New Year New You 2018

01.14.2018 • Sunday • M 1

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

ST. LOuIS POST-dISPaTCH • N1

Moving IntoThe NewYear

Happy New Year

MIND, BODY AND SOUL

NEW YEAR NEW YOU IS PUBLISHED BY THE CUSTOM CONTENT MARKETING TEAM OF THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH AND LEE ENTERPRISES JENNIFER MASON | content marketing manager · 314-340-8988 · jmason@stltoday.com SARAH GERREIN | content production manager · 314-340-8014 · sgerrein@stltoday.com DENISE KOSAREK | creative services manager · 314-657-3312 · dkosarek@stltoday.com DONNA BISCHOFF | vice president of advertising · 314-340-8529 · dbischoff@post-dispatch.com TERESA GRIFFIN | vice president of digital strategy · 314-340-8909 · tgrifin@stltoday.com

N2 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

M 1 • SUnDAy • 01.14.2018

Cutting-edge technology delivers relief Relieving spinal stenosis, neuropathy and sciatica without surgery or drugs Custom content by: PAIN RELIEF ASSOCIATES

Is this the year you inally banish chronic spinal pain from your life?

If you’ve been living with chronic pain caused by neuropathy, spinal stenosis, or sciatica, you know it can make you miserable day and night and keep you from enjoying life.

The good news is that there are now safe and effective treatments that address the cause of pain without medication or surgery. At Renuva Back and Pain Centers, a division of Pain Relief Associates, Dr. Matt Wise uses cutting-edge technology that has delivered welcome relief to many clients suffering from the pain, burning, numbness and tingling associated with spinal stenosis and other back problems.

Debra is one of Dr. Wise’s patients. She has worked in nursing for more than 40 years and for too many of those years she suffered with back pain. She tried steroid injections and medications but they didn’t correct the underlying cause of her aching back.

“Just when I thought I was going to need back surgery, I found out about Renuva,” Debra says. “I tried pain injections for a year and it did an OK job masking the pain. Renuva found the cause of my pain. This is by far the best thing that has happened to me to relieve pain without surgery.”

Debra, like many adults as they age, suffered from spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine.

Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the neck and lower back. When a nerve is squeezed, pain or numbness can occur in a multitude of places — from the back to the legs, neck, arms and hands.

Arthritis can lead to back pain, sciatica, and con-

doing many of the activities she loved, Dr. Wise says.

She tried exercise, physical therapy and visited doctor after doctor, only to be prescribed pain pills.

“She hated how medication made her feel,” Dr. Wise says. “Her goal was pretty simple: get off pain pills.”

After receiving the CoreCare treatment, Margie was amazed how well she felt. She was back to work immediately, and today — more than a year later — she is pain free.

THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM CoreCare gets at the root of back pain, whether from injury, poor posture, or an aging body, Dr. Wise says.

“Over time, due to injury, poor posture and other complications, the discs in your back compress, become misaligned, bulge and start degenerating,” Dr. Wise says. “The nerves become irritated and send pain signals, which become chronic.”

CoreCare helps reverse the degeneration process, reducing pain and allowing the body to begin healing itself.

“Supplements, medications, injections and even surgery don’t correct the fundamental degeneration issue occurring in your spine,” Dr. Wise says. “That’s why many of these treatments are considered pain management. They have nothing to do with healing the cause of the pain but only managing the pain by masking it temporarily.”

Doctors recommended steroid injections in the spine for the severe sciatica pain that was causing James Martin to use a walker just to move around his house. Instead, he decided to try Dr. Wise’s treatments.

“CoreCare helps reverse the degeneration process, reducing pain and allowing the body to begin healing itself.”

DR. MATT WISE

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CAUSES FOR CHRONIC SPINAL PAIN Here are a few commonly seen issues that Dr. Matt Wise treats at Renuva Back and Pain Centers: SPINAL STENOSIS: a narrowing of the spaces within the spine, which puts pressure on the nerves that travel through the spinal canal. The two main types of spinal stenosis are cervical stenosis, when the narrowing occurs in the part of the spine in your neck, and lumbar stenosis, when the narrowing occurs in the part of the spine in your lower back. Spinal stenosis is caused by the wear-and-tear changes in the spine caused by osteoarthritis.

tribute to neuropathy. Pain pills may manage the pain but don’t get to the root of the problem, Dr. Wise says.

“I know how frustrating it is to have hope that a treatment, drug or supplement is going to cure you, but it doesn’t,” Dr. Wise says. “You spend your hardearned money on something that doesn’t work only to be continually let down by claims of healing that just don’t happen.”

HOPE FOR CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS But there is hope, Dr. Wise says. “My patients are getting relief from back pain, neck pain, sciatica and neuropathy and returning to their lives.”

