(4789,9,'2021-07-07 23:03:45','2021-07-07 23:03:45','<h2><span id=\"dnn_ctr420_dnnTITLE_titleLabel\" class=\"TitleH2\">Volunteering and Philanthropy</span></h2>\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC enjoys volunteering as a medical physician in third world countries</strong>\r\n\r\nHow rewarding it is to give of our time and services to help those in need. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC has had the honor of volunteering with the <a href=\"http://www.hacketthemwall.org/WELCOME.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the world’s largest teaching and education organization for Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nTogether with approximately 75 other physicians from the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and other countries, Dr. Fields has traveled to an annual clinic in Honduras. He has been honored to be one of the 15 Faculty instructors with the foundation. Of the 75 physicians going to Honduras- the rest are students. They are there to learn or to improve their Prolotherapy skills all while helping those in need.\r\n\r\nDr. Fields says that providing to those in need has always been in his heart and when the opportunity arose to do so, he was excited.  And the patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled many hours or even days and then waited all day for treatment. Most present with chronic knee, shoulder, low back, neck, ankle, foot, or other joint pain, often induced by working long hours in manual labor.\r\n<h3>Honduras</h3>\r\nHonduras is the third lowest-income country in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Haiti and Bolivia.  Access to health care is severely limited. This is why every year hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle, foot, or bus to the free clinics sponsored by the Foundation in three small towns.\r\n\r\nHere the Foundation provides medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Centers in each of the above cities, the clinicians treat hundreds of patients suffering from acute and chronic joint problems as well as and arthritis with Prolotherapy. Also known as regenerative or reconstructive therapy, Prolotherapy is a recognized non-surgical orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body\'s natural healing. It stimulates areas with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by overuse, arthritis, normal wear, and tear or trauma.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4779\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4779\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1032-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1032\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Honduras 2008[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4780\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4780\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN0961-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn0961\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Friends and Physicians Honduras 2008[/caption]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4782\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1134-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1134\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" />Shoulder Prolotherapy Honduras 2008\r\n<h5>Click links below for Honduras 2013 pictures</h5>\r\n<a class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/philanthropy/honduras-2013/the-final-party/\" target=\"_parent\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Honduras 2013 - The Final Party</a>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/philanthropy/honduras-2013/olanchito-the-town/\" target=\"_parent\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\">Honduras 2013 - Olanchito - The Town</span></a>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/philanthropy/honduras-2013/mid-weekend/\" target=\"_parent\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\">Honduras 2013 - Mid Weekend</span></a>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/philanthropy/honduras-2013/in-the-clinic/\" target=\"_parent\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\">Honduras 2013 - In The Clinic</span></a>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/philanthropy/honduras-2013/before-and-after/\" target=\"_parent\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"gphoto-album-cover-link\">Honduras 2013 - Before and after</span></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3>Mexico</h3>\r\nIn January of 2007, the Foundation opened its first clinic ever in Guadalajara, Mexico.\r\nAlthough not a rural as Honduras, the people there had never had the opportunity to experience Prolotherapy.  For this first clinic, only twelve instructor physicians were asked to go –  and Dr. Fields was one of those that were selected.  He found this experience just as rewarding.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4785\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4785\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Guadalajara-Mexico-2006-500x393.png\" alt=\"Guadalajara Mexico 2006\" width=\"500\" height=\"393\" /> Guadalajara Mexico 2006[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Volunteering and Philanthropy Overview','','inherit','closed','closed','','609-revision-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:03:45','2021-07-07 23:03:45','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4789',0,'revision','',0),(4790,9,'2021-07-07 23:06:37','2021-07-07 23:06:37','&nbsp;\n<h4>Honduras 2009</h4>\n<table class=\"resptable\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_488\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"595\"]<img class=\" wp-image-488\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Drs-Peter-and-Matt.jpg\" alt=\"Dr\'s Peter And Matt\" width=\"595\" height=\"446\" /> Dr. Fields instructs Dr. Matt[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_489\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-489\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-F.-Lecturing-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dr F. Lecturing 1\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr. Fields lecturing[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_490\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-490\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1562.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1562\" width=\"255\" height=\"192\" /> Dr\'s Bill, Saul and Peter[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_491\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-491\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1727.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1727\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr. Fields and student Dr. Laurent[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_492\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-492\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1739.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1739\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr. Fields and the La Ceiba Red Cross Staff[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_493\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-493\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1760.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1760\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr\'s Saul, Matt, Laurent and Dr. Pedro Campos![/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_494\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-494\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1761.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1761\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr\'s Sandra and Josette- our Honduran Docs[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_495\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-495\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1790.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1790\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr\'s Peter, Deb, Saul, Red Cross aid with a pt and her child[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_496\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1796.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1796\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> The La Ceiba team[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_497\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-497\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-Fields-adjusts-a-patient.jpg\" alt=\"Dr Fields Adjusts A Patient\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr. Fields adjusts a patient while other<br />doctors obserserve[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_498\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-498\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-Fields-instructs.jpg\" alt=\"Dr Fields Instructs\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr. Fields Instructs[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_499\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-499\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Drs-Peter-Bill-Joe-and-patient.jpg\" alt=\"Dr\'s Peter, Bill, Joe And Patient\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dr\'s Peter, Bill, Joe and patient[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_500\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"217\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-500\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-Fields-giving-a-lecture.jpg\" alt=\"Dr Fields Giving A Lecture\" width=\"217\" height=\"255\" /> Dr. Fields giving a lecture[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_501\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"200\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-501\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-F-and-skeleton.jpg\" alt=\"Dr F And Skeleton\" width=\"200\" height=\"255\" /> Dr. Fields and Dr. Bones[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_502\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-502\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dinner-at-the-hotel.jpg\" alt=\"Dinner At The Hotel\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dinner at the hotel[/caption]</td>\n<td>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_503\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-503\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/horse.jpg\" alt=\"Horse\" width=\"255\" height=\"202\" /> Local transport[/caption]</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','Honduras 2009','','inherit','closed','closed','','504-autosave-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:06:37','2021-07-07 23:06:37','',504,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4790',0,'revision','',0),(4791,9,'2021-07-07 23:11:45','2021-07-07 23:11:45','Honduras 2011','Honduras 2011','Honduras 2011','inherit','open','closed','','honduras-2011-2','','','2021-07-07 23:11:45','2021-07-07 23:11:45','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4792,9,'2021-07-07 23:13:12','2021-07-07 23:13:12','Honduras 2011','Honduras 2011','Honduras 2011','inherit','open','closed','','honduras-2011-3','','','2021-07-07 23:13:12','2021-07-07 23:13:12','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4793,9,'2021-07-07 23:13:38','2021-07-07 23:13:38','<h2><span id=\"dnn_ctr420_dnnTITLE_titleLabel\" class=\"TitleH2\">Volunteering and Philanthropy</span></h2>\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC enjoys volunteering as a medical physician in third world countries</strong>\r\n\r\nHow rewarding it is to give of our time and services to help those in need. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC has had the honor of volunteering with the <a href=\"http://www.hacketthemwall.org/WELCOME.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the world’s largest teaching and education organization for Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nTogether with approximately 75 other physicians from the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and other countries, Dr. Fields has traveled to an annual clinic in Honduras. He has been honored to be one of the 15 Faculty instructors with the foundation. Of the 75 physicians going to Honduras- the rest are students. They are there to learn or to improve their Prolotherapy skills all while helping those in need.\r\n\r\nDr. Fields says that providing to those in need has always been in his heart and when the opportunity arose to do so, he was excited.  And the patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled many hours or even days and then waited all day for treatment. Most present with chronic knee, shoulder, low back, neck, ankle, foot, or other joint pain, often induced by working long hours in manual labor.\r\n<h3>Honduras</h3>\r\nHonduras is the third lowest-income country in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Haiti and Bolivia.  Access to health care is severely limited. This is why every year hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle, foot, or bus to the free clinics sponsored by the Foundation in three small towns.\r\n\r\nHere the Foundation provides medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Centers in each of the above cities, the clinicians treat hundreds of patients suffering from acute and chronic joint problems as well as and arthritis with Prolotherapy. Also known as regenerative or reconstructive therapy, Prolotherapy is a recognized non-surgical orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body\'s natural healing. It stimulates areas with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by overuse, arthritis, normal wear, and tear or trauma.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4779\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4779\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1032-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1032\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Honduras Clinic[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4780\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4780\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN0961-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn0961\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Friends and Physicians in Honduras [/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4791\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3>Mexico</h3>\r\nIn January of 2007, the Foundation opened its first clinic ever in Guadalajara, Mexico.\r\nAlthough not a rural as Honduras, the people there had never had the opportunity to experience Prolotherapy.  For this first clinic, only twelve instructor physicians were asked to go –  and Dr. Fields was one of those that were selected.  He found this experience just as rewarding.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4785\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4785\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Guadalajara-Mexico-2006-500x393.png\" alt=\"Guadalajara Mexico 2006\" width=\"500\" height=\"393\" /> Guadalajara Mexico 2006[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Volunteering and Philanthropy Overview','','inherit','closed','closed','','609-revision-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:13:38','2021-07-07 23:13:38','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4793',0,'revision','',0),(4794,9,'2021-07-07 23:15:40','2021-07-07 23:15:40','<h2><span id=\"dnn_ctr420_dnnTITLE_titleLabel\" class=\"TitleH2\">Volunteering and Philanthropy</span></h2>\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC enjoys volunteering as a medical physician in third world countries</strong>\r\n\r\nHow rewarding it is to give of our time and services to help those in need. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC has had the honor of volunteering with the <a href=\"http://www.hacketthemwall.org/WELCOME.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the world’s largest teaching and education organization for Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nTogether with approximately 75 other physicians from the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and other countries, Dr. Fields has traveled to an annual clinic in Honduras. He has been honored to be one of the 15 Faculty instructors with the foundation. Of the 75 physicians going to Honduras- the rest are students. They are there to learn or to improve their Prolotherapy skills all while helping those in need.\r\n\r\nDr. Fields says that providing to those in need has always been in his heart and when the opportunity arose to do so, he was excited.  And the patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled many hours or even days and then waited all day for treatment. Most present with chronic knee, shoulder, low back, neck, ankle, foot, or other joint pain, often induced by working long hours in manual labor.\r\n<h3>Honduras</h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4779\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4779\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1032-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1032\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Honduras 2008[/caption]\r\n\r\nHonduras is the third lowest-income country in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Haiti and Bolivia.  Access to health care is severely limited. This is why every year hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle, foot, or bus to the free clinics sponsored by the Foundation in three small towns.\r\n\r\nHere the Foundation provides medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Centers in each of the above cities, the clinicians treat hundreds of patients suffering from acute and chronic joint problems as well as and arthritis with Prolotherapy. Also known as regenerative or reconstructive therapy, Prolotherapy is a recognized non-surgical orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body\'s natural healing. It stimulates areas with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by overuse, arthritis, normal wear, and tear or trauma.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4780\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4780\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN0961-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn0961\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Friends and Physicians in Honduras[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4791 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3>Mexico</h3>\r\nIn January of 2007, the Foundation opened its first clinic ever in Guadalajara, Mexico.\r\nAlthough not a rural as Honduras, the people there had never had the opportunity to experience Prolotherapy.  For this first clinic, only twelve instructor physicians were asked to go –  and Dr. Fields was one of those that were selected.  He found this experience just as rewarding.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4785\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4785\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Guadalajara-Mexico-2006-500x393.png\" alt=\"Guadalajara Mexico 2006\" width=\"500\" height=\"393\" /> Guadalajara Mexico 2006[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Volunteering and Philanthropy Overview','','inherit','closed','closed','','609-revision-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:15:40','2021-07-07 23:15:40','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4794',0,'revision','',0),(4795,9,'2021-07-07 23:16:41','2021-07-07 23:16:41','<h2><span id=\"dnn_ctr420_dnnTITLE_titleLabel\" class=\"TitleH2\">Volunteering and Philanthropy</span></h2>\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC enjoys volunteering as a medical physician in third world countries</strong>\r\n\r\nHow rewarding it is to give of our time and services to help those in need. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC has had the honor of volunteering with the <a href=\"http://www.hacketthemwall.org/WELCOME.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the world’s largest teaching and education organization for Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nTogether with approximately 75 other physicians from the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and other countries, Dr. Fields has traveled to an annual clinic in Honduras. He has been honored to be one of the 15 Faculty instructors with the foundation. Of the 75 physicians going to Honduras- the rest are students. They are there to learn or to improve their Prolotherapy skills all while helping those in need.\r\n\r\nDr. Fields says that providing to those in need has always been in his heart and when the opportunity arose to do so, he was excited.  And the patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled many hours or even days and then waited all day for treatment. Most present with chronic knee, shoulder, low back, neck, ankle, foot, or other joint pain, often induced by working long hours in manual labor.\r\n<h3>Honduras</h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4779\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4779\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1032-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1032\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Honduras 2008[/caption]\r\n\r\nHonduras is the third lowest-income country in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Haiti and Bolivia.  Access to health care is severely limited. This is why every year hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle, foot, or bus to the free clinics sponsored by the Foundation in three small towns.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4780\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4780\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN0961-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn0961\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Dscn0961[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere the Foundation provides medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Centers in each of the above cities, the clinicians treat hundreds of patients suffering from acute and chronic joint problems as well as and arthritis with Prolotherapy. Also known as regenerative or reconstructive therapy, Prolotherapy is a recognized non-surgical orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body\'s natural healing. It stimulates areas with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by overuse, arthritis, normal wear, and tear or trauma.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4791 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3>Mexico</h3>\r\nIn January of 2007, the Foundation opened its first clinic ever in Guadalajara, Mexico.\r\nAlthough not a rural as Honduras, the people there had never had the opportunity to experience Prolotherapy.  For this first clinic, only twelve instructor physicians were asked to go –  and Dr. Fields was one of those that were selected.  He found this experience just as rewarding.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4785\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4785\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Guadalajara-Mexico-2006-500x393.png\" alt=\"Guadalajara Mexico 2006\" width=\"500\" height=\"393\" /> Guadalajara Mexico 2006[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Volunteering and Philanthropy Overview','','inherit','closed','closed','','609-revision-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:16:41','2021-07-07 23:16:41','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4795',0,'revision','',0),(4796,9,'2021-07-07 23:17:56','2021-07-07 23:17:56','<h2><span id=\"dnn_ctr420_dnnTITLE_titleLabel\" class=\"TitleH2\">Volunteering and Philanthropy</span></h2>\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC enjoys volunteering as a medical physician in third world countries</strong>\r\n\r\nHow rewarding it is to give of our time and services to help those in need. