Patient education ·
Show us where
it hurts. We will
tell you honestly
what we see.
Most people arrive having read a great deal and understood little. Start by pointing at the part of you that hurts, and we will explain what is usually going on there, in words that are not designed to sell you anything.
No appointment needed to read any of this. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and nothing on this page can tell you what is wrong with you.
Region
Region
Note
Select a point on the body to see what is usually going on there. Switch to the back view for the neck and the back of the head.
Conditions we see most
What is actually going on in there
Plain explanations of the conditions that bring people here. Not treatments, not products. What the problem is, what usually helps first, and what the evidence does and does not support.
Regenerative and orthobiologic options appear in some of these explanations, alongside physical therapy, medication, injections and surgery. They are described the same way as everything else: what it is, what is known, and what is not. No option on this page is presented as the answer.
Ongoing clinical development and research on UCSC
What is being studied right now
Published work on umbilical cord stem cells relevant to the conditions on this page. Hover a title to see what the study looked at, or open it for the full citation.
These are published studies, cited so you can find them yourself. They are listed rather than interpreted, because reading a study against your own situation is a conversation to have with your physician and not something a web page can do for you.
Ask a question
Tell us what is going on, in your own words
This is not a booking form and it does not put you on a list. A member of the clinical team reads it and replies. If your situation is not something we can help with, that is what the reply will say.
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Before you spend money
We will tell you if you are not a candidate
This is the part most clinics leave out, so we lead with it. A consultation here can end with us saying that what you need is not something we do, or that you should try something cheaper and simpler first. That happens often enough that you should expect it.
When we say try something else first
Many spine and joint problems improve with time, physical therapy, or a change in activity. If you have not tried those, that is usually the honest first recommendation rather than a procedure.
When imaging does not match the pain
A scan showing wear does not prove that wear is what hurts. Where the picture and the symptoms disagree, more diagnosis is the right next step, not more treatment.
When the evidence is thin
Some options are promising and under-studied. We will say which is which, and you will hear the word uncertain from us more often than you are used to hearing it.
If you leave a consultation here without a procedure booked, that is a normal outcome and not a failed visit. The purpose of the first conversation is to work out what is wrong, not to decide what to sell.