Most back pain can be resolved or signiicantly diminished if you help the back heal itself, Dr. Wise says.

At Renuva, he is using an FDA-approved technology that is aimed at actually correcting the fundamental biomechanical issues happening inside your body.

It’s called CoreCare, and it focuses on three key steps to ixing the underlying problem: • Treating the source of the pain to achieve relief as fast as possible.

• Improving structure, strength, mobility and range of motion • Restoring healthy function The CoreCare treatment program includes deep tissue laser therapy, which works to release the pressure on impinged nerves. This allows the nerves to heal properly. Cleared by the FDA in 2003, laser therapy has become standard for many musculoskeletal injuries.

It’s noninvasive and painless and takes only a few minutes, but patients may require more than one treatment before relief is achieved.

Margie came to Dr. Wise with crippling back pain that kept her from working in home health care and

“At the beginning of week two, I put my walker in storage,” James says. “End of week four I no longer needed my cane in the house, and only occasionally outside. End of week six: no walker, no cane, no pain and no stabbing spinal pain.”

Are you ready to ind out if this treatment will help relieve your back pain?

For a few days only, we’re offering our new patient evaluation and two treatments for only $39.

Call 636-352-0889 to arrange a consultation with Dr. Matt Wise, Pain Relief Associates, 190 Spring Drive, Suite 300, St. Charles, Mo. Or email drwise@painrelief123.com

NEUROPATHY: a painful condition that interferes with your body’s ability to transmit messages to your muscles, skin, joints, or internal organs. If ignored or mistreated, neuropathy can lead to irreversible health conditions. Often neuropathy is caused by a degenerating spine pressing on the nerve roots. This can happen in any of the vertebral joints from the neck all the way down to the tail bone.

SCIATICA: occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, usually by a herniated disk in your spine, a bone spur or the narrowing of the spine from spinal stenosis. Sciatica refers to the pain that shoots along the path of the sciatic nerve and is usually felt from your lower back to the buttock to the back of your thigh and calf.

Typically, sciatica affects only one side of the body.

ARTHRITIS: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects millions of Americans, frequently encompassing the spine.

It occurs when the cartilage that cushions the end of the bones in our joints gradually wears down. In extreme cases, the cartilage deteriorates completely, leaving bone rubbing against bone.

AVOIDING BACK PAIN: To keep your back healthy and strong and hold off the often-inevitable aches and pains, doctors recommend:

• • • •

partaking in regular low-impact aerobic activities such as walking and swimming building and maintaining muscle strength and lexibility, especially through your core maintaining a healthy weight to limit strain on your muscles use proper body mechanics, such as using good posture, choosing seating with good lower back support, and avoiding heavy lifting

01.14.2018 • Sunday • M 1

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

ST. LOuIS POST-dISPaTCH • N3

From Hectic to Healthy How 20 minutes a week can elevate your itness and lengthen your life Custom content by: 20 MINUTES TO FITNESS

signed to maximize their strength and elevate their itness level. Their professional knowledge of how the body works is essential to the process. “Our coaches understand the actions of each muscle and can determine where weaknesses are and how to teach proper form when completing strength-building exercises.

They are trained to detect when wrong muscles may be recruited on any given piece of equipment, and they can direct the client on how to complete the exercise safely,” Breslin says. “Our physical therapists also understand the body systems and look at the whole picture — overall health, previous injuries, past medical and exercise history — and use this information to develop safe, effective and individualized exercise programs.”

Though each workout will vary from person to person depending on health, age, and skill level, each program follows a similar formula. Using precisely calibrated equipment, a coach will lead a client through a series of exercises, spending two to three minutes on each one until major muscle groups are just about at failure — when the coach will encourage their client to hang on for just a little longer. The biggest beneits are found in these crucial seconds pushing past muscle failure, and they extend far after the workout is complete as muscles continue to repair, build and grow.

This medically based approach to itness safely provides the body with a stimulus that it isn’t used to in order for it to build muscle, Breslin says. “Our 20-minute workout delivers the same strength-building beneits as working out three times a week lifting weights in a typical gym. It eficiently and systematically builds strength and bone density, and it increases our clients’ metabolism.”