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC has had the honor of volunteering with the <a href=\"http://www.hacketthemwall.org/WELCOME.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the world’s largest teaching and education organization for Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nTogether with approximately 75 other physicians from the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and other countries, Dr. Fields has traveled to an annual clinic in Honduras. He has been honored to be one of the 15 Faculty instructors with the foundation. Of the 75 physicians going to Honduras- the rest are students. They are there to learn or to improve their Prolotherapy skills all while helping those in need.\r\n\r\nDr. Fields says that providing to those in need has always been in his heart and when the opportunity arose to do so, he was excited.  And the patients were so grateful and appreciative. Many traveled many hours or even days and then waited all day for treatment. Most present with chronic knee, shoulder, low back, neck, ankle, foot, or other joint pain, often induced by working long hours in manual labor.\r\n<h3>Honduras</h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4779\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4779\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN1032-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn1032\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Honduras Clinic[/caption]\r\n\r\nHonduras is the third lowest-income country in the Western Hemisphere, only behind Haiti and Bolivia.  Access to health care is severely limited. This is why every year hundreds of local residents traveled by bicycle, foot, or bus to the free clinics sponsored by the Foundation in three small towns.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4780\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"255\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4780\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DSCN0961-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dscn0961\" width=\"255\" height=\"191\" /> Friends and Physicians[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere the Foundation provides medical care and treatment for individuals who otherwise would not receive it. Based at the Red Cross Centers in each of the above cities, the clinicians treat hundreds of patients suffering from acute and chronic joint problems as well as and arthritis with Prolotherapy. Also known as regenerative or reconstructive therapy, Prolotherapy is a recognized non-surgical orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body\'s natural healing. It stimulates areas with targeted injections to strengthen joints weakened by overuse, arthritis, normal wear, and tear or trauma.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4791 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Mexico</h3>\r\nIn January of 2007, the Foundation opened its first clinic ever in Guadalajara, Mexico.\r\nAlthough not a rural as Honduras, the people there had never had the opportunity to experience Prolotherapy.  For this first clinic, only twelve instructor physicians were asked to go –  and Dr. Fields was one of those that were selected.  He found this experience just as rewarding.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4785\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4785\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Guadalajara-Mexico-2006-500x393.png\" alt=\"Guadalajara Mexico 2006\" width=\"500\" height=\"393\" /> Guadalajara, Mexico [/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Volunteering and Philanthropy Overview','','inherit','closed','closed','','609-revision-v1','','','2021-07-07 23:17:56','2021-07-07 23:17:56','',609,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4796',0,'revision','',0),(4797,9,'2022-07-25 01:31:09','2022-07-25 01:31:09','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\n\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, finally in 2019, I was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\n\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2>Pre Hike</h2>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\n\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2>Getting to the Trailhead and First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h2>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\n\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\n\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n\n<h3>Hiking to 11,400 ft</h3>\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\n\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\n\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\n<h3>Hiking to 13,400 ft</h3>\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\n\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\n<h3>Hiking to 15,500 ft</h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\n\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\n\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n\n<h3>Getting to camp at 16,500 ft</h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\n\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the trail by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only 1,000 feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to 18,650 feet.\n\n&nbsp;\n<h3>Hiking to 18,500 ft</h3>\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\n\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\n\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\n\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\n\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\n\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\n\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n\n<h2>Climbing to the top 19,341 ft/5895 meters and beginning the descent</h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\n\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff (only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night), we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\n\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\n\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was shortly before 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 to 7 am without much variation from season to season.\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to the altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. I felt worse while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n\n<h3>The descent and saying goodbye</h3>\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\n\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas as they would leave the trail. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\n\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\n\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. I and several others had foldable walking sticks and this helped a lot. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\n\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\n\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\n\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\n\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to hike. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\n\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\n\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\n\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\n\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\n\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\n\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\n\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\n\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-autosave-v1','','','2022-07-25 01:31:09','2022-07-25 01:31:09','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4797',0,'revision','',0),(4798,9,'2021-07-12 03:10:19','2021-07-12 03:10:19','[caption id=\"attachment_4099\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4099\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/headaches-1-500x500.jpg\" alt=\"Headaches\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /> <strong><em>                        Are Headaches Coming From Your Neck?</em></strong>[/caption]\r\n<h3><b>Suffering from Headaches? </b><em><b>The Problem May Come From Your Neck.</b></em></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headaches are a recurrent malady suffered by millions of Americans, causing pain and discomfort in the head, forehead, scalp, or neck. At times they are a mild nuisance. But headaches can become severe, even disabling, with the pain leading to difficulty at work, concentration, and performance of daily activities. </span>\r\n<h3><b>What is the Source of Headaches?</b></h3>\r\n<h4><b><i>Hormones</i></b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headaches have different sources, and the causative factors require some investigation. Hormones might be the culprit. Women may experience headaches during the menstrual cycle due to shifts in hormone levels. And when this is the case, there may be a need to balance the hormones, because the woman could have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone.</span>\r\n<h4><em><strong>Diet </strong></em></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headache pain can often be </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">corrected with diet. Food allergies or sensitivities can trigger headaches. And eating too many carbohydrates or not enough protein, for example, can alter blood chemistry. And that can prompt a headache or foster problems with the hormonal system, which can again lead to headaches.</span>\r\n<h4><strong><i>TMJ Syndrome</i></strong></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporomandibular</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> joint (TMJ) problems may contribute to headaches</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Sufferers with TMJ have clicking at this joint, experience facial pain, and may notice a stiff mouth upon awakening after a night’s sleep. And all of this can then lead to a headache. TMJ syndrome, which often includes headaches, requires stabilization of the TMJ joint and ligament. Also, bite problems may be present, necessitating bite equilibration.</span>\r\n<h3><b>The Neck as the Source of Headaches</b></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not uncommon for the source of headaches to originate in the neck. Do you have neck pain before or during a headache? If you have neck pain followed by tension or migraine headache, then the source of the headache may very well be coming from your neck. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common neck problem producing headaches is an injury to the ligaments in the neck. How do you know if you have a ligament injury in your neck? You will hear grinding, crunching, and popping sounds when you turn your neck. And there is also a high probability that you crack your neck often. Injured ligaments generate instability in the neck, which induces muscle spasms in the neck as the muscles attempt to stabilize it. And the result is referral pain in the form of a tension headache in the forehead, back of the neck, or occiput. </span>\r\n<h3><em>Platelet Rich Plasma for Headaches</em></h3>\r\nDextrose Prolotherapy is often effective to treat headaches and achieve the desired results. In more severe cases, Platelet Rich Plasma, one of the types of Regenerative Orthopedics, may be recommended. This non-surgical treatment has also been shown in studies to be effective for chronic migraines.1\r\n<h4><strong><i>Cervicocranial Syndrome or </i><a href=\"http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/75/2/319.full\"><i>Barré-Liéou</i></a><i> Syndrome</i></strong></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cervicocranial Syndrome, previously known as </span><a href=\"http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/75/2/319.full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barré-Liéou</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Syndrome is a condition that causes a bunch of s</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ymptoms. The symptoms may include headache, dizziness, facial pain, ear pain, vertigo, tinnitus, loss of voice,</span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hoarseness, neck pain, and severe fatigue. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instability of the neck or cervical spine is usually the source of these symptoms.</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Neck instability involves increased motion between adjacent vertebrae which causes excessive stress on the supporting ligament structures. And the nerve endings within those structures elicit pain and a variety of symptoms.</span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">neck instability causes extra movement in the neck bones. And this extra motion can cause the bones to push on the nerves and cause irritation of the nervous system, leading to headaches and a bunch of other symptoms. </span>\r\n<h4><strong><i>Occipital Neuralgia</i></strong></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occipital neuralgia is another headache-causing condition related to neck instability. Those with this condition often experience sharp, stabbing pain in the lower part of the neck, the back of the head, and behind their eyes. The pain is typically one-sided. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The occipital nerve, which runs at the back of the head, can cause severe pain when injured. Many folks get nerve blocks for this pain. But these are not always effective at resolving the pain. Any instability of C1, C2, the first two neck vertebrae, can pinch or irritate the occipital nerve. And the extra motion along the spine can kink, press, and tighten on the nerves at the base of the skull. Neck instability symptoms include tenderness, clicking, grinding, and popping in the back of the head. </span>\r\n<h4><strong><i>Whiplash</i></strong></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headaches can occur after whiplash injuries. During a whiplash injury, the head flexes and extends, in a forward and backward whip that injures the neck ligaments. </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whiplash injuries are a common source of neck instability.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lack of stable neck vertebrae can lead to further injury of the soft tissue and joint structures, as well as the possibility of nerve injury and irritation of the nervous system. And that can result in headaches and other symptoms. Whiplash often results in long-term pain, which is due to a ligament injury and malalignment of the neck vertebrae.</span>\r\n<h3><b>Regenerative Orthopedics Repairs Neck Instability</b></h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regenerative Orthopedics involves the injection of natural substances into the damaged ligaments. The treatment results in tightening, repair, and regeneration of the ligaments involved in TMJ and neck instability. The area becomes stabilized, thus eliminating the instability, muscle spasms, and associated neck and jaw pain, and other related symptoms. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those who are tired of the disability and pain of severe headaches, and other conditions related to neck instability, Regenerative Orthopedics is a safe, non-surgical option that stops headache pain, decreases symptoms, and increases functionality in otherwise life-altering conditions.</span>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n1Algawwam, Hayder Ghali, and Abdullah Ahmed Mohammad. \"The Effectiveness of Injection of Trigger Points with Platelet Rich Plasma as A Pain Management Method in Chronic Tension Type Headache.\" (2021).\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/EKGWkEAaqTM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\"> Click here for more articles</a>','Headache Sufferer? It Could Be Your Neck.','','inherit','closed','closed','','2501-revision-v1','','','2021-07-12 03:10:19','2021-07-12 03:10:19','',2501,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4798',0,'revision','',0),(4799,9,'2021-07-13 21:11:10','2021-07-13 21:11:10','<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h4>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting there</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw Tina, The Musical (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours seeing the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But thee views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world, made it all wroth it.\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-07-13 21:11:10','2021-07-13 21:11:10','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4799',0,'revision','',0),(4800,9,'2021-07-13 21:11:51','2021-07-13 21:11:51','<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h4>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting there</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw Tina, The Musical (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But thee views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world, made it all wroth it.\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-07-13 21:11:51','2021-07-13 21:11:51','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4800',0,'revision','',0),(4801,9,'2021-07-13 21:19:52','2021-07-13 21:19:52','<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h4>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting there</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But thee views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world, made it all wroth it.\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-07-13 21:19:52','2021-07-13 21:19:52','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4801',0,'revision','',0),(4805,9,'2021-07-23 22:40:21','2021-07-23 22:40:21','Knee Stems','Knee Stems','Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Osteoarthritis','inherit','open','closed','','knee-stems','','','2021-07-23 22:41:12','2021-07-23 22:41:12','',1416,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee-Stems.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4806,9,'2021-07-23 22:46:09','2021-07-23 22:46:09','Stem Cell Therapy has become a popular treatment and one that can provide very satisfactory results. And Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, including the repair of degenerated arthritic joints, offers many promising possibilities.1 Stem cells have been shown in research to speed up and enhance bone and cartilage repair in arthritic joints.2,3 Since surgery comes with many disadvantages, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Therapy</a> to repair defects of articular cartilage provides an exciting alternative.\r\n\r\nAnother fascinating research finding involves evidence of the reduction in the usual progressive destruction of articular cartilage in arthritic disease by mesenchymal/bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow stem cells appear to suppress inflammation and release growth factors that combat arthritis and the degenerative process, enabling healing mechanisms to repair articular cartilage and relieve the chronic pain of arthritis.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4805\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4805\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee-Stems-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Stem Cells\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>                  Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Osteoarthritis3</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h4>One-Shot Magic Cure?</h4>\r\nHave you looked into Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis relief? It’s important to do your homework when it comes to Stem Cell Therapy because not all treatments are alike. You may have seen treatments advertised that may involve just one injection of stem cells. One injection is most likely insufficient to provide an adequate repair of the joint and the pain relief you seek.\r\n\r\nJoint injuries, like those that eventually lead to arthritis, generally involve the entire joint. If one ligament is injured, there’s a huge likelihood that other ligaments or soft tissue are also injured. And these other areas need to be treated too. One injection simply cannot treat the entire joint.\r\n<h4>Underlying Joint Instability Leads to Arthritis</h4>\r\nWhen the supportive joint structures, such as ligaments and other soft tissue are healthy and strong, they prevent abnormal joint motion. But when they become injured, the joint will move in an abnormal pattern, injuring other joint structures, and eventually leading to joint destruction and arthritis.\r\n\r\nThe degeneration and breakdown of cartilage that is evident in arthritis is something that transpires over time. It doesn\'t just appear immediately. The beginning is often an initial injury that begins a process of instability in the joint with movement in the joint that is abnormal. This joint instability then becomes the source of further joint injury. And it causes pain too.\r\n\r\nJoint instability also involves loose, weakened, and unsupportive ligaments. In essence, the whole joint becomes affected. To achieve repair of the entire joint, the supportive structures surrounding the joint need to be treated, as well as the degenerated structures inside the joint. Intra-articular injections during Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, combined with the growth factors in treatments like PRP and Prolotherapy can improve cartilage quality in arthritis, repair the injured soft tissue, and resolve joint pain.\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-3742\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Kelsey.-knee.stems-copy-500x500.png\" alt=\"Kelsey. Knee.stems Copy\" width=\"420\" height=\"420\" />\r\n<h4>The Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy</h4>\r\nA comprehensive treatment is necessary to strengthen, repair, and stabilize ligaments and structures of the joint to prevent destructive forces from continuing the breakdown of cartilage common in arthritis.\r\n\r\n<strong>A single injection is simply not comprehensive</strong> enough to reverse the damage affecting the entire joint. In our practice, we address these unnatural hypermobile forces with a multi-injection technique called <strong>Comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics</strong>. It\'s a very effective Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis repair and pain relief.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOur Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis treatment involves the use of four different regenerative therapies. Two sources of stem cells (bone and fat), as well as PRP Prolotherapy and Dextrose Prolotherapy. The supportive joint structures, the inside, and the outer structures of the joint are all treated. This is considered <strong>The Gold Standard</strong> for Stem Cell Regeneration.\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen, our Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis is different than at other clinics. <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stem-cell-therapy-at-orthoregen-why-we-are-different/\">What makes us different?