Bob Knapp is an 86-year-old veteran who has always accepted most of life’s challenges that commonly occur with old age. Recently, however, he developed degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and arthritis. The pain affected his back and knees. It became so severe, that he struggled with standing, walking and even getting out of bed.
On a mission to find long-lasting pain-relief, Bob found himself at Heller Healthcare, a chiropractic wellness center in Brunswick, Georgia. Dr. Heller offers individualized treatment programs for patients who experience bone, joint and muscle pain. But her technique has always been more than chiropractic adjustments and medical massages. She uses a more innovative approach: regenerative mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) found in human umbilical cord tissue. Dr. Heller utilizes the stem cells made from the umbilical cord rather than bone marrow because there is a significant difference in the quality and quantity of cells. More stem cells are generated from the umbilical cord and are more viable and less prone to environmental factors compared to those sourced from bone marrow.
Bob had umbilical cord MSCs injected directly into his lower back and both of his knees. Combining this with Dr. Heller’s chiropractic and therapeutic approach, the stem cells had the power to replace the damaged tissue with new, healthy tissue.
Over the course of five months, Bob’s pain has gone from severe to moderate, and he’s even reported having no pain at all. Now living pain-free, Bob has routine quarter-mile walks every morning and enjoys his daily exercise regimen. His flexibility and posture have also improved, allowing him to gain over an inch in height.
Bob was confident that Dr. Heller would be able to help him with his pain, but never imagined he would be pain-free or have so much of his mobility back. With much gratitude, he hopes to continue telling his story to inspire other people to seek help.
Thinking about banking your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells? Learn more about cord blood banking.
Bob’s story, “Heller Wellness offers relief from arthritis” was a contributed report published in The Brunswick News in 2018.