Clients of 20 Minutes to Fitness train on specially calibrated MedX It’s a formula that suits 20 Minutes equipment that was originally designed for use in physical therapy. to Fitness’ wide range of clients, from older sedentary adults to elite athletes. Breslin says in small ways, such as having poor posture, but these that even younger clients are surprised at how chalmuscle imbalances can lead to bigger problems down lenging a 20-minute workout can be. Doctors — with the road, such as lower back and neck pain. Such symptheir hectic schedules and unpredictable hours — are toms are exacerbated under stress or weekend-waranother group who’ve embraced the 20 Minutes to rior-type activities. “Think of an aging human body Fitness approach, so much so that they refer to their like an older model car that has gotten a lot of wear quick sessions as “the doctors’ workout.” and tear through the years,” Breslin says. “Unless you Beyond the workout itself, 20 Minutes to Fitness maintain that body with strength-training and other offers a range of other services, including therapeugood health habits, you risk injury and other health tic massage, physical therapy and more. The Clayton issues.” It’s been proven that people who have issues location now has a state-of-the-art 3D body scanner from osteoporosis to diabetes ind the conditions easithat tracks progress by measuring inches lost, muscle er to manage when they have greater strength and mogained, body composition and comparing millions of bility. With the right exercise, some clients have been other data points. able to avoid taking medication or having surgery altogether.

20 Minutes to Fitness has studios in Clayton Unlike at a traditional gym, clients at 20 Minutes to (314-863-7836) and Chesterield (636-536-1504) Fitness are supervised by a coach — such as a physical as well as Tampa and Sarasota, Florida. therapist, an experienced athlete, or a certiied trainer Visit 20MinutesToFitness.com for more information.

— every step of the way. These coaches take the time to get to know their clients and create workouts deThere are so many obstacles associated with sticking to itness goals: There’s the time commitment, the frustration when results don’t come as quickly as hoped, and the nagging question if the exercises you’re doing are the best ones for your body in the irst place. With all of these unknowns, it’s little wonder that many people think it isn’t worth the effort to put on gym clothes.

But 20 Minutes to Fitness offers solutions backed by science and medicine – and professionals who will lead clients toward better health with just one 20-minute workout per week. “Many clients have amazing stories to tell about how 20 Minutes to Fitness has helped them achieve a personal level of itness they never thought possible,” says 20 Minutes to Fitness’ general manager, Casey Breslin, who is also a physical therapist. “They thought they were too old, or too out of shape, or too busy to ever be it again. But if you have 20 minutes a week, almost anything is possible!”

And you don’t even need fancy workout clothes to do it — many clients come straight from their jobs to it the workout into their packed schedule.

Breslin explains that as people get older their bodies tend to get weaker. This might initially show up

Doing good things for the body Like most women over the age of 50, Sue Matlof began experiencing a decrease in her bone density.

Knowing how important strong bones are to overall health and longevity, she booked a session with Casey Breslin at 20 Minutes to Fitness. That was 14 years ago. “You’d think after all that time I’d be burned out, but I’m not,” Sue says. “It keeps me coming because it’s doing good things for my body, and Casey watches over me when I train so I don’t have any injuries.

Where else can you go and feel good about your body, and have it all in 20 minutes?”

Breslin, a physical therapist, is the general man-

ager at 20 Minutes to Fitness. She understands how muscles work individually and with each other, and she understands the needs of her clients. Like all of the coaches at 20 Minutes to Fitness, she stays at her clients’ sides throughout their workout, ready to modify the training regimen to ensure its safety and effectiveness. In some cases, Breslin has provided physical therapy services to supplement Sue’s weight training and help her stay in good health. Because 20 Minutes to Fitness’ workouts are completed on MedX equipment originally designed for physical therapy, they do not put stress on ligaments and tendons, and they can be completed as safely as possible.

Training each week with a professional she has gotten to know personally, Sue says, has made all the difference. She has no plans to stop her sessions with Breslin anytime soon. “I keep coming to 20 Minutes to Fitness because it’s fun and I can do a lot for my health in 20 minutes, once a week” Sue says.

Sue Matlof, who has trained at 20 Minutes to Fitness for the past 14 years, credits her workout with helping her build her bone density, among other health beneits.

“I was skeptical at irst,” said Gerry Hempstead, who has trained at 20 Minutes to Fitness for more than ive years. “But I was looking for a strength-training program, and 20 Minutes to Fitness helped me achieve the results I was looking for. It works for me.”

Bone Health for Every Age Living an active, independent life is a worthy long-term health goal for everyone. But slips and falls that end in broken bones are common in older adults. Osteoporosis — the thinning of bone tissue and the lessening of bone density — is a major underlying cause of these and other problems.

Though it’s odd to think of bone as being “alive,” it is. We’re born with around 300 bones that fuse together as we grow. Until we’re in our 20s, our body can create new bone faster than it replaces old bone. But after that, not as much calcium gets absorbed into bone, and in our 30s, adults will begin to experience a loss of bone mass. “As we enter our 40s and 50s, it gets worse,” explains Casey Breslin, general manager at 20 Minutes to Fitness and a physical therapist. “In the years directly preceding menopause, women typically lose about 2 percent of their bone mass a year. Osteoporosis sets in when the body fails to form enough new bone, or when too much old bone is reabsorbed by the body, or both.” All told, half of women over age 50 will experience a bone break brought on by osteoporosis, as will 25 percent of men.