</a> Many other clinics only use one or two of the above procedures, but not all four. All solutions are centrifuged and concentrated to obtain a solution with the most concentration of stem cells. In our experience, we have discovered that this technique is the best for regeneration. We inject both of these sources of stem cells and then combine the use of PRP Prolotherapy to accelerate their healing.\r\n\r\nIn addition, we apply Dextrose Prolotherapy <strong>to the outside supportive structures of the joint</strong> to help stabilize the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint in place. We utilize this style of treatment because it addresses the whole joint and not just the effect. That is why it is considered the <em>Gold Standard</em>.\r\n<h4>What About Amniotic “Stem Cells”?</h4>\r\nAmniotic Stem Cells are being advertised all over the place and people are fascinated with this very popular trend of using amniotic fluid for joint repair. But it needs to be clarified that Amniotic “Stem Cell” Therapy has NO actual stem cells, but rather growth factors found in the extracellular matrix of the amniotic tissue.\r\n\r\nCompanies purchase the afterbirth materials, process it to remove disease, and then freeze-dry it. Understandably, the process preserves the fluid, but it also kills the live cells. What’s left are healing growth factors. <strong>NO live stem cells are present.</strong> <em>Therefore, if claimed as such, it is simply not the truth.</em>\r\n\r\nIn their pre-donated state, amniotic fluid does have an abundance of stem cells, but they do not survive the processing. Many people leave stem cell seminars convinced that their own stem cells are no good and that donated amniotic “stem cells” will help them with their chronic joint pain from arthritis. It’s important to understand that cryopreserved, dehydrated amniotic products do not contain stem cells. It’s also important to understand that bone marrow, even in elderly individuals with arthritis, <strong>does have sufficient stem cells</strong>, and the cells are <strong>alive</strong>! Additionally, your own blood in the form of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains live growth factors. Yes, purchased, micronized amniotic fluid does contain growth factor material, but it is processed. Why not just use your own (autologous) live stem cells and PRP growth factors for your arthritis pain?\r\n<h4>The Bottom Line in Arthritis Treatment</h4>\r\nArthritis is a chronic, progressive disease of the articular joints, which to date, has had no cure or effective long-term treatment. However, Regenerative Injection Therapies like Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Prolotherapy have already been proven to work well to effectively activate cells for regeneration and repair in degenerated arthritic joints. Regenerative Orthopedics is an effective option for treating arthritis with the potential for enhancing the quality of life of individuals with the disease.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/prolo-news/\"><strong>Click here for more articles by Dr. Fields</strong></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n<em>1. Chahal, J., Gómez-Aristizábal, A., Shestopaloff, K., Bhatt, S., Chaboureau, A., Fazio, A., Chisholm, J., Weston, A., Chiovitti, J., Keating, A., Kapoor, M., Ogilvie-Harris, D.J., Syed, K.A., Gandhi, R., Mahomed, N.N., Marshall, K.W., Sussman, M.S., Naraghi, A.M. and Viswanathan, S. (2019), Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Treatment in Patients with Osteoarthritis Results in Overall Improvement in Pain and Symptoms and Reduces Synovial Inflammation. STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, 8: 746-757. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183\">https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183</a></em>\r\n\r\n<em>2. Wakitani S, Goto T, Pineda SJ, Young RG, Mansour JM, Caplan AI, Goldberg VM. Mesenchymal cell-based repair of large, full-thickness defects of articular cartilage J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 1994;76:579-92.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>3. Burke J, Hunter M, Kolhe R, </em>Isales<em> C, Hamrick M, Fulzele S. Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem </em>cell-based<em> therapy for osteoarthritis. Clinical and translational medicine. 2016 Aug 10;5(1):27.</em>','Stem Cell Therapy for Arthritis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1416-revision-v1','','','2021-07-23 22:46:09','2021-07-23 22:46:09','',1416,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4806',0,'revision','',0),(4807,9,'2021-07-23 22:46:26','2021-07-23 22:46:26','Stem Cell Therapy has become a popular treatment and one that can provide very satisfactory results. And Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, including the repair of degenerated arthritic joints, offers many promising possibilities.1 Stem cells have been shown in research to speed up and enhance bone and cartilage repair in arthritic joints.2,3 Since surgery comes with many disadvantages, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Therapy</a> to repair defects of articular cartilage provides an exciting alternative.\r\n\r\nAnother fascinating research finding involves evidence of the reduction in the usual progressive destruction of articular cartilage in arthritic disease by mesenchymal/bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow stem cells appear to suppress inflammation and release growth factors that combat arthritis and the degenerative process, enabling healing mechanisms to repair articular cartilage and relieve the chronic pain of arthritis.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4805\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4805\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee-Stems-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Stem Cells\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>                  Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Osteoarthritis3</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h4>One-Shot Magic Cure?</h4>\r\nHave you looked into Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis relief? It’s important to do your homework when it comes to Stem Cell Therapy because not all treatments are alike. You may have seen treatments advertised that may involve just one injection of stem cells. One injection is most likely insufficient to provide an adequate repair of the joint and the pain relief you seek.\r\n\r\nJoint injuries, like those that eventually lead to arthritis, generally involve the entire joint. If one ligament is injured, there’s a huge likelihood that other ligaments or soft tissue are also injured. And these other areas need to be treated too. One injection simply cannot treat the entire joint.\r\n<h4>Underlying Joint Instability Leads to Arthritis</h4>\r\nWhen the supportive joint structures, such as ligaments and other soft tissue are healthy and strong, they prevent abnormal joint motion. But when they become injured, the joint will move in an abnormal pattern, injuring other joint structures, and eventually leading to joint destruction and arthritis.\r\n\r\nThe degeneration and breakdown of cartilage that is evident in arthritis is something that transpires over time. It doesn\'t just appear immediately. The beginning is often an initial injury that begins a process of instability in the joint with movement in the joint that is abnormal. This joint instability then becomes the source of further joint injury. And it causes pain too.\r\n\r\nJoint instability also involves loose, weakened, and unsupportive ligaments. In essence, the whole joint becomes affected. To achieve repair of the entire joint, the supportive structures surrounding the joint need to be treated, as well as the degenerated structures inside the joint. Intra-articular injections during Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, combined with the growth factors in treatments like PRP and Prolotherapy can improve cartilage quality in arthritis, repair the injured soft tissue, and resolve joint pain.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-3742 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Kelsey.-knee.stems-copy-500x500.png\" alt=\"Kelsey. Knee.stems Copy\" width=\"420\" height=\"420\" />\r\n<h4>The Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy</h4>\r\nA comprehensive treatment is necessary to strengthen, repair, and stabilize ligaments and structures of the joint to prevent destructive forces from continuing the breakdown of cartilage common in arthritis.\r\n\r\n<strong>A single injection is simply not comprehensive</strong> enough to reverse the damage affecting the entire joint. In our practice, we address these unnatural hypermobile forces with a multi-injection technique called <strong>Comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics</strong>. It\'s a very effective Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis repair and pain relief.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOur Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis treatment involves the use of four different regenerative therapies. Two sources of stem cells (bone and fat), as well as PRP Prolotherapy and Dextrose Prolotherapy. The supportive joint structures, the inside, and the outer structures of the joint are all treated. This is considered <strong>The Gold Standard</strong> for Stem Cell Regeneration.\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen, our Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis is different than at other clinics. <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stem-cell-therapy-at-orthoregen-why-we-are-different/\">What makes us different?</a> Many other clinics only use one or two of the above procedures, but not all four. All solutions are centrifuged and concentrated to obtain a solution with the most concentration of stem cells. In our experience, we have discovered that this technique is the best for regeneration. We inject both of these sources of stem cells and then combine the use of PRP Prolotherapy to accelerate their healing.\r\n\r\nIn addition, we apply Dextrose Prolotherapy <strong>to the outside supportive structures of the joint</strong> to help stabilize the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint in place. We utilize this style of treatment because it addresses the whole joint and not just the effect. That is why it is considered the <em>Gold Standard</em>.\r\n<h4>What About Amniotic “Stem Cells”?</h4>\r\nAmniotic Stem Cells are being advertised all over the place and people are fascinated with this very popular trend of using amniotic fluid for joint repair. But it needs to be clarified that Amniotic “Stem Cell” Therapy has NO actual stem cells, but rather growth factors found in the extracellular matrix of the amniotic tissue.\r\n\r\nCompanies purchase the afterbirth materials, process it to remove disease, and then freeze-dry it. Understandably, the process preserves the fluid, but it also kills the live cells. What’s left are healing growth factors. <strong>NO live stem cells are present.</strong> <em>Therefore, if claimed as such, it is simply not the truth.</em>\r\n\r\nIn their pre-donated state, amniotic fluid does have an abundance of stem cells, but they do not survive the processing. Many people leave stem cell seminars convinced that their own stem cells are no good and that donated amniotic “stem cells” will help them with their chronic joint pain from arthritis. It’s important to understand that cryopreserved, dehydrated amniotic products do not contain stem cells. It’s also important to understand that bone marrow, even in elderly individuals with arthritis, <strong>does have sufficient stem cells</strong>, and the cells are <strong>alive</strong>! Additionally, your own blood in the form of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains live growth factors. Yes, purchased, micronized amniotic fluid does contain growth factor material, but it is processed. Why not just use your own (autologous) live stem cells and PRP growth factors for your arthritis pain?\r\n<h4>The Bottom Line in Arthritis Treatment</h4>\r\nArthritis is a chronic, progressive disease of the articular joints, which to date, has had no cure or effective long-term treatment. However, Regenerative Injection Therapies like Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Prolotherapy have already been proven to work well to effectively activate cells for regeneration and repair in degenerated arthritic joints. Regenerative Orthopedics is an effective option for treating arthritis with the potential for enhancing the quality of life of individuals with the disease.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/prolo-news/\"><strong>Click here for more articles by Dr. Fields</strong></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n<em>1. Chahal, J., Gómez-Aristizábal, A., Shestopaloff, K., Bhatt, S., Chaboureau, A., Fazio, A., Chisholm, J., Weston, A., Chiovitti, J., Keating, A., Kapoor, M., Ogilvie-Harris, D.J., Syed, K.A., Gandhi, R., Mahomed, N.N., Marshall, K.W., Sussman, M.S., Naraghi, A.M. and Viswanathan, S. (2019), Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Treatment in Patients with Osteoarthritis Results in Overall Improvement in Pain and Symptoms and Reduces Synovial Inflammation. STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, 8: 746-757. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183\">https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183</a></em>\r\n\r\n<em>2. Wakitani S, Goto T, Pineda SJ, Young RG, Mansour JM, Caplan AI, Goldberg VM. Mesenchymal cell-based repair of large, full-thickness defects of articular cartilage J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 1994;76:579-92.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>3. Burke J, Hunter M, Kolhe R, </em>Isales<em> C, Hamrick M, Fulzele S. Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem </em>cell-based<em> therapy for osteoarthritis. Clinical and translational medicine. 2016 Aug 10;5(1):27.</em>','Stem Cell Therapy for Arthritis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1416-revision-v1','','','2021-07-23 22:46:26','2021-07-23 22:46:26','',1416,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4807',0,'revision','',0),(4808,9,'2021-07-23 22:48:24','2021-07-23 22:48:24','Stem Cell Therapy has become a popular treatment and one that can provide very satisfactory results. And Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, including the repair of degenerated arthritic joints, offers many promising possibilities.1 Stem cells have been shown in research to speed up and enhance bone and cartilage repair in arthritic joints.2,3 Since surgery comes with many disadvantages, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Therapy</a> to repair defects of articular cartilage provides an exciting alternative.\r\n\r\nAnother fascinating research finding involves evidence of the reduction in the usual progressive destruction of articular cartilage in arthritic disease by mesenchymal/bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow stem cells appear to suppress inflammation and release growth factors that combat arthritis and the degenerative process, enabling healing mechanisms to repair articular cartilage and relieve the chronic pain of arthritis.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4805\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4805\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee-Stems-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Stem Cells\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>                  Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Osteoarthritis</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h4>One-Shot Magic Cure?</h4>\r\nHave you looked into Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis relief? It’s important to do your homework when it comes to Stem Cell Therapy because not all treatments are alike. You may have seen treatments advertised that may involve just one injection of stem cells. One injection is most likely insufficient to provide an adequate repair of the joint and the pain relief you seek.\r\n\r\nJoint injuries, like those that eventually lead to arthritis, generally involve the entire joint. If one ligament is injured, there’s a huge likelihood that other ligaments or soft tissue are also injured. And these other areas need to be treated too. One injection simply cannot treat the entire joint.\r\n<h4>Underlying Joint Instability Leads to Arthritis</h4>\r\nWhen the supportive joint structures, such as ligaments and other soft tissue are healthy and strong, they prevent abnormal joint motion. But when they become injured, the joint will move in an abnormal pattern, injuring other joint structures, and eventually leading to joint destruction and arthritis.\r\n\r\nThe degeneration and breakdown of cartilage that is evident in arthritis is something that transpires over time. It doesn\'t just appear immediately. The beginning is often an initial injury that begins a process of instability in the joint with movement in the joint that is abnormal. This joint instability then becomes the source of further joint injury. And it causes pain too.\r\n\r\nJoint instability also involves loose, weakened, and unsupportive ligaments. In essence, the whole joint becomes affected. To achieve repair of the entire joint, the supportive structures surrounding the joint need to be treated, as well as the degenerated structures inside the joint. Intra-articular injections during Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis, combined with the growth factors in treatments like PRP and Prolotherapy can improve cartilage quality in arthritis, repair the injured soft tissue, and resolve joint pain.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-3742 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Kelsey.-knee.stems-copy-500x500.png\" alt=\"Kelsey. Knee.stems Copy\" width=\"420\" height=\"420\" />\r\n<h4>The Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy</h4>\r\nA comprehensive treatment is necessary to strengthen, repair, and stabilize ligaments and structures of the joint to prevent destructive forces from continuing the breakdown of cartilage common in arthritis.\r\n\r\n<strong>A single injection is simply not comprehensive</strong> enough to reverse the damage affecting the entire joint. In our practice, we address these unnatural hypermobile forces with a multi-injection technique called <strong>Comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics</strong>. It\'s a very effective Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis repair and pain relief.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOur Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis treatment involves the use of four different regenerative therapies. Two sources of stem cells (bone and fat), as well as PRP Prolotherapy and Dextrose Prolotherapy. The supportive joint structures, the inside, and the outer structures of the joint are all treated. This is considered <strong>The Gold Standard</strong> for Stem Cell Regeneration.\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen, our Stem Cell Therapy for arthritis is different than at other clinics. <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stem-cell-therapy-at-orthoregen-why-we-are-different/\">What makes us different?</a> Many other clinics only use one or two of the above procedures, but not all four. All solutions are centrifuged and concentrated to obtain a solution with the most concentration of stem cells. In our experience, we have discovered that this technique is the best for regeneration. We inject both of these sources of stem cells and then combine the use of PRP Prolotherapy to accelerate their healing.\r\n\r\nIn addition, we apply Dextrose Prolotherapy <strong>to the outside supportive structures of the joint</strong> to help stabilize the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint in place. We utilize this style of treatment because it addresses the whole joint and not just the effect. That is why it is considered the <em>Gold Standard</em>.\r\n<h4>What About Amniotic “Stem Cells”?</h4>\r\nAmniotic Stem Cells are being advertised all over the place and people are fascinated with this very popular trend of using amniotic fluid for joint repair. But it needs to be clarified that Amniotic “Stem Cell” Therapy has NO actual stem cells, but rather growth factors found in the extracellular matrix of the amniotic tissue.\r\n\r\nCompanies purchase the afterbirth materials, process it to remove disease, and then freeze-dry it. Understandably, the process preserves the fluid, but it also kills the live cells. What’s left are healing growth factors. <strong>NO live stem cells are present.</strong> <em>Therefore, if claimed as such, it is simply not the truth.</em>\r\n\r\nIn their pre-donated state, amniotic fluid does have an abundance of stem cells, but they do not survive the processing. Many people leave stem cell seminars convinced that their own stem cells are no good and that donated amniotic “stem cells” will help them with their chronic joint pain from arthritis. It’s important to understand that cryopreserved, dehydrated amniotic products do not contain stem cells. It’s also important to understand that bone marrow, even in elderly individuals with arthritis, <strong>does have sufficient stem cells</strong>, and the cells are <strong>alive</strong>! Additionally, your own blood in the form of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains live growth factors. Yes, purchased, micronized amniotic fluid does contain growth factor material, but it is processed. Why not just use your own (autologous) live stem cells and PRP growth factors for your arthritis pain?\r\n<h4>The Bottom Line in Arthritis Treatment</h4>\r\nArthritis is a chronic, progressive disease of the articular joints, which to date, has had no cure or effective long-term treatment. However, Regenerative Injection Therapies like Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Prolotherapy have already been proven to work well to effectively activate cells for regeneration and repair in degenerated arthritic joints. Regenerative Orthopedics is an effective option for treating arthritis with the potential for enhancing the quality of life of individuals with the disease.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/prolo-news/\"><strong>Click here for more articles by Dr. Fields</strong></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n<em>1. Chahal, J., Gómez-Aristizábal, A., Shestopaloff, K., Bhatt, S., Chaboureau, A., Fazio, A., Chisholm, J., Weston, A., Chiovitti, J., Keating, A., Kapoor, M., Ogilvie-Harris, D.J., Syed, K.A., Gandhi, R., Mahomed, N.N., Marshall, K.W., Sussman, M.S., Naraghi, A.M. and Viswanathan, S. (2019), Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Treatment in Patients with Osteoarthritis Results in Overall Improvement in Pain and Symptoms and Reduces Synovial Inflammation. STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, 8: 746-757. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183\">https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.18-0183</a></em>\r\n\r\n<em>2. Wakitani S, Goto T, Pineda SJ, Young RG, Mansour JM, Caplan AI, Goldberg VM. Mesenchymal cell-based repair of large, full-thickness defects of articular cartilage J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 1994;76:579-92.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>3. Burke J, Hunter M, Kolhe R, </em>Isales<em> C, Hamrick M, Fulzele S. Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem </em>cell-based<em> therapy for osteoarthritis. Clinical and translational medicine. 2016 Aug 10;5(1):27.