Pain Relief, Not Just Pain Management, Through the Use of Regenerative Medicine

Trigger Warning: My blog discusses medical procedures and treatments based on my own experiences.

Disclaimer: My blog is not intended to promote or endorse any medical procedure or diagnose any disorder. I’m not a doctor, just a real person writing about my experiences.

In 2024, the opportunity to not just improve my muscular and neurological neck pain, but eliminate the cause, was presented to me. We were going to try to reduce the levels of pain enough to allow my body to increase its exercise tolerance. The catch? The outcome of the procedure was not certain, and I had to pay money out of pocket. It was the most money I had ever gambled, but I hit the jackpot after the first round.

I was gambling on the effectiveness of a new medical procedure developed by Global Health Partners at Northwestern, in Chicago. Dr. Kiran Chekka was scheduled to perform, on me, a transformational procedure at their surgical center. Dr Chekka is Board certified as an Interventional Pain Physician and Anesthesiologist. 

The procedure was regenerative platelet rich plasma (PRP), with or without exosomes. The process involved injecting a combination of my own PRP, as well as donated exosomes, into the area of the tissue to be treated. We were going to attempt to repair some of the damaged tissue around my cervical spine. Stabilization of the cervical spine is what I needed for pain improvement. To stabilize, we needed to strengthen my muscles and reduce inflammation. The procedure could also be performed with just injecting platelet rich plasma, without the added exosomes. I completed two rounds of treatment: the first session with exosomes, the second with only the PRP.

PRP is created by withdrawing a little bit of blood and then spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the blood. This concentration of platelets is then injected. Exosomes are little packets of cellular material that help in communication between cells and tissue regeneration.

 Fascinated by the origins of this regenerative treatment, I prodded Dr. Chekka for more information. He explained he originally became interested when he witnessed the use of exosomes in cosmetic procedures, and wanted to explore its regenerative potential in pain management.  One person’s curiosity can lead to the hope of a better life for others. Finally, I was at a stage to be able to not just temporarily treat symptoms, but actually regenerate tissues that have atrophied or have been chronically inflamed.

My Treatment Plan Design

               The purpose of the injections was to target an area of my cervical spine to improve pain and mobility in my neck and shoulders. The injections were not designed to be a cure for the pain caused by the hypermobility, but more of an aid to allow me to push myself further in physical therapy to strengthen my muscles and lessen pain for the long term. Going into the procedure, I was aware there was a risk that I may have little to no improvement. To place yourself in that spot emotionally can be devastating if you come out on the losing end. I knew, however, that if I was going to achieve any amount of success, it would be with this medical team.  They are intelligent, highly skilled, and compassionate.

The Symptoms

               The muscles in my upper back, shoulders, and neck were easily the most excruciatingly painful areas of my body, for a decade. To place any pressure on these muscles, felt like pushing on a bruise. The pain could potentially intensify to the point of vomiting.
               Over time, the muscles wrapping the back of my neck had begun to atrophy from limited use. My forward head posture had caused these muscles to now remain stagnant. As a result, my pectorals, and the muscles in the front of my neck, were swollen, tight, and in a constant state of spasm. It felt as if I had a piece of wood strapped to my torso.  I also had a loss of sensation in both my hands, as well as temperature regulation problems. Finally, I lost 50% of the feeling in my tongue. The numbness occurred after a procedure in which I was unknowingly intubated. Nerve damage is a known rare side of effect of intubation. We weren’t targeting treatment for my tongue, but it would be a bonus if sensation returned.

The Procedure

               I received two rounds of treatments, spread apart by a few months.  The first round of injections was of the platelet rich plasma (PRP), with added exosomes, performed near c5, c6, c7. The second procedure was only the PRP injection performed near c2, c3, c4.
               With both procedures, I elected for local anesthesia only, not full sedation. I wanted to go into the procedure without having to worry about the side effects of intubation. I also wanted to be able to walk out and go home right afterwards. This was the benefit, for me, of being awake during the process. 

To begin the procedure, I sat on the medical bed, as blood was drawn, to create the PRP right there in the room with me. I positioned my body face down on the surgical bed, as if I was about to get a massage. Focus on anything else besides what is about to happen, were my thoughts. Peeking through the face opening in the surgical bed, I noticed I could see the medical staff’s shoes. Perfect! I focused on each shoe and tried to put a shoe to a voice.  This proved to be a great distraction.

The team began prepping my skin and discussing the procedure. Dr. Chekka used long needles to penetrate the deep muscles in my neck. As he poked each muscle, we could both feel the muscle twitch, then relax. At this point I knew this treatment was going to be different from past attempts at pain relief. I could feel a sense of relaxation after each muscle twitch. To be real, it hurt. It hurt ALOT initially, until the lidocaine was injected, and numbness crept over the area. Everyone experiences pain differently, and they need to do what feels right for them. Listening to a doctor you can trust, and listening to your body is essential. Another positive outcome regarding use of just local anesthetic is that you can actually ask questions and hear the doctor talking during the procedure. Otherwise I never would have learned about, and experienced, each step of the process.

               X-ray guidance was used to ensure the precise placement and flow of the PRP liquid. I could feel tiny, deliberate movements of the needle until Dr. Chekka was satisfied with the precise location. From what the doctor explained, the injection locations he uses have been determined by his research and experience for the best outcome.

The Outcome

               I cannot stress this enough, research your physician before trying new procedures. I’ve heard the stories, from patients around the U.S., who have received PRP injections and experienced no improvement. I have two thoughts on this.  One, they didn’t have Dr. Chekka. Two, everyone's body is different, and sometimes treatments just aren't successful, or successful to the point you were imagining. Someone always has to be the test subject right? Don’t blame the doctors for trying new things with positive intent. Overtime, procedures are adjusted for better results. I went into my procedure with realistic expectations.

With all that said, I’ve had life-changing results.  I measured the alignment of my head to shoulders and discovered my forward-head posture improved by 4 to 5 inches. I stand up straight now! The corrected posture allowed for the muscles in my neck and shoulders to begin to function normally. They are noticeably softer to the touch because the spasms have greatly reduced. In addition, my hands became warm.  Reducing muscle spasms around my collar bones opened up the flow for the vessels and nerves to my hands. It seems the muscle spasms were constricting these nerves and vessels. I’ve never had warm hands in my life until this procedure. I could also feel the temperature of objects in my hands again.   My tongue did not noticeably improve, but I'll keep working with doctors to see if there are other treatments for improvement there.

Going into the procedure, I was hoping for some pain relief, but knew the possibility existed that there would be no improvement. I didn’t expect to feel as well as I do today. Looking back, I cannot imagine life today without having gone through this procedure. The pain improvement I experienced has transformed my quality of life, and I am very grateful.