Many adults seek hormone therapy and drugs to help increase bone density, but these come with their own set of problems: Side effects can range from stomach ulcers to increased cancer risk to the deterioration of the jawbone. So it’s not surprising that many people choose to skip their medication entirely and hope for the best.

But everyone can do more to take an active role in improving bone health, and strength-training is one of the best means to do it. “Load a bone with enough weight, and bone cells called osteoblasts lay down new tissue to make that bone stronger,” says Breslin. “Lift weights repeatedly in the same way, and you stimulate this activity again and again.” Besides increasing bone density, high-intensity weight training — precisely the kind of exercise offered at 20 Minutes to Fitness — also improves strength and balance, two signiicant factors when it comes to preventing falls.

Better still, it’s never too early or late to start.

“Research shows that supervised weight training at 20 Minutes to Fitness can be a safe way to increase bone density in persons in their 80s and 90s,” Breslin says. “But if you’re younger, don’t wait. The time to start increasing your bone mass is now.”

Pro golfer Jay Delsing was sidelined after he had back surgery, and his three-month rehab turned into three years. “Training at 20 Minutes to Fitness has decreased my pain, increased my strength and helped me return to professional golf,” he said.

N4 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

M 1 • SUnDAy • 01.14.2018

Breakthroughs in Sinus Care Custom content by: THE ST. LOUIS SINUS CENTER

D

r. James D. Gould completed his medical training at Washington University School of Medicine in 1999, then opened his irst general ENT (ear, nose, and throat) practice in Festus, Missouri, later that same year. It turned out he had something in common with his patients who had been through sinus operations: He igured there had to be a better, less invasive path toward long-lasting treatment for allergy and sinus sufferers besides traditional— and often painful—functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

Also known as FESS, it was considered the go-to sinus procedure for many years. Though its outcomes were (and continue to be) largely successful, the surgery itself involves general anesthesia, removing sinus tissue and bone, and it requires up to four weeks’ recovery time. But by using technology irst developed by cardiologists, Dr. Gould established himself as a pioneer in his ield and went on to train hundreds of other doctors in a technique called balloon sinus dilation. He founded the St. Louis Sinus Center in 2010, and today he is its owner and medical director. The St. Louis Sinus Center has been recognized as a National Center of Excellence for its groundbreaking work, and Dr. Gould is a member of several prominent medical organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, and the American Medical Association.

The estimated 37 million people across the United States who suffer from sinusitis or recurring sinus infections will tell you it’s far more than just a stuffy nose. Persistent cough, a diminished sense of smell, facial pain and swelling, and fatigue are just a few symptoms that can seriously compromise quality of life. Though it wasn’t approved by the FDA until 2005 to treat sinus sufferers, the technology behind balloon sinus dilation had already been in use by cardiologists for a long time. Similar to how small balloons are used to help open blocked coronary arteries, balloon sinus dilation operates in much the same way. By inserting a small balloon into a blocked sinus passageway and inlating it with saline for a few seconds before removing it, balloon

sinus dilation can open the passageway up to six times larger in diameter than its previous size.

This allows the sinuses to drain and the passages to clear, resulting in vastly improved ventilation and breathing.

Unlike traditional sinus surgery, balloon sinus dilation does not create a hole in the sinus. Instead, it remodels the bony part of the sinus and reshapes its opening. It’s an in-ofice procedure performed under local anesthesia that only takes about 15 minutes. Better yet, Dr. Gould says almost all of his patients enjoy a speedy recuperation. “It’s a much easier procedure with much less risk, less pain medication and a faster recovery. Ninety-eight percent of our patients are back to normal activity or work the next day,” he says. “The procedure has been studied in many well-designed clinical trials and has proven to be a long-term solution for chronic and/or recurrent sinus sufferers.”

“Recurrent and chronic sinus sufferers” are the ideal candidates for balloon sinus dilation. Medically, they are deined as individuals who have had three separate sinus infections with symptoms lasting ten or more days, or people who have had sinusitis symptoms that have lasted for twelve or more weeks. The irst step in determining if the procedure is right for an individual is to schedule a thorough evaluation with Dr. Gould.

Dr. Gould has performed thousands of procedures since 2011 and nearly 500 physicians from across the country have come to the St. Louis Sinus Center to learn his technique. The procedure received another boost in recognition in 2013 when the results of a balloon sinus dilation study were published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy. The study concluded that “balloon dilation is an effective treatment in patients with uncomplicated chronic rhinosinusitis.”