</em>','Stem Cell Therapy for Arthritis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1416-revision-v1','','','2021-07-23 22:48:24','2021-07-23 22:48:24','',1416,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4808',0,'revision','',0),(4809,9,'2021-07-26 18:52:03','2021-07-26 18:52:03','Knee. Prolo','Knee. Prolo','Prolotherapy Effective for Knee Injuries and OA','inherit','open','closed','','knee-prolo','','','2021-07-26 18:52:42','2021-07-26 18:52:42','',486,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee.-Prolo.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4810,9,'2021-07-26 18:54:27','2021-07-26 18:54:27','<h4>Regenerative Orthopedics for Annoying Knee Pain</h4>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"6wBQp0ZNfy0\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/chronic-pain-video1.jpg\" alt=\"Roberto - Knee (In Spanish)\"]\r\n<strong>Sam - Knee</strong></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"d-0hlfEKGYo\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/chronic-pain-video0.jpg\" alt=\"Sam - Knee\"]\r\n<strong>Roberto - Knee (In Spanish)</strong></div>\r\nThe knee is one of the most crucial joints in the body. To be engaged in everyday activities -- standing, walking, running, and even lying down -- you need to have normal knee function. But if you have chronic pain in your knee, you are prevented from doing all of that and more. Moreover, many conventional treatments include surgery, arthroscopy, cortisone, and NSAIDS, but sometimes those treatments can hurt more than they help. That is why so many people turn to Regenerative Orthopedics to treat persistent joint pain.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h4>What Causes Knee Pain?</h4>\r\nThe knee begins at the lower end of the thigh bone (femur), which rotates on the shin\'s upper end (tibia). The knee cap (patellae) slides in a groove on the end of the femur. Large ligaments attach the femur to the tibia, providing stability to the leg.\r\n\r\nCommon causes of knee pain are arthritis. For example, if you are experiencing minor pain, clicking, giving way, or ‘trick knee,’ you may be feeling the first symptoms of arthritis. Plus, arthritis can begin in people as early as thirty years of age. And this may progress for years before symptoms appear. Acute knee pain, sudden and intense, is usually the result of an injury. Acute knee pain, accompanied by significant inflammation and swelling, can be caused by gout or even infection.\r\n\r\nThe most common cause of long-lasting or chronic knee pain is osteoarthritis. And other forms of arthritis, rheumatoid, traumatic, and gouty, can also cause chronic pain in the knee joint. Additionally, pseudogout, bursitis, tendonitis, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/conditions/sports-injuries/sports-injuries-treatment-overview/\">sports injuries</a>, degenerative joint disease, and chondromalacia patellae can also cause knee pain. As we age, the smooth and resilient cartilage on our long bones\' ends wears down, but this cartilage is needed for normal joint function.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h4>How Does Regenerative Orthopedics Work for Chronic Knee Pain?</h4>\r\nMany patients come to us tired of ‘managing’ their chronic pain with NSAID or narcotic medications, various therapies, and exercises. In many cases, these methods do not take care of the cause of the pain.\r\n\r\nPatients with pain in almost any joint in the body can now <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/conditions/chronic-pain/chronic-pain-overview/\">treat their chronic pain with Regenerative Orthopedics</a>. It just depends on the cause of your particular joint pain.\r\n\r\nMost of the time, musculoskeletal pain is due to weakness in the ligaments, tendons, and possibly cartilage. Regenerative Orthopedics, including Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can <strong>regenerate these damaged tissues</strong> and ultimately alleviate the problem causing the pain. And studies show that the use of dextrose prolotherapy is supported for treatment of tendinopathies and knee osteoarthritis, as a result of ligament dysfunction.1\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4809\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4809\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Knee.-Prolo-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Knee. Prolo\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>        Prolotherapy Is Effective for Knee Injuries and OA</strong>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics works because it stimulates an inflammatory reaction in the body. In short, solutions are injected into the affected knee ligaments, tendons, or joints, which leads to local inflammation in that specific area. And then, the localized inflammation triggers the deposition of new collagen, the material in which ligaments and tendons are made. Subsequently, the new collagen shrinks as it matures and tightens the ligament that was injected, making it stronger.\r\n<h4>Are you a Candidate For Regenerative Orthopedics?</h4>\r\nOur goal at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> is for our patients to have an active, healthy, pain-free life. And Regenerative Orthopedics is a very safe, affordable option that allows you to keep working, training, and living a normal life during the recovery process. Regenerative Orthopedics for chronic knee pain is one of the few treatments that encourages movement post-treatment. Movement actually aids the healing process after Regenerative Orthopedics, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Prolotherapy</a>. By contrast, surgery requires you to reduce activity after treatment.\r\n\r\nAre you a candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics for your chronic knee pain? Would you like a <strong>second opinion before you have irreversible knee surgery</strong>? The only way to know for sure is to get a consultation. <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">Contact Us today</a> for a consultation or call Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, and OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> at 310-453-1234.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n1Hauser RA, Lackner JB, Steilen-Matias D, Harris DK. A Systematic Review of Dextrose Prolotherapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Jul 7;9:139-59. doi: 10.4137/CMAMD.S39160. PMID: 27429562; PMCID: PMC4938120.','Knee Pain That Won\'t Go Away','','inherit','closed','closed','','486-revision-v1','','','2021-07-26 18:54:27','2021-07-26 18:54:27','',486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4810',0,'revision','',0),(4811,9,'2021-07-29 20:34:52','2021-07-29 20:34:52','<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"EKGWkEAaqTM\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dr-doug.jpg\" alt=\"Dr.doug – Headaches &amp; Shoulder\"]\n<strong>Dr.Doug - Headaches &amp; Shoulder</strong></div>\n<h4>Shoulder Injury Treatment</h4>\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, shoulder injury is one of the most common areas we treat with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Regenerative Orthopedics</a>. A shoulder injury is common in nearly every sport from swimming to football to martial arts. In our experience, comprehensive regenerative shoulder treatment can correct the root cause of your shoulder injury without surgery, pain medications, or extended time from your sport. We have treated all types of painful shoulder injuries. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a weekend warrior, we can help you!\n\nOur experience has shown that a comprehensive treatment program is a preferred way to treat shoulder pain for optimal long-term results. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC,  <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/ \">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, as a Triathlete, marathoner, long-distance cyclist, and swimmer, understands your desire to return to full participation in your training and competition.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4812\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4812\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Slide17-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Slide17\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>               Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Rotator Cuff Injury</strong>[/caption]\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\n<h3>Rotator Cuff Shoulder Injury Can Be Successfully Treated with Stem Cell Therapy</h3>\nEven if your shoulder injury involves the rotator cuff, Regenerative Orthopedics can help. Surgery is often the go-to treatment. But unfortunately, despite improved surgical techniques, the tendon-to-bone healing rate is unsatisfactory. However, treatments like Stem Cell Therapy have been shown in studies to be a promising reparative treatment.1   Stem cell therapy is thus a potentially effective therapy to enhance rotator cuff healing.\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common shoulder injuries and shoulder pain we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy shoulder treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> are:</strong></h3>\n<ul>\n 	<li>Acromioclavicular joint arthrosis</li>\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\n 	<li>Bursitis</li>\n 	<li>Dislocation</li>\n 	<li>Frozen shoulder</li>\n 	<li>Glenoid labrum tear</li>\n 	<li>Impingement syndrome</li>\n 	<li>Labral tear</li>\n 	<li>Multi-directional instability</li>\n 	<li>Rotator cuff tear</li>\n 	<li>Shoulder dislocation</li>\n 	<li>Shoulder instability</li>\n 	<li>Shoulder pain</li>\n 	<li>Shoulder separation</li>\n 	<li>SLAP lesion</li>\n 	<li>Subluxation</li>\n 	<li>Swimmers shoulder</li>\n 	<li>Tendonitis</li>\n 	<li>Tendonosis</li>\n 	<li>Torn labrum</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy shoulder treatment, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\n\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Shoulder-Testimonials/\">Shoulder Prolotherapy Testimonials page</a>.\n\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\n<h3>References</h3>\n1Mora, Maria Valencia, et al. \"Stem cell therapy in the management of shoulder rotator cuff disorders.\" <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> 7.4 (2015): 691.','Shoulder Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','545-autosave-v1','','','2021-07-29 20:34:52','2021-07-29 20:34:52','',545,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4811',0,'revision','',0),(4812,9,'2021-07-29 20:21:16','2021-07-29 20:21:16','Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Rotator Cuff Injury','Slide17','Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Rotator Cuff Injury','inherit','open','closed','','slide17','','','2021-07-29 20:21:49','2021-07-29 20:21:49','',545,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Slide17.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4813,9,'2021-07-29 20:27:23','2021-07-29 20:27:23','<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"EKGWkEAaqTM\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dr-doug.jpg\" alt=\"Dr.doug – Headaches &amp; Shoulder\"]\r\n<strong>Dr.Doug - Headaches &amp; Shoulder</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Shoulder Injury Treatment</h4>\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, shoulder injury is one of the most common areas we treat with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Regenerative Orthopedics</a>. Shoulder injuries are common in nearly every sport from swimming to football to martial arts. In our experience, comprehensive prolotherapy shoulder treatment can correct the root cause of your shoulder injury without surgery, pain medications, or extended time from your sport. We have treated all types of painful shoulder injuries. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a weekend warrior, we can help you!\r\n\r\nOur experience has shown that a comprehensive treatment program is a preferred way to treat shoulder pain for optimal long term results. Dr. Fields, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/ \">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, as a Triathlete, marathoner, long-distance cyclist and swimmer, understands your desire to return to full participation in your training and competition.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some of the most common shoulder injuries and shoulder pain we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy shoulder treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> are:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Acromioclavicular joint arthrosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Bursitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Frozen shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Glenoid labrum tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Impingement syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Labral tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Multi-directional instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Rotator cuff tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder separation</li>\r\n 	<li>SLAP lesion</li>\r\n 	<li>Subluxation</li>\r\n 	<li>Swimmers shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Torn labrum</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\r\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy shoulder treatment, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Shoulder-Testimonials/\">Shoulder Prolotherapy Testimonials page</a>.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n1Mora, Maria Valencia, et al. \"Stem cell therapy in the management of shoulder rotator cuff disorders.\" <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> 7.4 (2015): 691.','Shoulder Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','545-revision-v1','','','2021-07-29 20:27:23','2021-07-29 20:27:23','',545,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4813',0,'revision','',0),(4814,9,'2021-07-29 20:34:53','2021-07-29 20:34:53','<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"EKGWkEAaqTM\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dr-doug.jpg\" alt=\"Dr.doug – Headaches &amp; Shoulder\"]\r\n<strong>Dr.Doug - Headaches &amp; Shoulder</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Shoulder Injury Treatment</h4>\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, shoulder injury is one of the most common areas we treat with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Regenerative Orthopedics</a>. A shoulder injury is common in nearly every sport from swimming to football to martial arts. In our experience, comprehensive regenerative shoulder treatment can correct the root cause of your shoulder injury without surgery, pain medications, or extended time from your sport. We have treated all types of painful shoulder injuries. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a weekend warrior, we can help you!\r\n\r\nOur experience has shown that a comprehensive treatment program is a preferred way to treat shoulder pain for optimal long-term results. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC,  <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/ \">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, as a Triathlete, marathoner, long-distance cyclist, and swimmer, understands your desire to return to full participation in your training and competition.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4812\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4812\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Slide17-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Slide17\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>               Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Rotator Cuff Injury</strong>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Rotator Cuff Shoulder Injury Can Be Successfully Treated with Stem Cell Therapy</h3>\r\nEven if your shoulder injury involves the rotator cuff, Regenerative Orthopedics can help. Surgery is often the go-to treatment. But unfortunately, despite improved surgical techniques, the tendon-to-bone healing rate is unsatisfactory. However, treatments like Stem Cell Therapy have been shown in studies to be promising reparative treatments.1   Stem cell therapy is thus a potentially effective therapy to enhance rotator cuff healing.\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common shoulder injuries and shoulder pain we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy shoulder treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Acromioclavicular joint arthrosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Bursitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Frozen shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Glenoid labrum tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Impingement syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Labral tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Multi-directional instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Rotator cuff tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder separation</li>\r\n 	<li>SLAP lesion</li>\r\n 	<li>Subluxation</li>\r\n 	<li>Swimmers shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Torn labrum</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\r\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy shoulder treatment, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Shoulder-Testimonials/\">Shoulder Prolotherapy Testimonials page</a>.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n1Mora, Maria Valencia, et al. \"Stem cell therapy in the management of shoulder rotator cuff disorders.\" <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> 7.4 (2015): 691.','Shoulder Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','545-revision-v1','','','2021-07-29 20:34:53','2021-07-29 20:34:53','',545,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4814',0,'revision','',0),(4815,9,'2021-07-29 20:38:25','2021-07-29 20:38:25','<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"EKGWkEAaqTM\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dr-doug.jpg\" alt=\"Dr.doug – Headaches &amp; Shoulder\"]\r\n<strong>Dr.Doug - Headaches &amp; Shoulder</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Shoulder Injury Treatment</h4>\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, shoulder injury is one of the most common areas we treat with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Regenerative Orthopedics</a>. A shoulder injury is common in nearly every sport from swimming to football to martial arts. In our experience, comprehensive regenerative shoulder treatment can correct the root cause of your shoulder injury without surgery, pain medications, or extended time from your sport. We have treated all types of painful shoulder injuries. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a weekend warrior, we can help you!\r\n\r\nOur experience has shown that a comprehensive treatment program is a preferred way to treat shoulder pain for optimal long-term results. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC,  <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/ \">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, as a Triathlete, marathoner, long-distance cyclist, and swimmer, understands your desire to return to full participation in your training and competition.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4812\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4812\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Slide17-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Slide17\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>               Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Rotator Cuff Injury</strong>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Rotator Cuff Shoulder Injury Can Be Successfully Treated with Stem Cell Therapy</h3>\r\nEven if your shoulder injury involves the rotator cuff, Regenerative Orthopedics can help. Surgery is often the go-to treatment. But unfortunately, despite improved surgical techniques, the tendon-to-bone healing rate is unsatisfactory. However, treatments like Stem Cell Therapy have been shown in studies to be promising reparative treatments.1   Stem cell therapy is thus a potentially effective therapy to enhance rotator cuff healing.\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common shoulder injuries and shoulder pain we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy shoulder treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Acromioclavicular joint arthrosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Bursitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Frozen shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Glenoid labrum tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Impingement syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Labral tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Multi-directional instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Rotator cuff tear</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder dislocation</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Shoulder separation</li>\r\n 	<li>SLAP lesion</li>\r\n 	<li>Subluxation</li>\r\n 	<li>Swimmers shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonitis</li>\r\n 	<li>Tendonosis</li>\r\n 	<li>Torn labrum</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h4>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy shoulder treatment, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Shoulder-Testimonials/\">Shoulder Prolotherapy Testimonials page</a>.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3>References</h3>\r\n1Mora, Maria Valencia, et al. \"Stem cell therapy in the management of shoulder rotator cuff disorders.\" <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> 7.4 (2015): 691.','Shoulder Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','545-revision-v1','','','2021-07-29 20:38:25','2021-07-29 20:38:25','',545,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4815',0,'revision','',0),(4816,9,'2021-08-05 20:53:21','2021-08-05 20:53:21','<div id=\"specialistsInfo\">\n<h3>What To Ask When Looking for A Prolotherapist</h3>\n<div id=\"specialistsParagraph\">When looking for a Prolotherapist, you definitely want experience. OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is grateful to have Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, an experienced physician dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized Regenerative Orthopedic treatment plans that relieve pain and help patients return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely. If you are serious about receiving regenerative treatments from a physician who has many years of experience in repairing the joint injury, then OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is for you!</div>\n</div>\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out How Much of the Practice Is Dedicated to <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a>?</h3>\nFind out if Prolotherapy is really what they are experts at or is it something they do once in a while. At least 50% of the doctor’s practice should be Prolotherapy. And it\'s better if it is more.\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out Whether the Physician Does Prolotherapy on Every Joint?</h3>\nIt is important to find out whether the physician treats the back, knees, shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, and every other joint? Why or why not? Do they lack the confidence to treat every area? Do they lack training or experience?