There are many good physicians providing regenerative and nonsurgical orthopedic treatments. We believe we may be able to provide a better experience for the following reasons:

• AIM specializes in Regenerative Medicine and customizes a full program for each patient’s needs. We do not perform surgery. Instead, we apply a comprehensive approach to properly diagnose and treat joint pain using a number of modalities and therapeutic interventions most appropriate to help our patients avoid surgery.
• AIM features multiple providers who work as a team for each patient we serve.
• Happy patients: we have over 450 5-Star Google reviews.
• We offer a 15 min no obligation teleconsult to see if you are a good fit.

(Autologous stem cells, PRP, Prolozone, Prolotherapy)

Although some patients may feel a positive change within one week, for many it takes 3 to 8 weeks—depending on the individual’s health, age and the extent of the injury or disease. Continued improvements are experienced for up to 12 months and can be maintained indefinitely; however this varies greatly based on the individual. 

The aging process cannot be completely stopped and depending on the individual’s age, health and other factors, treatments may last indefinitely or may need to be repeated at the 4- to 7-year mark. Currently, too little data is available to reliably answer this question.

No, if the injury is due to an accident, such as from a sports activity.

Yes, if the condition is degenerative, chronic or as a result of aging.

Periodic supportive treatments are recommended in the same way your dentist recommends periodic dental cleaning. This is important because while the original treatments can successfully heal and nourish damaged tissue, the natural aging process that contributes to the gradual deterioration of the body and cells is still in effect. As the body continues to age, important healing biochemicals, growth factors and tissue oxygenation can decrease substantially. It’s why we recommend periodic Maintenance and Restorative PRP or Prolozone injections every 3, 6 or 12 months, depending on the patient and situation.

These drugs can cause profound damage to the spine and joints, and are deadly to stem cells and PRP.

• Avoid cortisone for 6 weeks before and after treatment.*
• Avoid anti-inflammatories 1 week prior to treatment. For best results, discontinue use.*
• Tylenol and narcotics are acceptable, if needed.

*Exceptions apply

Integrative orthopedic treatments (Visco-knee) and Prolozone are comfortable for most people. Regenerative injections such as Stem, PRP, and Prolotherapy can be uncomfortable, so we use a freeze spray to numb the skin. The very nature of regenerative therapies creates positive and necessary inflammation, which may cause temporary pain for 1 to 7 days after treatment. This means the body is responding well and the healing process is in effect. Spine, hip and knee injections tend to cause less reported discomfort than those administered in the shoulders and elbows.

Anesthetics have been shown to be toxic to growth factors and stem cells. In certain cases we may use Ropivacaine, which has a low toxicity to stem cells. Most doctors performing PRP and regenerative therapies are not aware of this new research.

• The exam evaluation and imaging are normally covered.
• Currently, health insurance does not pay for regenerative treatments, including Stem Cell, PRP, Prolozone, or Prolotherapy. In certain instances, we have been able to have workers’ compensation pay for the treatments.

This varies from patient to patient. Research has demonstrated that tissue which has been diseased for some time and lacks the supporting microenvironment may not respond properly to a one-and-done approach. It is vital that the injected area is both pre-conditioned and post-conditioned properly to provide the right oxygen, nutrient and cytokine levels. This is similar to optimizing soil before adding seeds to ensure a successful crop.

• Conditioning tissue may involve one additional PRP, Prolozone or Prolotherapy injection, or nutritional changes.
• Prolozone is performed as a series of 5 injections.
• Prolotherapy is typically a series of 3 to 12 injections.
• PRP ranges from 1 to 4 injections.
• Autologous adipose stem cell therapy is a single injection. However, pre- and post- injections of PRP or Prolozone may be recommended based on the extent of the tissue damage.

AIM success rates are very high. Among patients accepted for treatment and with success rate defined as a 60% to 100% improvement in function and pain, 80% to 90% of AIM patients experience successful outcomes.

Please note: not all patients are candidates for regenerative injection therapy. Only after performing a comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic imaging will our physicians determine and recommend the most effective treatment. A person’s age, health, exercise level, diet, disease level, local microenvironment and other factors contribute to the outcomes and candidacy. Patients will receive one of 3 candidacy grades for non-insurance based treatments: “Excellent,” “Good” or “Undetermined.”

For insurance based treatment, the patient is responsible for the deductible and copays, if there are any.

Regenerative therapies (such as Stem, PRP, Prolozone and Prolotherapy) are not currently covered by insurance. Costs vary by patient based on the specific circumstances, such as: the area, the quantity of injectable required, the amount of pre/post conditioning required to stabilize the local tissue environment.

Learn about medical financing.

Our stem cell therapy option includes Autologous (your own cells) Adipose treatment. Called Stromal Vascular Tissue (SVT), the procedure is FDA Compliant and replete with regenerative cells including one’s own mesenchyaml stem cells, growth factors, cytokines and exosomes. Treatments are offered in conjunction with a customized program that may include PT, chiropractic, prolozone, prolotherapy, nutritional support or PRP. The autologous adipose treatment entails harvesting adipose (fat) tissue from the patient, concentrating the regenerative cells and then injecting the tissue into the affected area.

Your AIM provider will work with you to decide which regenerative option(s) are best for your particular needs. Learn more about our stem cell therapy.

The stem cell therapies offered at AIM have been performed over 100,000 times worldwide with minimal significant adverse reactions reported and have an excellent safety record.

In general, our team advises:

• Avoid ALL anti-inflammatory medications.
• The first week, generally refrain from doing anything; thereafter, range of motion exercise with no resistance is beneficial. After 4 weeks, engage in light exercise. After 8 weeks, moderate exercise.
• Diet and nutrition: Maintain a high quality protein diet and avoid inflammatory foods that hinder new tissue healing. This includes avoiding sugar, processed foods, all cooking oils, factory farm–sourced meats and dairy, or high carb or high animal fat diets.