“It’s truly rewarding to offer patients a simple, proven procedure in the comfort of our suite” DR. JAMES D. GOULD, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.R.S

INSIDE THE ST. LOUIS SINUS CENTER In Dr. Gould’s experience, about 95 percent of his patients with recurring sinus infections do not need to seek additional treatment or surgery after undergoing this procedure. Because balloon sinus dilation is performed in an ofice rather than in an operating room, the cost is far less prohibitive than traditional FESS. Today, the majority of insurance plans (including Medicare) cover the procedure.

Dr. Gould irmly believes in treating the body as a whole. He begins by looking at a patient’s entire medical history and performing a physical exam, before moving on to sinus CT scans, and allergy tests. This comprehensive approach helps him make an accurate diagnosis and plan out the best course of action for successful treatment.

The St. Louis Sinus Center is an ultra-modern facility located in Ladue and is one of the most advanced medical ofices in the nation. Thanks to Dr. Gould’s expertise in rhinology, thousands of patients have found relief there, including those who suffer from seasonal allergies, sinus headaches, septal deviation, sleep apnea and sinusitis.

For more information about The St. Louis Sinus Center, go to www.stlsinuscenter.com

The facility that houses the St. Louis Sinus Center is as cutting-edge as the treatments it offers. Conveniently located in Ladue at the corner of Clayton Road and South Lindbergh Boulevard, the St. Louis Sinus Center greets patients with 4,500 square feet of modern décor and state-of-the-art technology.

With clean lines and sleek furniture, the space exudes the modernity and professionalism that’s it for one of the nation’s leading practitioners of balloon sinus dilation.

Though in-ofice balloon sinus dilation has only been in St. Louis for about six years, the technology behind it has been rigorously studied. Time and again its effects have proven to be beneicial and long lasting, and for the vast majority of patients, it’s the last sinus procedure they’ll ever need. “In 2011, we were the irst in St. Louis and one of the irst in the county to bring balloon sinus dilation to the ofice without general anesthesia. We pioneered it from the operating room to reduce the cost and risk,” Dr. Gould says. “We’ve been able to create a spa-like environment where our warm, caring staff ensures the best patient experience possible,” says Dr. Gould.

But these thoughtful design choices are more than just aesthetic. They also extend to patient care. Dr. Gould’s comprehensive evaluation process helps determine an accurate diagnosis and chart the best treatment option. New patients can expect a physical exam; a nasal endoscopy; a medical history review; and a MiniCAT CT, which generates images on the spot, so patients don’t have to go to a separate imaging center to retrieve them. And because everything from the evaluation to the imaging to the procedures themselves takes place in-house, patients will be on a much faster path to healing.

Among the many treatments offered at the St. Louis Sinus Center, those related to chronic sinus infections are among the most common. Allergies are often connected to sinusitis, and the St. Louis Sinus Center offers allergy testing and immunotherapy. Besides the traditional allergy shots, patients can also opt for sublingual drops;thatis,medicinethatcanbeself-administered at home simply by placing the drops beneath the tongue. It is a safe and effective treatment that is quickly gaining popularity for its ease and convenience.

For the balloon sinus dilation procedure, Dr. Gould uses technology known as the Fiagon Sinus Navigation System, which lets him precisely see inside the nasal and sinus cavities for an up-close look at each area without being invasive. To help patients feel as comfortable as possible, they’re treated in the same room where their evaluation took place, which helps foster a sense of familiarity and continuity. But most of all, the technology and care offered by the St. Louis Sinus Center brings optimism for those who have suffered from a lifetime of breathing issues. “Often patients tell us they wish they would have had balloon sinus dilation years ago as it has changed their lives,” Dr. Gould says. “These patients are able to end the cycle of sinus infections and the need for multiple rounds of antibiotics and other medications.

01.14.2018 • Sunday • M 1

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

ST. LOuIS POST-dISPaTCH • N5

Freedom from addiction and hope for a brighter future at The Changing Pointe

Custom content by:

CENTERPOINTE HOSPITAL t takes courage to seek help for addiction. The team at The Changing Pointe at CenterPointe Hospital in St. Charles celebrates courage every day as a key step to freedom from addiction.

“The good news is that addiction is treatable,” says Dr. Raafea Malik, the medical director of The Changing Pointe, which has been helping folks break the cycle of addiction — whether it’s prescription drugs, street drugs or alcohol — for more than 10 years.

Dr. Malik is board certiied in both addiction and psychiatry. She and her team have the tools to diagnose and treat patients for both their addictions and the underlying and interwoven mental health issues that often accompany addiction. This is called dual disorder treatment.

“It’s not uncommon to ind that people suffering with substance addictions also often have other mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety,” Dr. Malik says. “It’s not always clear which came irst, but both need to be treated in order to provide the best scenario for recovery.”