\n\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4818\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-2-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\n<h3>Where Did the Physician Learn Their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> Skills?</h3>\nHow did the Prolotherapist learn their skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis? It also helps to know whether the Prolotherapist instructs others on how to do it. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC continues to teach other doctors on an ongoing basis and gives seminars on Regenerative Orthopedics.\n<h3><strong>I\'m Looking for a Prolotherapist, Can You Give Me a Local Referral from a Physician Who does the Treatments You Do?</strong></h3>\nSome people may ask us for a referral to someone closer to them. Unfortunately, we do not have specific referrals for outside of our office, especially if we have not seen someone for an exam and to thoroughly review their case, imaging, and other factors important when doing a detailed exam. We understand that it is not feasible for all patients to come here.  Hopefully, the information we share in our articles can at least help people to learn more about the possible reason for their symptoms.\n\nWe do try to help educate people and provide information that would help build the understanding about Prolotherapy and the other forms of Regenerative Orthopedics, and how these treatments might be a consideration for various conditions. But keep in mind that every Prolotherapist is different, just like with any medical specialty. We simply do not know everyone who practices or what types of cases their office accepts.\n\nWe would love for you to choose Peter A. Fields, MD, DC and OrthoRegen.<sup>®      </sup>However, if you need to choose someone closer, we suggest that you speak in detail with the team and/or provider whom you are considering seeing. If the location of a medical provider is most important to you, Google may be a good place to start. And if you do find someone near you, contact them about their experience with your condition and determine if you feel they might be a good fit for your case.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>\n\n&nbsp;','What to Ask When Looking for a Prolotherapist','','inherit','closed','closed','','1450-autosave-v1','','','2021-08-05 20:53:21','2021-08-05 20:53:21','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4816',0,'revision','',0),(4817,9,'2021-08-05 20:27:54','2021-08-05 20:27:54','<div id=\"specialistsInfo\">\r\n<h3>What To Ask When Looking for A Prolotherapist</h3>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div id=\"specialistsParagraph\">When looking for a Prolotherapist, you definitely want experience. OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is grateful to have Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, an experienced physician dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized Regenerative Orthopedic treatment plans that relieve pain and help patients return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely. If you are serious about receiving regenerative treatments from a physician who has many years of experience in repairing the joint injury, then OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is for you!</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-712 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fully_body_joints.jpg\" alt=\"Fully Body Joints\" width=\"200\" height=\"376\" />\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out How much of the practice is dedicated to <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a>?</h3>\r\nAt least 50% of the doctor’s practice should be Prolotherapy and better if it is more.\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out Whether the physician Does Prolotherapy on Every Joint?</h3>\r\nIt is important to find out whether the physician treats the back, knees, shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, and every other joint? Why or why not? Do they lack the confidence to treat every area? Do they lack training or experience?\r\n<h3>Where Did the Physician Learn Their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> Skills?</h3>\r\nHow did the Prolotherapist learn their skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis? It also helps to know whether the Prolotherapist instructs others on how to do it. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC continues to teach other doctors on an ongoing basis and gives seminars on Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m Looking for a Prolotherapist, Can You Give Me a Local Referral from a Physician Who does the Treatments You Do?</strong></h3>\r\nWe do not have specific referrals for outside of our office, especially if we have not seen someone for an exam and to thoroughly review their case, imaging, etc.. In our videos and article content, we talk about published research on certain conditions, along with the treatments and testing that we do here, and what we are finding in our practice at our neck center in Fort Myers, Florida. We understand that it is not feasible for all patients to come here, nor can we accept all cases, but we hope that the information we share can at least help people learn more about the possible reason for their symptoms. We try to put out information about our techniques, research, experience, etc.. to help people understand more about Prolotherapy and how it might be a consideration for various conditions, but it does not go across the board for all Prolotherapists, just like with any medical specialty. We simply do not know everyone who practices or what types of cases their office accepts, etc. Our office tends to take on a lot of referred cases that other offices cannot handle, especially with regard to the upper cervical spine. However, there are a lot of Prolotherapists who can take on straightforward pain cases just great, and we are always happy and encouraged by hearing of people’s success wherever they were treated! All we can really suggest is to speak in detail with the team and/or provider whom you are considering seeing. If the location of a medical provider is most important to you, Google may be a good place to start. If you find someone near you, contact them about their experience with your condition and determine if you feel they might be a good fit for your case.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-712 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fully_body_joints.jpg\" alt=\"Fully Body Joints\" width=\"200\" height=\"376\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Does the doctor do Prolotherapy on every joint (back, knee’s shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, etc)? If not, then ask why.</li>\r\n 	<li>Does the doctor do the Prolotherapy himself? Only a skilled, trained MD or DO should be doing the injections; not an assistant or mid-level practitioner (PA, Nurse Practitioner, etc).</li>\r\n 	<li>Where did the doctor learn their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis. Better yet if the doctor instructs others how to do it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>','What to Ask When Looking for a Prolotherapist','','inherit','closed','closed','','1450-revision-v1','','','2021-08-05 20:27:54','2021-08-05 20:27:54','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4817',0,'revision','',0),(4818,9,'2021-08-05 20:31:16','2021-08-05 20:31:16','Seek an Experienced Prolotherapist','Honduras 2011','Honduras 2011','inherit','open','closed','','honduras-2011-4','','','2021-08-05 20:31:46','2021-08-05 20:31:46','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-2.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4819,9,'2021-08-05 20:32:29','2021-08-05 20:32:29','<div id=\"specialistsInfo\">\r\n<h3>What To Ask When Looking for A Prolotherapist</h3>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div id=\"specialistsParagraph\">When looking for a Prolotherapist, you definitely want experience. OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is grateful to have Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, an experienced physician dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized Regenerative Orthopedic treatment plans that relieve pain and help patients return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely. If you are serious about receiving regenerative treatments from a physician who has many years of experience in repairing the joint injury, then OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is for you!</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out How much of the practice is dedicated to <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a>?</h3>\r\nAt least 50% of the doctor’s practice should be Prolotherapy and better if it is more.\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out Whether the physician Does Prolotherapy on Every Joint?</h3>\r\nIt is important to find out whether the physician treats the back, knees, shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, and every other joint? Why or why not? Do they lack the confidence to treat every area? Do they lack training or experience?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4818\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"186\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4818\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-2-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" /> Honduras 2011[/caption]\r\n<h3>Where Did the Physician Learn Their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> Skills?</h3>\r\nHow did the Prolotherapist learn their skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis? It also helps to know whether the Prolotherapist instructs others on how to do it. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC continues to teach other doctors on an ongoing basis and gives seminars on Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m Looking for a Prolotherapist, Can You Give Me a Local Referral from a Physician Who does the Treatments You Do?</strong></h3>\r\nWe do not have specific referrals for outside of our office, especially if we have not seen someone for an exam and to thoroughly review their case, imaging, etc.. In our videos and article content, we talk about published research on certain conditions, along with the treatments and testing that we do here, and what we are finding in our practice at our neck center in Fort Myers, Florida. We understand that it is not feasible for all patients to come here, nor can we accept all cases, but we hope that the information we share can at least help people learn more about the possible reason for their symptoms. We try to put out information about our techniques, research, experience, etc.. to help people understand more about Prolotherapy and how it might be a consideration for various conditions, but it does not go across the board for all Prolotherapists, just like with any medical specialty. We simply do not know everyone who practices or what types of cases their office accepts, etc. Our office tends to take on a lot of referred cases that other offices cannot handle, especially with regard to the upper cervical spine. However, there are a lot of Prolotherapists who can take on straightforward pain cases just great, and we are always happy and encouraged by hearing of people’s success wherever they were treated! All we can really suggest is to speak in detail with the team and/or provider whom you are considering seeing. If the location of a medical provider is most important to you, Google may be a good place to start. If you find someone near you, contact them about their experience with your condition and determine if you feel they might be a good fit for your case.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-712 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fully_body_joints.jpg\" alt=\"Fully Body Joints\" width=\"200\" height=\"376\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Does the doctor do Prolotherapy on every joint (back, knee’s shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, etc)? If not, then ask why.</li>\r\n 	<li>Does the doctor do the Prolotherapy himself? Only a skilled, trained MD or DO should be doing the injections; not an assistant or mid-level practitioner (PA, Nurse Practitioner, etc).</li>\r\n 	<li>Where did the doctor learn their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis. Better yet if the doctor instructs others how to do it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>','What to Ask When Looking for a Prolotherapist','','inherit','closed','closed','','1450-revision-v1','','','2021-08-05 20:32:29','2021-08-05 20:32:29','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4819',0,'revision','',0),(4820,9,'2021-08-05 20:54:18','2021-08-05 20:54:18','<div id=\"specialistsInfo\">\r\n<h3>What To Ask When Looking for A Prolotherapist</h3>\r\n<div id=\"specialistsParagraph\">When looking for a Prolotherapist, you definitely want the physician to be experienced. OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is grateful to have Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, an experienced physician dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized Regenerative Orthopedic treatment plans that relieve pain and help patients return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely. If you are serious about receiving regenerative treatments from a physician who has many years of experience in repairing the joint injury, then OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is for you!</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out How Much of the Practice Is Dedicated to <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a>?</h3>\r\nFind out if Prolotherapy is really what they are experts at or is it something they do once in a while. At least 50% of the doctor’s practice should be Prolotherapy. And it\'s better if it is more.\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out Whether the Physician Does Prolotherapy on Every Joint?</h3>\r\nIt is important to find out whether the physician treats the back, knees, shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, and every other joint? Why or why not? Do they lack the confidence to treat every area? Do they lack training or experience?\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4818\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-2-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3>Where Did the Physician Learn Their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> Skills?</h3>\r\nHow did the Prolotherapist learn their skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis? It also helps to know whether the Prolotherapist instructs others on how to do it. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC continues to teach other doctors on an ongoing basis and gives seminars on Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m Looking for a Prolotherapist, Can You Give Me a Local Referral from a Physician Who does the Treatments You Do?</strong></h3>\r\nSome people may ask us for a referral to someone closer to them. Unfortunately, we do not have specific referrals for outside of our office, especially if we have not seen someone for an exam and to thoroughly review their case, imaging, and other factors important when doing a detailed exam. We understand that it is not feasible for all patients to come here.  Hopefully, the information we share in our articles can at least help people to learn more about the possible reason for their symptoms.\r\n\r\nWe do try to help educate people and provide information that would help build the understanding about Prolotherapy and the other forms of Regenerative Orthopedics, and how these treatments might be a consideration for various conditions. But keep in mind that every Prolotherapist is different, just like with any medical specialty. We simply do not know everyone who practices or what types of cases their office accepts.\r\n\r\nWe would love for you to choose Peter A. Fields, MD, DC and OrthoRegen.<sup>®      </sup>However, if you need to choose someone closer, we suggest that you speak in detail with the team and/or provider whom you are considering seeing. If the location of a medical provider is most important to you, Google may be a good place to start. And if you do find someone near you, contact them about their experience with your condition and determine if you feel they might be a good fit for your case.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What to Ask When Looking for a Prolotherapist','','inherit','closed','closed','','1450-revision-v1','','','2021-08-05 20:54:18','2021-08-05 20:54:18','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4820',0,'revision','',0),(4821,9,'2021-08-05 20:55:05','2021-08-05 20:55:05','<div id=\"specialistsInfo\">\r\n<h3>What To Ask When Looking for A Prolotherapist</h3>\r\n<div id=\"specialistsParagraph\">When looking for a Prolotherapist, you definitely want the physician to be experienced. OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is grateful to have Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, an experienced physician dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized Regenerative Orthopedic treatment plans that relieve pain and help patients return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely. If you are serious about receiving regenerative treatments from a physician who has many years of experience in repairing the joint injury, then OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, is for you!</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<h3>When Looking for a Prolotherapist, Find Out How Much of the Practice Is Dedicated to <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a>?</h3>\r\nFind out if Prolotherapy is really what they are experts at or is it something they do once in a while. At least 50% of the doctor’s practice should be Prolotherapy. And it\'s better if it is more.\r\n<h3>Find Out Whether the Physician Does Prolotherapy on Every Joint?</h3>\r\nIt is important to find out whether the physician treats the back, knees, shoulder, neck, ankle, feet, wrist, hand, and every other joint? Why or why not? Do they lack the confidence to treat every area? Do they lack training or experience?\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4818 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Honduras-2011-2-186x500.png\" alt=\"Honduras 2011\" width=\"186\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h3>Where Did the Physician Learn Their <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"/Prolotherapy/Dextrose-Prolotherapy\">Prolotherapy</a> Skills?</h3>\r\nHow did the Prolotherapist learn their skills? And do they take continuing education in it on a regular basis? It also helps to know whether the Prolotherapist instructs others on how to do it. Peter A. Fields, MD, DC continues to teach other doctors on an ongoing basis and gives seminars on Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m Looking for a Prolotherapist, Can You Give Me a Local Referral from a Physician Who does the Treatments You Do?</strong></h3>\r\nSome people may ask us for a referral to someone closer to them. Unfortunately, we do not have specific referrals for outside of our office, especially if we have not seen someone for an exam and to thoroughly review their case, imaging, and other factors important when doing a detailed exam. We understand that it is not feasible for all patients to come here.  Hopefully, the information we share in our articles can at least help people to learn more about the possible reason for their symptoms.\r\n\r\nWe do try to help educate people and provide information that would help build the understanding about Prolotherapy and the other forms of Regenerative Orthopedics, and how these treatments might be a consideration for various conditions. But keep in mind that every Prolotherapist is different, just like with any medical specialty. We simply do not know everyone who practices or what types of cases their office accepts.\r\n\r\nWe would love for you to choose Peter A. Fields, MD, DC and OrthoRegen.<sup>®      </sup>However, if you need to choose someone closer, we suggest that you speak in detail with the team and/or provider whom you are considering seeing. If the location of a medical provider is most important to you, Google may be a good place to start. And if you do find someone near you, contact them about their experience with your condition and determine if you feel they might be a good fit for your case.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More Contact Us Today! It\'s Free</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What to Ask When Looking for a Prolotherapist','','inherit','closed','closed','','1450-revision-v1','','','2021-08-05 20:55:05','2021-08-05 20:55:05','',1450,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4821',0,'revision','',0),(4822,9,'2021-08-06 21:43:21','2021-08-06 21:43:21','The Problem with Cortisone','Cortisone','Cortisone','inherit','open','closed','','cortisone-2','','','2021-08-06 21:43:35','2021-08-06 21:43:35','',3540,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cortisone.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4823,9,'2021-08-06 21:45:11','2021-08-06 21:45:11','Are you experiencing sciatica pain going down your leg? And did the pain begin years ago with aggravating pain in the gluts or the back of the thigh? Or are you noticing new symptoms of tingling down to the calf and toes? Sciatica pain and symptoms often occur with sitting, standing, and walking; and may be relieved with lying down. Does that sound like you?\r\n<h3>Seeing A Chiropractor for Sciatica Pain</h3>\r\nChiropractors should be the first physician to see about sciatica pain because this is an area they treat all of the time. But if the pain continues after giving chiropractic a chance (several or more treatments are usually needed), and then also trying other various treatment modalities, like acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy, the next step would be Regenerative Orthopedics as a solution for this persistent pain.\r\n\r\nDid you receive an MRI with a report revealing some type of encroachment on a nerve root in the lower back area, which is pinching the nerve, and possibly some displacement and/or degeneration in the vertebrae of the lower back? These are common on MRI reports when experiencing sciatica pain. The displacement mentioned in the report may include forward or backward movement of the vertebrae. And this movement pinches the nerve root due to <em>instability in the lumbar spine caused by ligament laxity</em>.\r\n<h2>Sciatica Pain May Be the Result of Lax Ligaments</h2>\r\nLigaments are a type of connective tissue that connects bone to bone. And ligaments help to stabilize the spine and other joints. Injured ligaments are often lax. When they become lax or loose, they have difficulty healing because they have a pretty poor blood supply.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics stimulates the body to boost the blood supply and fibroblasts in the injured areas, resulting in repair of the injured ligaments. The fibroblasts are the cells through which collagen is made and by which tendons and ligaments repair.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics helps strengthen and tighten the ligaments. This results in stabilization of the joints of the lumbar spine which then stops the pinching of the nerve.\r\n<h2>Cortisone vs Dextrose Caudal Epidural</h2>\r\nA lumbar epidural is an injection into the epidural space of the lumbar spine. When patients experience referred pain, either cortisone (steroid) or dextrose injections can be used. Steroids are strong anti-inflammatories. But they need to be limited to no more than 3-4 injections each year in order to prevent the thinning of the bone and connective tissue damage.