Tim Keithley, Guest columnist 7:45 a.m. MT March 2, 2017

Tim Keithley(Photo: Courtesy)

Like a lot of folks who love to go skiing, play tennis, and enjoy the Ruidoso year-round beautiful weather, I became discouraged when my right knee went out climbing down a staircase recently.

I waited a few days figuring that it might heal like it always has done before. But this time the injury felt different and seemed to be getting worse.

Turns out you have a torn tendon in your right knee, Dr. Steven Rath of Fusion Medical Spa said on New Mexico in the Morning.

It obviously wasnt going to heal itself, so we had Tim come in and consider stem cell therapy, Dr. Rath said. It turns out that we were able to help his body heal itself without putting him through painful knee surgery.

Within a day after the procedure this week, the knee was sore from having the shots injected right into the tendon, but the regular pain had subsided. It made me a believer in the stem cell therapy Dr. Rath has been talking about on the radio for some time.

Heres a simple explanation of the procedure: Dr. Rath draws your own blood, then separates out the healing platelets through a spinning process, then injects those back into your body to the specific area that needs healing.

Stem cell therapy is nothing new, but its still considered an alternative form of treatment and an experiment, Dr. Rath said. Part of the reason why insurance companies dont cover the procedure has to do with the fact that medical companies prefer patients have surgery when it may not be necessary.

There may be patients out there who definitely need surgery, but providing this procedure has kept many of my patients from having to go under the knife.

Having had the procedure done on my knee this week, I can testify that it works and has given me a new hope that soon Ill be back on the slopes and the tennis court without having the ordeal of potential knee surgery.

Thus far in my practice, stem cell therapy has helped many people in your same situation, Dr. Rath said.

Tim Keithley is the host of the New Mexico in the Morning radio show Monday through Friday, 9 to 10 a.m., on KRUI 1490 AM, KWMW 105.1 FM and 99.1 FM or live streaming at mtdradio.com.

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Keithley's Korner: Big benefits from Stem Cell Therapy - Ruidoso News