It’s vital to treat both issues simultaneously and to educate patients about their mental health and their addiction, she says. Untreated, mental illness may repeatedly trigger relapse to substance use.

FAMILY CARE Dr. Malik says addiction has affected humans throughout history. Research on genetics and the brain indicates 10 percent of the population is at risk for addiction to mood-altering drugs.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse says 40 million Americans age 12 or older — more than one out of every seven people — abuse or are addicted to nicotine, alcohol or other drugs.

And while addiction is a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal disease, it is also adept at destroying families and relationships.

“Addiction is a family disease,” says Candi Finan, clincal supervisor of The Changing Pointe. “We work with the family to help them understand the disease. They have a lot of healing to do, too.”

FROM COURAGE TO GROWTH Treating addiction and mental health is not a one-size-its-all solution. At The Changing Pointe, clients ind a range of care levels as well as the understanding and nonjudgmental care to help them develop coping skills and alternative behaviors and ind a new path to a healthier future.

Treatment levels include inpatient detoxiication, residential and outpatient treatment programs. The Changing Pointe also provides aftercare to support clients as they work to maintain a substance-free lifestyle.

When a patient is able to recognize warning signs and help themselves, they can more successfully avoid relapsing, Dr. Malik says.

“Life-long sobriety can be maintained by using effective coping and relapse prevention skills with the support of a 12-step recovery model,” Dr. Malik says. This is at the core of The Chang-

AFFORDABLE CARE As with other diseases, people suffering from addiction often need intensive, long-term treatment. But too often people think they need to head out of town for treatment, when in reality quality care is not only available but more convenient and affordable right here. The Changing Pointe Addiction Treatment Center is located on the campus of CenterPointe Hospital, a 150-bed full service behavioral health care center located in a private, serene and comfortable setting.

At the Changing Pointe, each patient’s treatment is tailored to their needs. They may start with a one-week inpatient detoxiication period with 24-hour medical supervision. A fourweek residential treatment program is offered, as well as outpatient treatment, addiction education and counseling in a group setting.

A team of licensed professionals

I

ing Pointe’s curriculum: as patients begin their recovery process, they also learn about addiction as a disease and the ways it affects not only their own lives but the lives of their families.

“Untreated mental illness may repeatedly trigger relapse to substance use.”

RAAFEA F. MALIK, M.D.

from multiple disciplines, including physicians, nursing, social work, counseling, dietary services and activity therapy, work closely with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan. Staff members follow each client’s progress closely and adjust the plan when needed.

Another unique aspect of The Changing Pointe is that medication-assisted treatment is available at every level of treatment. Medication-assisted treatment reduces the symptoms of withdrawal and cravings and frees the client from thinking about drugs and alcohol so they can focus on their recovery.

“The Changing Pointe taught me I was not deined by my addiction and I could beat this disease. Now I’m living a drug-free and happy life – the life I deserve,” one client says.

THE FUTURE Aftercare is offered for life through weekly support groups at CenterPointe. Dr. Malik says peer support is a crucial component to a drug- or alcohol-free life.

“AA, NA or other peer support groups help individuals achieve and maintain abstinence from alcohol and drugs,” she says.

For more information about The Changing Pointe, go to www.centerpointehospital.com/addiction-treatment-services/

THE CHANGING POINTE is part of full-service behavioral health care center The Changing Pointe Addiction Treatment Center is part of CenterPointe Hospital, a state-of-the art, private psychiatric hospital serving the behavioral health needs of adolescents, adults and senior adults.

A highly trained staff provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment at its main location in St. Charles and outpatient services at several satellite locations.

Intensive psychiatric acute care may be needed to stabilize an immediate crisis and help provide patients with the skills to prevent future crisis situations.

Inpatient psychiatric care is a highly structured crisis stabilization model with emphasis on identifying crisis symptoms, stabilizing behaviors, identifying environmental supports and increasing coping skills of each patient.

When round-the-clock care is not required, patients may be admitted to an outpatient program as their point of entry for treatment or as a progression

from inpatient care.

In either case, treatment is based on the belief that through a combination of medically managed care and therapeutic intervention and education, patients can learn to effectively manage their illnesses and cope with the effects on their lives.

CenterPointe Hospital treats a variety of mental illnesses, including depression. One newer tool being used at CenterPointe is called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulations. TMS is a noninvasive technology offering hope to some people for whom commonly prescribed antidepressants are not working.

TMS uses magnetic ields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain and improve the symptoms of depression. The FDA-approved therapy is designed to help depressed individuals who have not achieved relief through pharmacotherapy return to their routine activities and feel like themselves again.

In some cases, patients have achieved full remission from their symptoms.