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4822\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"544\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4822\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cortisone-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Cortisone\" width=\"544\" height=\"408\" />  <strong>A Problem with Cortisone Is That It Is Just a Bandaid Over Degeneration</strong>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we endeavor to build up the soft tissue and joint structures. Because of that, we do not use substances like cortisone, because it causes degeneration and inhibits healing. Instead, we use a dextrose solution to reduce the swelling of the nerve without the anti-inflammatory effect and the steroid side effects.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics eliminate or reduce pain, numbness, and tingling, enabling the former sciatica pain sufferer to be able to sit, stand, and walk without any pain or annoying symptoms. The treatment effectively resolves the symptoms and results in pain-free living.\r\n\r\nHere at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we practice a comprehensive approach to Regenerative Orthopedics. And it\'s a great alternative to surgery and joint replacement. The treatment helps regenerate connective soft tissues and accelerates recovery.\r\n\r\nLumbar instability results in an array of symptoms. And they include sacroiliac pain, lower back pain, sciatic pain, and referred leg pain. All of these symptoms can be treated effectively with Regenerative Orthopedics.  So, if you are suffering from any of the symptoms listed above and would like to learn more, you can give us a call at (310)453-1234. We’d love to help you eliminate your sciatica symptoms.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\"> Click here for more articles</a>','Treat Sciatica Pain Non-Surgically','','inherit','closed','closed','','3540-revision-v1','','','2021-08-06 21:45:11','2021-08-06 21:45:11','',3540,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4823',0,'revision','',0),(4824,9,'2021-08-06 21:45:47','2021-08-06 21:45:47','Are you experiencing sciatica pain going down your leg? And did the pain begin years ago with aggravating pain in the gluts or the back of the thigh? Or are you noticing new symptoms of tingling down to the calf and toes? Sciatica pain and symptoms often occur with sitting, standing, and walking; and may be relieved with lying down. Does that sound like you?\r\n<h3>Seeing A Chiropractor for Sciatica Pain</h3>\r\nChiropractors should be the first physician to see about sciatica pain because this is an area they treat all of the time. But if the pain continues after giving chiropractic a chance (several or more treatments are usually needed), and then also trying other various treatment modalities, like acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy, the next step would be Regenerative Orthopedics as a solution for this persistent pain.\r\n\r\nDid you receive an MRI with a report revealing some type of encroachment on a nerve root in the lower back area, which is pinching the nerve, and possibly some displacement and/or degeneration in the vertebrae of the lower back? These are common on MRI reports when experiencing sciatica pain. The displacement mentioned in the report may include forward or backward movement of the vertebrae. And this movement pinches the nerve root due to <em>instability in the lumbar spine caused by ligament laxity</em>.\r\n<h2>Sciatica Pain May Be the Result of Lax Ligaments</h2>\r\nLigaments are a type of connective tissue that connects bone to bone. And ligaments help to stabilize the spine and other joints. Injured ligaments are often lax. When they become lax or loose, they have difficulty healing because they have a pretty poor blood supply.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics stimulates the body to boost the blood supply and fibroblasts in the injured areas, resulting in repair of the injured ligaments. The fibroblasts are the cells through which collagen is made and by which tendons and ligaments repair.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics helps strengthen and tighten the ligaments. This results in stabilization of the joints of the lumbar spine which then stops the pinching of the nerve.\r\n<h2>Cortisone vs Dextrose Caudal Epidural</h2>\r\nA lumbar epidural is an injection into the epidural space of the lumbar spine. When patients experience referred pain, either cortisone (steroid) or dextrose injections can be used. Steroids are strong anti-inflammatories. But they need to be limited to no more than 3-4 injections each year in order to prevent the thinning of the bone and connective tissue damage.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4822\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"544\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4822\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cortisone-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Cortisone\" width=\"544\" height=\"408\" /> <strong>A Problem with Cortisone Is That It Is Just a Bandaid Over Degeneration</strong>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we endeavor to build up the soft tissue and joint structures. Because of that, we do not use substances like cortisone, because it causes degeneration and inhibits healing. Instead, we use a dextrose solution to reduce the swelling of the nerve without the anti-inflammatory effect and the steroid side effects.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedics eliminate or reduce pain, numbness, and tingling, enabling the former sciatica pain sufferer to be able to sit, stand, and walk without any pain or annoying symptoms. The treatment effectively resolves the symptoms and results in pain-free living.\r\n\r\nHere at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we practice a comprehensive approach to Regenerative Orthopedics. And it\'s a great alternative to surgery and joint replacement. The treatment helps regenerate connective soft tissues and accelerates recovery.\r\n\r\nLumbar instability results in an array of symptoms. And they include sacroiliac pain, lower back pain, sciatic pain, and referred leg pain. All of these symptoms can be treated effectively with Regenerative Orthopedics.  So, if you are suffering from any of the symptoms listed above and would like to learn more, you can give us a call at (310)453-1234. We’d love to help you eliminate your sciatica symptoms.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\"> Click here for more articles</a>','Treat Sciatica Pain Non-Surgically','','inherit','closed','closed','','3540-revision-v1','','','2021-08-06 21:45:47','2021-08-06 21:45:47','',3540,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4824',0,'revision','',0),(4826,9,'2021-08-22 23:28:03','2021-08-22 23:28:03','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\n\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4832 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prolojpg-500x498.png\" alt=\"Prolojpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"498\" />\n\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does Prolotherapy treat?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many Prolotherapy treatments will I need?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is Prolotherapy the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat?</strong></h3>\n<em><strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote the growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong></em>\n\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\n\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\n\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\n<ul>\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\n</ul>\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\n<ul>\n 	<li>knee</li>\n 	<li>ankle</li>\n 	<li>low back</li>\n 	<li>neck</li>\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\n 	<li>hip</li>\n</ul>\n</td>\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n 	<li>foot</li>\n 	<li>wrist</li>\n 	<li>hand</li>\n 	<li>elbow</li>\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\n 	<li>ribs</li>\n</ul>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\n<ul>\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\n 	<li>Weak, loose, and unstable joints</li>\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain, and spasm</li>\n</ul>\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4-week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post-surgical, long-standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10, or 12 treatments. Many patients feel the relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Are Prolotherapy Treatments Safe?</strong></h3>\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\n\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\n\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\n\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-autosave-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:28:03','2021-08-22 23:28:03','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4826',0,'revision','',0),(4827,9,'2021-08-22 20:23:14','2021-08-22 20:23:14','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What does it treat</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated tendon insertions (entheses), joints, ligaments, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong>\r\n\r\nProlotherapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability is the stimulation of body’s natural healing and regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, tendons for tensile strength, and cartilage and other joint stabilizing structures such as labral tissue.\r\n\r\nProlotherapy works by the same process that the human body naturally uses to stimulate the body’s healing system, a process called inflammation. The technique involves the injection of a proliferant (a mild irritant solution) that causes an inflammatory response which “turns on” the healing process. The growth of new ligament and tendon tissue is then stimulated. The ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue. This is documented in the research below.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nJoint Pain and Injury:\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacro-iliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nOther Areas Where Prolotherapy Can Help:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How many treatments will I need?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4 week intervals, but the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post surgical, long standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10 or 12 treatments. Many patients feel relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, an additional treatment maybe needed\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots</strong><strong>?</strong>\r\n\r\nLong term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection; Prolotherapy is multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. On the other hand, Prolotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. The risks are far less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive the treatments without pain killers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</strong>\r\n\r\nFor information regarding insurence and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit out common questions section.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. You may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living. We do suggest walking for about five minutes before driving. You will also be capable of working. There are no work restrictions. You may choose not to work if your job involves a lot of standing or lifting.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy FAQ','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 20:23:14','2021-08-22 20:23:14','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4827',0,'revision','',0),(4828,9,'2021-08-22 23:05:43','2021-08-22 23:05:43','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat</strong></h3>\r\n<strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4 week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post surgical, long standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10 or 12 treatments. Many patients feel relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, an additional treatment maybe needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Is Prolotherapy Safe?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. On the other hand, Prolotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. The risks are far less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive the treatments without pain killers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</strong>\r\n\r\nFor information regarding insurence and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit out common questions section.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. You may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living. We do suggest walking for about five minutes before driving. You will also be capable of working. There are no work restrictions. You may choose not to work if your job involves a lot of standing or lifting.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:05:43','2021-08-22 23:05:43','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4828',0,'revision','',0),(4829,9,'2021-08-22 23:16:26','2021-08-22 23:16:26','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat</strong></h3>\r\n<strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4 week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post surgical, long standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10 or 12 treatments. Many patients feel relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, an additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Is Prolotherapy Safe?</strong>\r\n\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong>\r\n\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:16:26','2021-08-22 23:16:26','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4829',0,'revision','',0),(4830,9,'2021-08-22 23:20:25','2021-08-22 23:20:25','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat</strong></h3>\r\n<strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4 week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post surgical, long standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10 or 12 treatments. Many patients feel relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Is Prolotherapy Safe?</strong></h3>\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:20:25','2021-08-22 23:20:25','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4830',0,'revision','',0),(4831,9,'2021-08-22 23:22:16','2021-08-22 23:22:16','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat?</strong></h3>\r\n<strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose, and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain, and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4-week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post-surgical, long-standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10, or 12 treatments. Many patients feel the relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Arw Prolotherapy Treatments Safe?</strong></h3>\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:22:16','2021-08-22 23:22:16','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4831',0,'revision','',0),(4832,9,'2021-08-22 23:23:46','2021-08-22 23:23:46','Prolotherapy Treatments','Prolojpg','Prolotherapy','inherit','open','closed','','prolojpg','','','2021-08-22 23:24:16','2021-08-22 23:24:16','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prolojpg.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4833,9,'2021-08-22 23:25:05','2021-08-22 23:25:05','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4832\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prolojpg-500x498.png\" alt=\"Prolojpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"498\" />\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat?</strong></h3>\r\n<em><strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote the growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose, and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain, and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4-week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post-surgical, long-standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10, or 12 treatments. Many patients feel the relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Arw Prolotherapy Treatments Safe?</strong></h3>\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:25:05','2021-08-22 23:25:05','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4833',0,'revision','',0),(4834,9,'2021-08-22 23:26:01','2021-08-22 23:26:01','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4832 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prolojpg-500x498.png\" alt=\"Prolojpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"498\" />\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does it treat</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is this the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Is Prolotherapy safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover this and what are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat?</strong></h3>\r\n<em><strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote the growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose, and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain, and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4-week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post-surgical, long-standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10, or 12 treatments. Many patients feel the relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Arw Prolotherapy Treatments Safe?</strong></h3>\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:26:01','2021-08-22 23:26:01','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4834',0,'revision','',0),(4835,9,'2021-08-22 23:29:03','2021-08-22 23:29:03','<h2>Prolotherapy Treatment Facts</h2>\r\nIn this article, we will discuss the answers to some of the questions you may have about Prolotherapy treatments. Plus, we will elaborate on some Prolotherapy facts.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4832 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/prolojpg-500x498.png\" alt=\"Prolojpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"498\" />\r\n\r\n<strong> <a href=\"#1\">1) What does Prolotherapy treat?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#2\">2) How many Prolotherapy treatments will I need?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#3\">3) Will I need to continue care after treatment?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#4\">4) Is Prolotherapy the same thing as cortisone shots?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#5\">5) Are Prolotherapy treatments safe?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#6\">6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#7\">7) Will my insurance cover Prolotherapy treatments? What are the fees?</a></strong>\r\n<strong><a href=\"#8\">8) Is it advisable to drive or work after Prolotherapy?</a></strong>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"1\" name=\"1\"></a>1) What Does Prolotherapy Treat?</strong></h3>\r\n<em><strong>Prolotherapy is one of the regenerative techniques we use at our clinic. It is a non-surgical regenerative injection technique that introduces small amounts of solution to the site of painful and degenerated ligaments, their insertions (entheses), tendons, joints, and other joint structures. It usually takes place over several treatment sessions to promote the growth of normal cells and tissues.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nThe treatment stimulates the body\'s own natural healing processes in cases of chronic musculoskeletal pain and instability. It boosts the regenerative processes in the joint that will facilitate the repair and regrowth of connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons. And it will result in increased strength, repaired cartilage, and the stabilization of other joint structures to bring about the healing of the entire joint.\r\n\r\nThe healed ligaments and tendons produced after Prolotherapy appear much the same as normal tissues, except that they are thicker, stronger, and contain fibers of varying thickness, testifying to the new and ongoing creation of tissue.\r\n\r\n<strong>Learning points</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Prolotherapy is an in-office injection treatment that research and medical studies have shown to be an effective, trustworthy, reliable alternative to surgical and non-effective conservative care treatments.</li>\r\n 	<li>In our opinion, based on extensive research and clinical results, Prolotherapy can be superior to many other treatments in relieving the problems of chronic joint and spine pain and, most importantly, in getting people back to a happy and active lifestyle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3><em>What Joints Can Prolotherapy Treat?</em></h3>\r\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>knee</li>\r\n 	<li>ankle</li>\r\n 	<li>low back</li>\r\n 	<li>neck</li>\r\n 	<li>shoulder</li>\r\n 	<li>hip</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 125px;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>foot</li>\r\n 	<li>wrist</li>\r\n 	<li>hand</li>\r\n 	<li>elbow</li>\r\n 	<li>sacroiliac</li>\r\n 	<li>ribs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<h3><em>What Type of Pain or Injuries Can Prolotherapy Treatments Help?</em></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Athletic injuries, new and old</li>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Sciatica and Pinched Nerves</li>\r\n 	<li>Herniated and Degenerative Discs</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Tension and Migraine Headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Weak, loose, and unstable joints</li>\r\n 	<li>Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle tightness, strain, and spasm</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"2\" name=\"2\"></a>2)</strong> <strong>How Many Prolotherapy Treatments Will I Need?</strong></h3>\r\nThe average person requires 6 treatment sessions given at 2 to 4-week intervals. But the number of treatments varies with each patient. Difficult (post-surgical, long-standing, etc) or other complicated cases may require 8, 10, or 12 treatments. Many patients feel the relief of pain after the 3rd or 4th treatment. Occasionally some of our patients have reported some relief of pain after only two sessions.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"3\" name=\"3\"></a>3) Will I Need to Continue Care after Treatment?</strong></h3>\r\nOnce treated, the problem should be fixed. Healing will continue to take place for at least one year following treatment. Of course, if there is an injury or insult to the area treated, additional treatment may be needed.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"4\" name=\"4\"></a>4) Is Prolotherapy the Same Thing as Cortisone Shots</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>\r\nLong-term studies have shown that cortisone injections actually weaken tissue. On the other hand, Prolotherapy uses proliferants, which cause the ligaments and tendons to be strengthened. Cortisone is one injection. But Prolotherapy consists of multiple injections to an area so as to induce healing in the biggest area possible.