w/o Pain Pills or Surgery!
Val O’Connell
November – December 2024 • Vol 4, No 13
My name is Val O’Connell. My husband Daniel and I live south of Livingston in beautiful Paradise Valley. We have three children who attend Montana State University. Daniel and I are very active people. We enjoy hiking and walking in Yellowstone Park, and we are snowbirds, also enjoying the outdoor activities of warmer climates. We wintered in Morro Bay, California, where our girls attended college before they transferred back to MSU for grad school. We loved to surf and walk on the beaches. Morro Bay is where I became interested in the martial art Aikido and began training for my black belt.
I work for the largest solar company in Montana, Purelight Power Solar, where I sometimes walk for hours a day helping our field markets generate leads by knocking on doors. Unfortunately, the years of strenuous activity finally took its toll on my 50-something body. In 2020, I was diagnosed with an L-4 hernia and back arthritis. I tried many healing remedies, natural supplements, diet cures for arthritis, chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage therapy. These treatments gave me little relief. The pain got progressively worse, where I could no longer work, and it seemed like surgery was my last option. Back surgery is not al-ways successful as there is a risk that it could make my condition worse with a fused spine and more.
After suffering for two years, I came across an article in this magazine that inspired me. It was about the amazing benefits of Human Umbilical Cord Tissue allograft (HUCT) and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. In 2022, I made an appointment with the Bozeman Joint Repair Clinic of Montana. After an initial consultation with Dr. Spence, I received the therapy.
The very hour after the first treatment, I knew the doctor had found the right spot, because the initial injection site caused mild swelling that completely stopped my herniated disc from rubbing and hurting. The swelling wore off in a few days, and I was down to half the pain after only one month, which is when I got the second injection. By the third injection three months later, my pain was almost completely gone.
I have a fear of needles, and the medical team was very supportive, gently talking me through the few seconds it took to do each of the three injections. I especially like the heat pad to circulate the blood around the injection site. Then a cold spray is used to numb the needle injections that would otherwise scare me, causing nausea and vomiting. Instead of a needle that hurts, all I felt was a pinch that took two seconds. Thus, any fear or trauma of needles has not been a problem with this treatment.
The chiropractic care, the exercises, and the nutritional program the clinic gave me helped reduce most of the inflammation causing my arthritis. Then, I gave up what little wheat I still ate and that took away the remaining pain and soreness.
It has been two years, and my back is almost completely free of pain except when I get thrown around on the mat during black-belt training. My sciatica nerve got pinched recently during a three-day Aikido event. During the last few weeks, it got worse, with numbness and pain down my leg. I decided to return to the Bozeman clinic for another HUCT/PRP injection to treat this new injury. After the first injection, I am already noticing the sciatica nerve no longer feels pinched and the numbness and tingling pain is almost gone. I am sure that this area will be repaired as well with this new injection.
I am grateful to have discovered this cutting-edge technology and am thankful for the support of Dr. Spence and the entire staff at the Joint Repair Clinic of Montana. I am now living happily ever after, pain-free! It’s a grace to be able to walk and stand again without any pain whatsoever. I have resumed my sales job and have completed my black belt training and my degree. I continue my Aikido training weekly. I fully support this treatment for anyone suffering with damaged bones, joints, and nerves.
The Joint Repair & Life Enhancement Clinics of Montana (with locations in Bozeman, Billings, Missoula, and Helena) has been helping many Montanans attain great results from arthritis, joint pain, and peripheral neuropathy. The professional staff uses measurable, scientific testing, and x-rays to understand what is going on with your joints to help determine what may be the source of your pain. They can help you learn about the natural options that may be available for you and offer personalized-care programs to help your body naturally. They utilize the tissue from donated umbilical cords from live-birth, healthy moms and healthy babies, which helps the cushioning in your joints.
Care packages can include Human Umbilical Cord Tissue (HUCT) allograft injections, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), chiropractic, home-exercise coaching, nutritional supplements and dietary guidelines. Some locations offer additional, non-surgical, pain-management options, including various ozone and sound and light therapies.
Call (406) 551-1787 today and mention this article to receive the discounted $49 consultation.