Since CenterPointe initiated the therapy in 2014, providers have observed marked improvement in more than 66 percent of patients and remission in 44 percent.

Another treatment option offered by CenterPointe is tailored speciically for older adults, who often are dealing with emotional problems related to declining health or other stressors.

CenterPointe’s senior adult program, Silver Lining, is speciically designed to help older adults cope with emotional problems or stressors they may be experiencing in life. For example, many seniors experience severe depression, anxiety, fears, confusion, disorientation, memory loss, medication issues and distress related to decline in health.

Our environment and programming are tailored to meet the speciic needs of older adults and we offer a comfortable, homelike atmosphere with caring, compassionate staff to help the senior through each step of their treatment.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION Drug abuse affects people from all walks of life and all socioeconomic statuses.

Whatever the reason a person starts taking drugs, tolerance and dependency can develop quickly, before the user even realizes the pattern of addiction taking hold. When tolerance becomes full-blown addiction, it can be extremely dificult to stop the pattern of abuse.

Breaking free from the hold of addiction often requires outside help.

Drug abuse wreaks havoc on the body and mind and can eventually kill. When you realize that you or someone you love has a problem, it’s essential to get help right away. If you or someone you know needs treatment for drug abuse, CenterPointe Hospital can help.

Abuse of most substances will produce noticeable signs and symptoms.

These may include physical or behavioral symptoms, most likely both.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS Some of the most noticeable symptoms of drug abuse are those that affect the body’s inner workings. For example, your body’s tolerance to a drug occurs when a drug is abused for long enough that increased quantities or strengths are required to achieve the previous effects. This desire for a more intense high, achieved through these means, is extremely dangerous and can easily lead to overdose.

Changes in appearance can be additional clues to possible drug use and may include: • Bloodshot or glazed eyes • Dilated or constricted pupils • Abrupt weight changes • Bruises, infections or other physical signs at the drug’s entrance site on the body Disruption to normal brain functioning, changes in personality, and heart and organ dysfunction can be signs of longterm drug abuse.

BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS Drug abuse negatively affects a person’s behavior and habits as he or she becomes more dependent on the drug.

The drug itself can alter the brain’s ability to focus and form coherent thoughts, depending on the substance.

Changes in behavior, such as the following, can indicate a problem with drug abuse: • Increased aggression or irritability • Changes in attitude/personality • Lethargy • Depression • Sudden changes in a social network • Dramatic changes in habits and/or priorities • Financial problems • Involvement in criminal activity Learning to recognize the physical or behavioral signs of drug abuse can help prevent the problem from progressing further.

N6 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

M 1 • SUnDAy • 01.14.2018

Taking shape: Finding a better you in the new year Custom content by: FIND A BETTER YOU

Are you ready to see a better you this year? Perhaps a slimmer or a younger-looking you?

Dr. James Sturm and his staff at the newly opened Find a Better You are now offering a wide range of procedures aimed at helping you look your very best — from the very latest in liposuction and fat-transferring procedures to laser hair removal and facial rejuvenation.

“For the irst time in the United States more people are over 50 than the rest of the population, and folks are wanting to look their best,” says Dr. Sturm, whose specialties include anesthesiology and pain management.

“We’re looking for solutions to problems. And we wanted to provide onestop shopping as much as possible.”

While the popularity of body-contouring procedures continues to grow each year, many men and women are seeking less-invasive alternatives to traditional plastic surgery procedures such as tummy tucks and facelifts.

At Find a Better You, located in O’Fallon, Mo., near the intersection of highways 40 and K, Dr. Sturm has invested in cutting-edge technology to meet that demand and give clients the best results with little or no downtime.

A simple call to Find a Better You can put you on the path to inding a better you. During an initial consultation, a staff member will listen carefully and help determine which procedures are right for you.

A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE THERE One innovative body-contouring option being offered by Dr. Sturm is BodyTite, a gentler, less-invasive fat-reducing alternative to traditional liposuction.

BodyTite uses radio frequency energy to melt the fat in a targeted area.

The fat is removed from the body through a small cannula or hollow tube inserted into a small incision. An added beneit is that at the same time, the radio frequency energy helps smooth and tighten the overlying skin, so the inal result is more natural looking.

Procedures are performed under local anesthesia and there’s typically no scarring or downtime. In fact, skin can be seen to tighten immediately during the procedure, but patients will see optimal results about three weeks afterwards.

Dr. Sturm says ideal candidates for BodyTite are women and men who are close to their ideal weight but are frustrated by stubborn areas of fat such as love handles and mufin tops that don’t respond to diet and exercise.

FaceTite uses similar technology and is designed to tighten areas of the face such as the forehead, cheeks, jowls and neck.