\r\n<div style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></div>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"5\" name=\"5\"></a>5) Are Prolotherapy Treatments Safe?</strong></h3>\r\nProlotherapy is an extremely safe procedure. As with any procedure, there are risks and side effects which will vary depending on the area being treated. The doctor will discuss these possibilities fully with patients during the pre-treatment consultation. The risks with Prolotherapy than surgery, and even less than taking aspirin or Motrin for a lifetime to temporarily alleviate chronic pain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"6\" name=\"6\"></a>6) Do the Treatments Hurt?</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of my patients have said, \"the pain from the injections was nothing compared to the pain that I was experiencing prior to Prolotherapy\". Most say after the Prolotherapy treatment, \"It wasn\'t that bad.\" There are a few people, however, who may need help in receiving Prolotherapy.\r\n\r\nFor those patients that find Prolotherapy uncomfortable, Dr. Fields can also apply a cold spray (ethyl Chloride) or a gel of Lidocaine to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If additional help is needed, a prescription can be given for Ultram, Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin. This can be taken one hour prior to your Prolotherapy treatment. Additionally, we have calming music to listen to, stress balls, and hot packs to help ease one\'s mind during the treatment. <strong>Ninety-nine percent of our patients receive treatments without painkillers and do just fine. </strong>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"7\" name=\"7\"></a>7) Will My Insurance Cover Prolotherapy? What Are the Fees?</strong></h3>\r\nFor information regarding insurance and fees <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/common-questions/\">Click Here</a> to visit our common questions section.\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"#\"><strong>Top</strong></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong><a id=\"8\" name=\"8\"></a>8) Is It Advisable to Drive or Work after Prolotherapy?</strong></h3>\r\nYou can drive after you receive Prolotherapy. However, you may feel a little stiff but will be able to continue with your activities of daily living.  Keep in mind that getting your neck done is different than, say, receiving Prolotherapy to your hand. Your neck will be stiff after treatment, which means it will be difficult to turn to the left and to the right. Having a driver would be a good idea.\r\n\r\nThe same goes with being capable of working.  Most of us are able to go back to work after the treatment. There are no work restrictions. However, depending on your type of work, you may want to rest afterward. Overall, it would be advisable to have a driver for your first treatment to see how you personally feel afterward and make the appropriate decision.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Prolotherapy Treatment Facts','','inherit','closed','closed','','395-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:29:03','2021-08-22 23:29:03','',395,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4835',0,'revision','',0),(4836,9,'2021-08-22 23:55:33','2021-08-22 23:55:33','[caption id=\"attachment_4078\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4078\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Amniotic-400x500.jpg\" alt=\"Amniotic Stem Cells\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em>     There are no Stem Cells in Amniotic \"Stem Cell\" Therapy</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSeminars about amniotic “stem cell” therapy are popping up everywhere. But it is important to know what advertisers are really talking about. At OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we do not use amniotic “stem cell” therapy in our stem cell treatments.\r\n\r\nWe want you to be educated about amniotic therapy. Especially since there is a lot of misinformation surrounding amniotic “stem cell” therapy and umbilical cord blood “stem cell” therapy. <strong>We want to inform you on what these treatments are and also what they are not.</strong>\r\n<h4>Why Do We Put the Words \"Stem Cells\" in Quotations?</h4>\r\nThere is a reason we keep putting “stem cells” in quotations when we talking about amniotic “stem cells.” <em>That’s because there are <strong>NO</strong> actual stem cells in amniotic “stem cell” therapy.</em> That’s right! Both amniotic “stem cell” therapy and umbilical cord blood “stem cell” therapy have NO stem cells in the product.\r\n\r\nIn a very recent study of five commercial umbilical cord allograft products claiming to contain viable, undescribed \"stem cells,\" a group of researchers concluded, \"stem cells were not found within any of the commercial UC allograft products analyzed, and clinicians should remain wary of marketing claims stating otherwise.\"1 And patients seeking these products should be wary as well!\r\n\r\nThink about this scenario for a moment. There isn’t someone waiting for the mother to give birth, and someone who is collecting the afterbirth, and someone else delivering it to your doctor’s office, to then be injected into your degenerated or injured hip or knee by the clinician you have chosen, right?! No, that isn’t the way it happens.\r\n<h4>Amniotic Product Processing</h4>\r\nSure, the mother does donate the placental tissue. But the afterbirth materials are purchased by companies, and the companies process the materials in an effort to make sure they are disease-free. They are also freeze-dried. And all of these preservation processes kill all of the live cells. That leaves <strong>NO live stem cells in the product</strong>.\r\n\r\nAmniotic stem cells are being advertised all over the place. And people are fascinated with this very popular trend of using amniotic fluid for joint repair. But it needs to be clarified that amniotic “stem cell” therapy has NO actual stem cells, but rather growth factors and natural hyaluronic acid remnants found in the extracellular matrix of the amniotic tissue. If companies advertise in this way about the actual product you will receive, it is simply not true. Keep in mind that in their pre-donated state, the amniotic fluid does have an abundance of stem cells, but they do not survive the processing.\r\n<h4><strong>They Say My Stem Cells Are Too Old, Weak, or Too Few</strong></h4>\r\nSome seminars try to convince folks that their own stem cells are no good and that the donated cells are better for treating joint pain. That’s not true! This is another important point to understand… <strong><em>your own bone marrow, even if you are older, contains sufficient stem cells.</em></strong> Yours stem cells are just fine. And they are live stem cells.\r\n<h4><strong><em>How Can the Processed, “Dead” Cells They Promote Be Better?</em></strong></h4>\r\nThe push to say that your own cells are too weak, or too few and that their amniotic product is better does not make any sense when their product doesn’t contain any! Remember, cryopreserved, dehydrated amniotic products do not contain stem cells. Yes, amniotic fluid does contain growth factors. And these growth factors very well may work at helping joint pain. But there is a better way!\r\n<h4>Use Your Own Live Stem Cells</h4>\r\nGuess what?  You have growth factors in your own blood! Your own blood in the form of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains live growth factors too. And when we use PRP, if recommended in your particular case, we won’t be preserving it or freeze-drying it. It will be used right away. Again, the purchased, micronized amniotic product does contain growth factor material, but it is processed. Why not just use your own (autologous) live stem cells and PRP growth factors for your joint pain and injuries?\r\n\r\nUsing your own stem cells and blood is also safer as far as the transfer of disease or contaminants. True, the amniotic product is processed and freeze-dried, but problems of contamination have occurred. The CDC has reported instances of contamination of both amniotic products and cord blood with fecal matter and bacteria.2\r\n\r\nTo recap: the original amniotic fluid from the fetus does contain an abundance of stem cells in its pre-donated state. However, the procedure used in amniotic material processing alters the original relevant characteristics of the product thereby decreasing its ability and usefulness at regeneration and repair of injured or degenerated tissue. Once again, the amniotic “stem cell” therapy does <strong>not</strong> contain actual stem cells, but rather growth factors that may possibly activate your own stem cells.\r\n<h4><strong>They Say I Just Need One Injection</strong></h4>\r\nOne injection simply is not enough to heal your whole joint. Even if just one injection is advertised, it is not sufficient for complete healing. The most likely scenario is that your joint injury or pain progressed over time, and involves more than one joint structure. In order to provide an adequate repair of the joint and the pain relief you seek, a more comprehensive treatment would be necessary.\r\n\r\nIn most joint injuries, when one ligament is injured, additional ligaments and other soft tissue are generally injured as well. Unhealed joint injuries often lead to arthritis. And in this case, the entire joint is involved. One injection simply cannot treat all of those joint structures. A comprehensive treatment is necessary to strengthen, repair, and stabilize all of the involved structures. This also helps to prevent the continued breakdown of cartilage common in arthritis.\r\n\r\n<strong>A single injection is simply not comprehensive</strong> enough to reverse the damage affecting the entire joint. At OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we address the entire joint with a multi-injection technique called <strong>Comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics, in order to effectively treat the joint and return you to the pain-free life you desire</strong>.\r\n<h4><strong>Why Don’t We Use Amniotic “Stem Cell” Therapy?</strong></h4>\r\nAt OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, we use the Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy, which combines four different regenerative treatments that are extremely effective. <strong>And they utilize your own stem cells and growth factors.</strong>\r\n\r\nWe use adipose (fat) stem cells, which contain both live growth factors and live stem cells. Plus, we use bone marrow stem cells, which contain live growth factors and live stem cells. We also use Platelet Rich Plasma, which contains live growth factors. And then we use Dextrose Prolotherapy to strengthen any injured ligaments or tendons so the whole joint is treated and repaired. In comparison to amniotic “stem cell” therapy that only has processed growth factor material and no stem cells, it makes sense to choose the Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy that has been shown to be very effective.\r\n\r\nAnother great thing about Regenerative Orthopedics and the Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy is that it is non-surgical and requires basically no downtime. No extended time off of work is needed, and you can remain active.\r\n<h4>Research Shows the Effectiveness of Regenerative Orthopedics</h4>\r\nVarious trials and studies have shown the effectiveness of Dextrose Prolo­therapy alone in treating arthritis, as well as ligament and tendon injuries.3,4,5 When indicated, in advanced cases of degeneration, we recommend the Gold Standard of Stem Cell Therapy. In many cases of degeneration and injury, Prolotherapy alone is sufficient to bring the pain relief and repair needed, and the Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy is not required.\r\n\r\nIn cases that are more advanced, many other clinics use only one or two of these procedures. But we have discovered that this Gold Standard combination acts as an amazing regenerative solution to reverse the damage of arthritis on the joint. We comprehensively treat the entire joint with multiple injections of the Platelet Rich Plasma portion of the blood, adipose stem cells, and bone marrow stem cells. These regenerative treatments, along with Dextrose Prolotherapy in and around the involved joint offer benefits in terms of pain relief, regenerative properties, and cartilage repair for people with arthritis and all types of joint pain and injuries.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, we have discovered that this combination approach of live stem cells, growth factors, and regenerative therapies offers the best therapeutic regenerative approach for more advanced degenerative cases and particular injuries. The treatment addresses the whole joint and effectively heals the joint injuries, resolves pain, and restores function to return you quickly to the active life you desire.\r\n<h4>References</h4>\r\n1Berger DR, Centeno CJ, Kisiday JD, McIlwraith CW, Steinmetz NJ. Colony Forming Potential and Protein Composition of Commercial Umbilical Cord Allograft Products in Comparison With Autologous Orthobiologics. Am J Sports Med. 2021 Aug 16:3635465211031275. doi: 10.1177/03635465211031275. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34398643.\r\n\r\n<em>2Notes from the Field:</em> Infections after Receipt of Bacterially Contaminated Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stem Cell Products for Other than Hematopoietic or Immunologic Reconstitution — United States, 2018. <em>Weekly</em> / December 21, 2018 /67(50);1397–1399.\r\n\r\n3Reeves KD, Hassanein K. Randomized prospective double-blind placebo-controlled study of dextrose prolotherapy\r\n\r\nor knee osteoarthritis with or without ACL laxity.  <em>Alt Ther Health Med</em>. 2000; 6(2):68–80.\r\n\r\n4Dagenais S, Yelland MJ, Del Mar C, Schoene ML. Prolotherapy injections for chronic low-back pain. <em>Cochrane Database Syst Rev</em>. Apr 18, 2007; (2): CD004059.\r\n\r\n5Rabago D, Zgierska A, Fortney L, et al. Hypertonic dextrose injections (prolotherapy) for knee osteoarthritis: results of a single-arm uncontrolled study with 1-year follow-up. <em>J Altern Complement Med</em>. 2012;18(4): 408–14.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\"> Click here for more articles</a>','Amniotic “Stem Cell” Therapy','','inherit','closed','closed','','2611-revision-v1','','','2021-08-22 23:55:33','2021-08-22 23:55:33','',2611,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4836',0,'revision','',0),(4837,9,'2021-08-26 22:11:37','2021-08-26 22:11:37','Rotator Cuff','Rotator Cuff','Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain','inherit','open','closed','','rotator-cuff','','','2021-08-26 22:12:38','2021-08-26 22:12:38','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4838,9,'2021-08-26 22:13:52','2021-08-26 22:13:52','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4837\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4837 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>      Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h2><strong>Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis </strong></h2>\r\nRotator cuff injuries are prevalent. Most of us have heard about rotator cuff tears and even impingement syndromes. We have probably seen and heard about rotator cuff injuries in the news. We often hear about professional athletes taken out of the game and possibly facing surgery. But rotator cuff injuries affect the general public too!\r\n\r\nRotator cuff injuries are so common that they affect about a quarter of the population over 50 years of age.1 Many people are opting for surgery to fix their rotator cuff injury. The numbers of surgical repairs are going up and up! In some locations, surgeries are doubling in number, and particular surgeries, like arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, have increased by 353%. 2,3 But are all of these surgeries really necessary? Especially considering the economic costs, the time needed for rehabilitation, and other personal risks!\r\n<h3>Non-Surgical Options for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nIn so many rotator cuff injury cases, Regenerative Orthopedic techniques, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can be used to repair the shoulder. Plus, these treatments effectively repair the injury without the need for surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics has many advantages over surgery. First and foremost, it gets to the root cause of the problem. What do we mean by that? Rotator cuff injuries affect the tendon and ligaments of the shoulder. And treatments like Prolotherapy are especially effective at healing soft tissue like tendons and ligaments.\r\n\r\nBesides, Regenerative Orthopedic options require much less rehabilitation time. They also help you avoid the risks associated with rotator cuff surgery, such as frozen shoulder, deep infection, and dislocation. And many patients who develop these complications also end up needing a second surgical procedure.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4483\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4483\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rotator-cuff-problem-400x500.png\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff Injuries\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong>       Rotator Cuff Injuries Affect Your Sleep Too!</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Who Is At Risk for Rotator Cuff Injuries?</h3>\r\nAs mentioned previously, many people are at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Among athletes, rotator cuff injuries are more common with pitchers, tennis players, swimmers, and any sport that involves a throwing motion or repeated over the head movements. Non-athletes who repeatedly use overhead movements are also at increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. For example, rotator cuff tendinitis occurs when the rotator cuff\'s small muscles become strained, causing weakness of these structures and subsequent tendonitis. Left untreated, a chronic condition of tendinosis can develop.\r\n<h4><em>Impingement Syndrome</em></h4>\r\nAnother shoulder condition involving the rotator cuff is impingement syndrome. This condition occurs when the <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Stem-Cell-Therapy-For-Rotator-Cuff-Injuries\">rotator cuff</a> tendon becomes pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion process during the arm\'s motion raised above the head. This happens because the space gets narrowed, as occurs when the rotator cuff muscles weaken, and the humeral head rides high in the socket.\r\n\r\nImpingement can also ensue when bone spurs and calcium deposits narrow the space. Impingement also occurs when the contents of the subacromial space increase in size. This is most often due to a swollen rotator cuff tendon or bursa, which is painfully squeezed between the humeral head and the acromion process.\r\n<h3>Common Treatments for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nTreatment for rotator cuff injuries usually includes rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and cortisone injections. Cortisone has a substantial anti-inflammatory property, reducing the tendon and bursa\'s swelling and relieving the symptoms. Unfortunately, cortisone has also been found to lead to degeneration of the soft tissue eventually. It\'s so much better to regenerate the joint. And you can get regenerative results with Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n\r\nMany common treatments only provide temporary help. That\'s because the underlying cause is not addressed, and the problem usually returns. Degenerative fraying and tearing of the tendon may occur when the tendon is allowed to be in a constant state of irritation over time. Non-Surgical Regenerative Orthopedics is a great way to address the underlying tendon and ligament injuries and repair all of the involved soft tissue. The result is a re-strengthening of the rotator cuff, an improved shoulder joint, and an excellent chance for a full recovery and performance.\r\n<h3><a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More, Contact Us Today! It\'s free</a></h3>\r\n<h3>References:</h3>\r\n1Blitzer Charles, M. \"Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery.\" <i>The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery</i> 9.4 (1993): 414-416.\r\n\r\n2Iyengar, Jaicharan J., et al. \"Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 30.3 (2014): 284-288.\r\n\r\n3Traven, Sophia A., et al. \"The 5-factor modified frailty index predicts complications, hospital admission, and mortality following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 36.2 (2020): 383-388.\r\n\r\nWant more information about treating Rotator Cuff injuries? Click <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stop-shoulder-pain-from-rotator-cuff-and-other-shoulder-injuries/\">here</a> to read our article called, <a href=\"http://Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries\">\"Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries.\"</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1457-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 22:13:52','2021-08-26 22:13:52','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4838',0,'revision','',0),(4839,9,'2021-08-26 22:15:24','2021-08-26 22:15:24','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4837\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4837 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>      Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h1><strong>Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis </strong></h1>\r\nRotator cuff injuries are prevalent. Most of us have heard about rotator cuff tears and even impingement syndromes. We have probably seen and heard about them in the news. We often hear about professional athletes taken out of the game and possibly facing surgery. But rotator cuff injuries affect the general public too!\r\n\r\nRotator cuff injuries are so common that they affect about a quarter of the population over 50 years of age.1 Many people are opting for surgery to fix their rotator cuff injury. The numbers of surgical repairs are going up and up! In some locations, surgeries are doubling in number, and particular surgeries, like arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, have increased by 353%. 2,3 But are all of these surgeries really necessary? Especially considering the economic costs, the time needed for rehabilitation, and other personal risks!\r\n<h3>Non-Surgical Options for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nIn so many rotator cuff injury cases, Regenerative Orthopedic techniques, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can be used to repair the shoulder. Plus, these treatments effectively repair the injury without the need for surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics has many advantages over surgery. First and foremost, it gets to the root cause of the problem. What do we mean by that? Rotator cuff injuries affect the tendon and ligaments of the shoulder. And treatments like Prolotherapy are especially effective at healing soft tissue like tendons and ligaments.\r\n\r\nBesides, Regenerative Orthopedic options require much less rehabilitation time. They also help you avoid the risks associated with rotator cuff surgery, such as frozen shoulder, deep infection, and dislocation. And many patients who develop these complications also end up needing a second surgical procedure.