our informal study of our patients and staff who were actually taking omega-3 fatty acid‘s, over 90% had levels that were determined to be far too low when tested. You can’t know how much omega 3 fatty acids you should be taking unless you test. For this reason we have partnered with a company, Brainspan, to provide this important testing for our patients.

Brainspan tests for inflammation, leaky cells and brain function.

The following foundational markers of health are obtained by this test:

Inflammation ratio looks at an important ration of “bad fats” to “good fats.” Two generations ago that ratio was generally 3:1. Currently that ratio in the US is 20:1 due to our diet changes. If you don’t get your ratio to 5:1 or better you likely have systemic inflammation which ultimately results in chronic disease.
Leaky cell assessment determines your actual omega 3 levels. These fats are critical components of your cell walls. When your levels drop to below 8%, your cell walls begin weakening. The report will tell you how much you need to take and for how long to get to therapeutic levels.
Brain function is assessed using a brief web based cognitive function test for attention, memory and processing speed.

Taking the Brainspan test is easy and painless. The information obtained from the Brainspan test gives our providers an advantage over others who simply make recommendations based on what is generally understood about Omega 3 fatty acids. Our patients often mention that they feel more in control of their health.

Those who are interested in taking the Brainspan test should speak with their provider. If you do not have a provider who offers Brainspan, contact us to purchase your Brainspan kit, currently available in our clinic for $99.

Jay Bertsch, DC

Why Can’t I Sleep?

All too often, I hear the complaint from patients that they are having trouble sleeping at night. Whether it’s falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting up in the morning, it seems the majority of people in our day and age struggle with getting good, let alone enough, sleep. So what can lead to these challenges? Lets take a look at a few possibilities.

Technology

Sleep
From phones, to tablets, to TV’s and more, we are bombarded with a constant barrage of stimulating light. These devices give off a blue-wavelength spectrum of light, a very short wavelength, which makes it difficult for our brains to shut down at night. This type of light actually suppresses the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, and can alter the circadian rhythm, which allows us to have proper, consistent sleep/wake cycles. It may be time to shut that phone down before going into bed, and consider reducing or eliminating that time in front of the TV during late times at night as well.

Low Blood Sugar

Dysglycemia, or blood sugar dysregulation, is running rampant among our society. You don’t have to have diabetes to have trouble controlling blood sugar, and sleep is just one area that may be affected as a result. When our diets are high in carbohydrates and sugars, our body quickly breaks these down for use for quick energy. What happens when we eat a dinner high in carbs or a late night snack high in sugar, such as ice cream? We may go to bed feeling full and satisfied, but the quickly broken down and absorbed carbs can’t sustain the energy our body needs through a full night of sleep. So our body taps into our adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, our stress hormone, to pull blood sugar out of our stores and into our blood stream so our body, and our brain, can continue to function while we sleep. With this quick spike in cortisol, along with adrenaline hormones, in the middle of the night, our brain quickly wakes us up as we get put into fight or flight mode. This often takes place sometime between 2 and 3am. If this is you, consider having a healthy snack high in protein before bed, so your body has something in can break down and use over the course of a night of sleep.

Stress

The world we live in tends to be busy, go-go-go, and thus, stressful. But does that high stress life you live really affect your sleep? It most certainly Stress causes poor sleep does. As mentioned above, cortisol, our stress hormone, plays a large role in our sleep. During the day our cortisol levels are higher, to keep us alert and awake. At night, they drop and should be at their lowest point in the middle of the night, so we can sleep. When morning comes cortisol increases to help us get up and ready for the day. But when stress levels are high in a person’s life, the pattern of cortisol can be thrown off. Often, one may feel awake at night and have a hard time falling asleep, while mornings are nearly impossible to get out of bed. Adding to the story, melatonin, our sleep hormone, works in an inverse relationship, where it should be low during the day and high at night to help us sleep. When these become out of range or even reversed, our sleep patterns are greatly affected.

3 Steps to Better Sleep

1. Turn off your phone, tablets, and TV while in bed, and maybe even an hour or so prior.
2. Avoid high carb meals for dinner, and especially high sugar snacks before bed.
3. Consider doing an easy test that measures cortisol levels in your saliva throughout the day, to see if your levels are where they should be. This test can be ordered and reviewed in our Champlin wellness clinic.

It’s time you start taking control of your sleep. Sleep is one of the most critical parts to optimal brain health and every poor night of sleep can lead to more trouble down the road. Call today to discuss with one of our providers about how we can help you.

Erik Starr, DC

ADD | Sleep Disorders | Anxiety – Neurofeedback Treatment

If brainwave patterns are unhealthy, it can result in a number of health challenges:

ADD
Anxiety
Sleep Disorders
Autism
Trauma (Injury, Stroke, Concussion)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD)

The good news is that the brain is extremely adaptable and with proper “training,” called Neurofeedback, our brains can correct brainwave patterns. Team Health Care Clinic is excited to offer neurofeedback therapy to our patients as part of our Brain Health Protocol.

Watch this video to learn more.

Healing Your Brain After a Concussion

Concussions affect millions of people each year and lead to a wide array of symptoms that include: headaches, difficulty concentrating and nausea. In our clinic, people come to us for concussion testing and treatment. We offer natural, non drug therapies that actually help heal injury to the brain as a result of a concussion.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion occurs when the brain crashes into the hard bone of the skull. This can happen from a direct blow (as in a sports injury), a whiplash injury (common in auto accidents), or even a fall. This direct damage to the brain causes inflammation and may result in:

Headache
Nausea
Blurry or double vision
Dizziness
Seeing stars
Difficulty concentrating
Fogginess
Trouble balancing
Sensitivity to light and/or sound

What Happens to the Brain After a Concussion?

Over half of your brain is immune tissue. When a concussion occurs, immune cells in your brain are activated. Think of these cells as vacuum cleaners. They go around and clean up debris left over from the resulting inflammation. They tend to stay on anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks to do their job and then calm down. But if the brain is not properly taken care of, these “vacuum cleaners” will stay on for months, which means you will continue to experience symptoms. This is why it is crucial to have a proper assessment and treatment of any injury to the brain.

Assessing and Treating a Concussion

Our chiropractors combine a standard concussion assessment with a functional neurological examination to pinpoint specific areas of the brain that have been impacted. We examine each area of the brain and brainstem to first see if a concussion has taken place, then decide what type of treatment is necessary to help the brain heal. This includes:

Nutrition Support to decrease inflammation and allow the healing process to begin
Brain Rehabilitation using exercises that target specific pathways in the brain that have been damaged

If left untreated, damage to the brain may become permanent and irreversible, so it is important to take action immediately. If you or anyone you know has suffered from the effects of a concussion, a thorough assessment and targeted natural therapies are available to help heal your brain.