The results from both of these next-generation liposuction technologies have been shown to compete very favorably with tummy tucks and facelifts, Dr. Sturm says, with the added bonus of being much less invasive, quicker than laser liposuction and able to smooth and tighten the skin at the same time.

BOOSTING THE HEALING PROCESS NATURALLY: REGENERATIVE INJECTION THERAPIES ON THE CUTTING EDGE ‘“For the first time in the United States more people are over the age of 50, and folks are wanting to look their best.”

A WIN-WIN SOLUTION Have you ever wished you could take a little fat from one area of your body and move it to another?

That’s also an option at Find a Better You. Some clients want to enhance an area of their body, such as the breasts or the backside, without the use of implants. Dr. Sturm uses the client’s own fat — a more natural alternative than implants — with the added beneit of slimming and toning.

Fat transferring starts with liposuction but goes one step further. After removing fat cells from one area such as the tummy or thighs, the doctor sends it through a puriication process before re-injecting into a more desirable area.

Fat can be used to augment a woman’s breasts, whether to increase the natural size of the breasts or to improve symmetry. It’s also a popular way to

DR. JAMES STURM

enhance or sculpt the derriere into a rounder or more pleasing shape, a procedure known as the Brazilian butt lift.

There’s little risk of rejection because you are your own fat donor.

“When fat is transferred your body will accept it and make it whole again during the healing phase,” Dr. Sturm says.

It may take four to six weeks for bruising and swelling to subside and patients need to wear compression garments for about four weeks.

For more information about Dr. James Sturm and Find a Better You, call (636)205-4070 or visit www.Stllipo.com

REJUVINATING YOUR FACE on your lunch hour

Find a Better You also offers treatments aimed at refreshing your face, and most can be completed on your lunch break.

Whether the aim is to erase age spots or tighten up a sagging jawline, Find a Better You has the latest technology to make it happen. Most treatments can be performed in about an hour or less.

Natural aging as well as smoking and sun exposure work to increase wrinkles and decrease elasticity in the skin on the face, jawline and neck. At Find a Better You, nurse practitioner Danielle Besand uses FDA-approved radio frequency technology to create new collagen and elastin to repair aging skin. The result is fewer wrinkles and tighter skin.

OTHER AVAILABLE TREATMENTS TO FIND A BETTER YOU INCLUDE • Laser hair removal • Treatment of skin issues such as pigmentation (brown or sun spots); facial and spider veins, rosacea and acne scars • CO2RE Intima - a nonsurgical, laser treatment to relieve changes in vaginal wellness due to aging and childbearing, such as burning, itching, dryness and painful intercourse, as well as cosmetic changes • health and wellness coaching • health and wellness workshops, classes and support groups • healthy meal planning

There are several cutting-edge regenerative injection therapies that Dr. Sturm is using to help “supercharge” the healing process in both body contouring and pain management.

Harvesting stem cells from the client’s own fat or platelet-rich plasma from the client’s own blood supply and then using those substances to stimulate and accelerate the body’s own natural ability to heal itself are two innovative treatments Dr. Sturm is using to help patients at both Find a Better You and Arch Advanced Pain Management.

Both therapies are done in ofice and take about an hour. Patients return home the same day and are often able to work the following day.

Dr. Sturm says these state-of-the-art regenerative therapies are being used in more and more applications as doctors continue their quest for less-invasive and more natural treatments. They can be used in joints and back injections to treat pain, as well as to stimulate hair growth and restoration, and even in the face instead of Botox and illers.

“There’s always been a trend in medicine for as non-invasive as possible, “Dr. Sturm says. “Less is more.”

HEALING FROM WITHIN Platelet-rich plasma therapy is the process of using platelets separated from the patient’s own blood. Platelets normally circulate within the blood stream and are responsible for blood clotting and initiating a healing response in an acute injury.

Many acute injuries do not heal adequately and can lead to chronic pain and loss of function.

In PRP therapy, blood is drawn from the patient and then processed to separate the plasma. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected back into the patient’s body at the point of pain. The body then uses the additional platelets to speed up the healing of the targeted area and repair damaged tissue, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, muscles and even bone.

STEM CELLS FROM FAT Stem cells from a patient’s own fat tissue is another way to promote healing and avoid more invasive procedures such as joint replacements.

Because fat tissue is a prime source of stem cells, Dr. Sturm utilizes liposuction to remove fat from an area of the body that can afford to lose it. Then he separates the stem cells out and injects them into the body to help regenerate tissue, bone and cartilage.

“It’s easier to harvest than from bone marrow and you actually can get 500 times more stem cells from fat,” Dr Sturm says.

The added bonus is that the area where liposuction was performed is more toned. “We make it all look nice at the same time,” he says.