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4483\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4483\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rotator-cuff-problem-400x500.png\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff Injuries\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong>       Rotator Cuff Injuries Affect Your Sleep Too!</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Who Is At Risk for Rotator Cuff Injuries?</h3>\r\nAs mentioned previously, many people are at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Among athletes, rotator cuff injuries are more common with pitchers, tennis players, swimmers, and any sport that involves a throwing motion or repeated over the head movements. Non-athletes who repeatedly use overhead movements are also at increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. For example, rotator cuff tendinitis occurs when the rotator cuff\'s small muscles become strained, causing weakness of these structures and subsequent tendonitis. Left untreated, a chronic condition of tendinosis can develop.\r\n<h4><em>Impingement Syndrome</em></h4>\r\nAnother shoulder condition involving the rotator cuff is impingement syndrome. This condition occurs when the <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Stem-Cell-Therapy-For-Rotator-Cuff-Injuries\">rotator cuff</a> tendon becomes pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion process during the arm\'s motion raised above the head. This happens because the space gets narrowed, as occurs when the rotator cuff muscles weaken, and the humeral head rides high in the socket.\r\n\r\nImpingement can also ensue when bone spurs and calcium deposits narrow the space. Impingement also occurs when the contents of the subacromial space increase in size. This is most often due to a swollen rotator cuff tendon or bursa, which is painfully squeezed between the humeral head and the acromion process.\r\n<h3>Common Treatments for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nTreatment for rotator cuff injuries usually includes rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and cortisone injections. Cortisone has a substantial anti-inflammatory property, reducing the tendon and bursa\'s swelling and relieving the symptoms. Unfortunately, cortisone has also been found to lead to degeneration of the soft tissue eventually. It\'s so much better to regenerate the joint. And you can get regenerative results with Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n\r\nMany common treatments only provide temporary help. That\'s because the underlying cause is not addressed, and the problem usually returns. Degenerative fraying and tearing of the tendon may occur when the tendon is allowed to be in a constant state of irritation over time. Non-Surgical Regenerative Orthopedics is a great way to address the underlying tendon and ligament injuries and repair all of the involved soft tissue. The result is a re-strengthening of the rotator cuff, an improved shoulder joint, and an excellent chance for a full recovery and performance.\r\n<h3><a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More, Contact Us Today! It\'s free</a></h3>\r\n<h3>References:</h3>\r\n1Blitzer Charles, M. \"Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery.\" <i>The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery</i> 9.4 (1993): 414-416.\r\n\r\n2Iyengar, Jaicharan J., et al. \"Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 30.3 (2014): 284-288.\r\n\r\n3Traven, Sophia A., et al. \"The 5-factor modified frailty index predicts complications, hospital admission, and mortality following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 36.2 (2020): 383-388.\r\n\r\nWant more information about treating Rotator Cuff injuries? Click <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stop-shoulder-pain-from-rotator-cuff-and-other-shoulder-injuries/\">here</a> to read our article called, <a href=\"http://Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries\">\"Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries.\"</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1457-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 22:15:24','2021-08-26 22:15:24','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4839',0,'revision','',0),(4840,9,'2021-08-26 22:17:00','2021-08-26 22:17:00','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4837\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4837 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>      Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h1><strong>Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis </strong></h1>\r\nRotator cuff injuries are prevalent. Most of us have heard about rotator cuff tears and even impingement syndromes. We have probably seen and heard about them in the news. We often hear about professional athletes taken out of the game and possibly facing surgery. But these injuries affect the general public too!\r\n\r\nRotator cuff injuries are so common that they affect about a quarter of the population over 50 years of age.1 Many people are opting for surgery to fix their rotator cuff injury. The numbers of surgical repairs are going up and up! In some locations, surgeries are doubling in number, and particular surgeries, like arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, have increased by 353%. 2,3 But are all of these surgeries really necessary? Especially considering the economic costs, the time needed for rehabilitation, and other personal risks!\r\n<h3>Non-Surgical Options for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nIn so many rotator cuff injury cases, Regenerative Orthopedic techniques, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can be used to repair the shoulder. Plus, these treatments effectively repair the injury without the need for surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics has many advantages over surgery. First and foremost, it gets to the root cause of the problem. What do we mean by that? Rotator cuff injuries affect the tendon and ligaments of the shoulder. And treatments like Prolotherapy are especially effective at healing soft tissue like tendons and ligaments.\r\n\r\nBesides, Regenerative Orthopedic options require much less rehabilitation time. They also help you avoid the risks associated with rotator cuff surgery, such as frozen shoulder, deep infection, and dislocation. And many patients who develop these complications also end up needing a second surgical procedure.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4483\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4483\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rotator-cuff-problem-400x500.png\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff Injuries\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong>       Rotator Cuff Injuries Affect Your Sleep Too!</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Who Is At Risk for Rotator Cuff Injuries?</h3>\r\nAs mentioned previously, many people are at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Among athletes, rotator cuff injuries are more common with pitchers, tennis players, swimmers, and any sport that involves a throwing motion or repeated over the head movements. Non-athletes who repeatedly use overhead movements are also at increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. For example, rotator cuff tendinitis occurs when the rotator cuff\'s small muscles become strained, causing weakness of these structures and subsequent tendonitis. Left untreated, a chronic condition of tendinosis can develop.\r\n<h4><em>Impingement Syndrome</em></h4>\r\nAnother shoulder condition involving the rotator cuff is impingement syndrome. This condition occurs when the <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Stem-Cell-Therapy-For-Rotator-Cuff-Injuries\">rotator cuff</a> tendon becomes pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion process during the arm\'s motion raised above the head. This happens because the space gets narrowed, as occurs when the rotator cuff muscles weaken, and the humeral head rides high in the socket.\r\n\r\nImpingement can also ensue when bone spurs and calcium deposits narrow the space. Impingement also occurs when the contents of the subacromial space increase in size. This is most often due to a swollen rotator cuff tendon or bursa, which is painfully squeezed between the humeral head and the acromion process.\r\n<h3>Common Treatments for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nTreatment for rotator cuff injuries usually includes rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and cortisone injections. Cortisone has a substantial anti-inflammatory property, reducing the tendon and bursa\'s swelling and relieving the symptoms. Unfortunately, cortisone has also been found to lead to degeneration of the soft tissue eventually. It\'s so much better to regenerate the joint. And you can get regenerative results with Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n\r\nMany common treatments only provide temporary help. That\'s because the underlying cause is not addressed, and the problem usually returns. Degenerative fraying and tearing of the tendon may occur when the tendon is allowed to be in a constant state of irritation over time. Non-Surgical Regenerative Orthopedics is a great way to address the underlying tendon and ligament injuries and repair all of the involved soft tissue. The result is a re-strengthening of the rotator cuff, an improved shoulder joint, and an excellent chance for a full recovery and performance.\r\n<h3><a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More, Contact Us Today! It\'s free</a></h3>\r\n<h3>References:</h3>\r\n1Blitzer Charles, M. \"Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery.\" <i>The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery</i> 9.4 (1993): 414-416.\r\n\r\n2Iyengar, Jaicharan J., et al. \"Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 30.3 (2014): 284-288.\r\n\r\n3Traven, Sophia A., et al. \"The 5-factor modified frailty index predicts complications, hospital admission, and mortality following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 36.2 (2020): 383-388.\r\n\r\nWant more information about treating Rotator Cuff injuries? Click <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stop-shoulder-pain-from-rotator-cuff-and-other-shoulder-injuries/\">here</a> to read our article called, <a href=\"http://Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries\">\"Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries.\"</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1457-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 22:17:00','2021-08-26 22:17:00','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4840',0,'revision','',0),(4841,9,'2021-08-26 22:17:40','2021-08-26 22:17:40','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4837\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4837 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>      Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h1><strong>Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis </strong></h1>\r\nRotator cuff injuries are prevalent. Most of us have heard about rotator cuff tears and even impingement syndromes. We have probably seen and heard about them in the news. We often hear about professional athletes taken out of the game and possibly facing surgery. But these injuries affect the general public too!\r\n\r\nRotator cuff injuries are so common that they affect about a quarter of the population over 50 years of age.1 Many people are opting for surgery to fix their injury. The numbers of surgical repairs are going up and up! In some locations, surgeries are doubling in number, and particular surgeries, like arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, have increased by 353%. 2,3 But are all of these surgeries really necessary? Especially considering the economic costs, the time needed for rehabilitation, and other personal risks!\r\n<h3>Non-Surgical Options for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nIn so many rotator cuff injury cases, Regenerative Orthopedic techniques, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can be used to repair the shoulder. Plus, these treatments effectively repair the injury without the need for surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics has many advantages over surgery. First and foremost, it gets to the root cause of the problem. What do we mean by that? Rotator cuff injuries affect the tendon and ligaments of the shoulder. And treatments like Prolotherapy are especially effective at healing soft tissue like tendons and ligaments.\r\n\r\nBesides, Regenerative Orthopedic options require much less rehabilitation time. They also help you avoid the risks associated with rotator cuff surgery, such as frozen shoulder, deep infection, and dislocation. And many patients who develop these complications also end up needing a second surgical procedure.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4483\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4483\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rotator-cuff-problem-400x500.png\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff Injuries\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong>       Rotator Cuff Injuries Affect Your Sleep Too!</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Who Is At Risk for Rotator Cuff Injuries?</h3>\r\nAs mentioned previously, many people are at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Among athletes, rotator cuff injuries are more common with pitchers, tennis players, swimmers, and any sport that involves a throwing motion or repeated over the head movements. Non-athletes who repeatedly use overhead movements are also at increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. For example, rotator cuff tendinitis occurs when the rotator cuff\'s small muscles become strained, causing weakness of these structures and subsequent tendonitis. Left untreated, a chronic condition of tendinosis can develop.\r\n<h4><em>Impingement Syndrome</em></h4>\r\nAnother shoulder condition involving the rotator cuff is impingement syndrome. This condition occurs when the <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Stem-Cell-Therapy-For-Rotator-Cuff-Injuries\">rotator cuff</a> tendon becomes pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion process during the arm\'s motion raised above the head. This happens because the space gets narrowed, as occurs when the rotator cuff muscles weaken, and the humeral head rides high in the socket.\r\n\r\nImpingement can also ensue when bone spurs and calcium deposits narrow the space. Impingement also occurs when the contents of the subacromial space increase in size. This is most often due to a swollen rotator cuff tendon or bursa, which is painfully squeezed between the humeral head and the acromion process.\r\n<h3>Common Treatments for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nTreatment for rotator cuff injuries usually includes rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and cortisone injections. Cortisone has a substantial anti-inflammatory property, reducing the tendon and bursa\'s swelling and relieving the symptoms. Unfortunately, cortisone has also been found to lead to degeneration of the soft tissue eventually. It\'s so much better to regenerate the joint. And you can get regenerative results with Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n\r\nMany common treatments only provide temporary help. That\'s because the underlying cause is not addressed, and the problem usually returns. Degenerative fraying and tearing of the tendon may occur when the tendon is allowed to be in a constant state of irritation over time. Non-Surgical Regenerative Orthopedics is a great way to address the underlying tendon and ligament injuries and repair all of the involved soft tissue. The result is a re-strengthening of the rotator cuff, an improved shoulder joint, and an excellent chance for a full recovery and performance.\r\n<h3><a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More, Contact Us Today! It\'s free</a></h3>\r\n<h3>References:</h3>\r\n1Blitzer Charles, M. \"Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery.\" <i>The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery</i> 9.4 (1993): 414-416.\r\n\r\n2Iyengar, Jaicharan J., et al. \"Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 30.3 (2014): 284-288.\r\n\r\n3Traven, Sophia A., et al. \"The 5-factor modified frailty index predicts complications, hospital admission, and mortality following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 36.2 (2020): 383-388.\r\n\r\nWant more information about treating Rotator Cuff injuries? Click <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stop-shoulder-pain-from-rotator-cuff-and-other-shoulder-injuries/\">here</a> to read our article called, <a href=\"http://Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries\">\"Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries.\"</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1457-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 22:17:40','2021-08-26 22:17:40','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4841',0,'revision','',0),(4842,9,'2021-08-26 22:19:18','2021-08-26 22:19:18','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4837\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4837 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rotator-Cuff-500x375.jpeg\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /> <strong>      Prolotherapy is effective for chronic rotator cuff pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h1><strong>Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis </strong></h1>\r\nRotator cuff injuries are prevalent. Most of us have heard about rotator cuff tears and even impingement syndromes. We have probably seen and heard about them in the news. We often hear about professional athletes taken out of the game and possibly facing surgery. But these injuries affect the general public too!\r\n\r\nRotator cuff injuries are so common that they affect about a quarter of the population over 50 years of age.1 Many people are opting for surgery to fix their injury. The numbers of surgical repairs are going up and up! In some locations, surgeries are doubling in number, and particular surgeries, like arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, have increased by 353%. 2,3 But are all of these surgeries really necessary? Especially considering the economic costs, the time needed for rehabilitation, and other personal risks!\r\n<h3>Non-Surgical Options for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nIn so many rotator cuff injury cases, Regenerative Orthopedic techniques, like Stem Cell Therapy, PRP, and Prolotherapy, can be used to repair the shoulder. Plus, these treatments effectively repair the injury without the need for surgery. Regenerative Orthopedics has many advantages over surgery. First and foremost, it gets to the root cause of the problem. What do we mean by that? Rotator cuff injuries affect the tendon and ligaments of the shoulder. And treatments like Prolotherapy are especially effective at healing soft tissue like tendons and ligaments.\r\n\r\nBesides, Regenerative Orthopedic options require much less rehabilitation time. They also help you avoid the risks associated with rotator cuff surgery, such as frozen shoulder, deep infection, and dislocation. And many patients who develop these complications also end up needing a second surgical procedure.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4483\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4483\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rotator-cuff-problem-400x500.png\" alt=\"Rotator Cuff Injuries\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong>       Rotator Cuff Injuries Affect Your Sleep Too!</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Who Is At Risk for Rotator Cuff Injuries?</h3>\r\nAs mentioned previously, many people are at risk for rotator cuff injuries. Among athletes, these injuries are more common with pitchers, tennis players, swimmers, and any sport that involves a throwing motion or repeated over-the-head movements. Non-athletes who repeatedly use overhead movements are also at increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. For example, rotator cuff tendinitis occurs when the rotator cuff\'s small muscles become strained, causing weakness of these structures and subsequent tendonitis. Left untreated, a chronic condition of tendinosis can develop.\r\n<h4><em>Impingement Syndrome</em></h4>\r\nAnother shoulder condition involving the rotator cuff is impingement syndrome. This condition occurs when the <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Stem-Cell-Therapy-For-Rotator-Cuff-Injuries\">rotator cuff</a> tendon becomes pinched between the head of the humerus and the acromion process during the arm\'s motion raised above the head. This happens because the space gets narrowed, as occurs when the rotator cuff muscles weaken, and the humeral head rides high in the socket.\r\n\r\nImpingement can also ensue when bone spurs and calcium deposits narrow the space. Impingement also occurs when the contents of the subacromial space increase in size. This is most often due to a swollen rotator cuff tendon or bursa, which is painfully squeezed between the humeral head and the acromion process.\r\n<h3>Common Treatments for Rotator Cuff Injuries</h3>\r\nTreatment for rotator cuff injuries usually includes rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical therapy, and cortisone injections. Cortisone has a substantial anti-inflammatory property, reducing the tendon and bursa\'s swelling and relieving the symptoms. Unfortunately, cortisone has also been found to lead to degeneration of the soft tissue eventually. It\'s so much better to regenerate the joint. And you can get regenerative results with Regenerative Orthopedics.\r\n\r\nMany common treatments only provide temporary help. That\'s because the underlying cause is not addressed, and the problem usually returns. Degenerative fraying and tearing of the tendon may occur when the tendon is allowed to be in a constant state of irritation over time. Non-Surgical Regenerative Orthopedics is a great way to address the underlying tendon and ligament injuries and repair all of the involved soft tissue. The result is a re-strengthening of the rotator cuff, an improved shoulder joint, and an excellent chance for a full recovery and performance.\r\n<h3><a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"/Contact\">To Learn More, Contact Us Today! It\'s free</a></h3>\r\n<h3>References:</h3>\r\n1Blitzer Charles, M. \"Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery.\" <i>The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery</i> 9.4 (1993): 414-416.\r\n\r\n2Iyengar, Jaicharan J., et al. \"Current trends in rotator cuff repair: surgical technique, setting, and cost.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 30.3 (2014): 284-288.\r\n\r\n3Traven, Sophia A., et al. \"The 5-factor modified frailty index predicts complications, hospital admission, and mortality following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.\" <i>Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic &amp; Related Surgery</i> 36.2 (2020): 383-388.\r\n\r\nWant more information about treating Rotator Cuff injuries? Click <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/stop-shoulder-pain-from-rotator-cuff-and-other-shoulder-injuries/\">here</a> to read our article called, <a href=\"http://Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries\">\"Stop Shoulder Pain from Rotator Cuff and Other Shoulder Injuries.\"</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Rotator Cuff Injuries: Tears, Impingement, and Tendonitis','','inherit','closed','closed','','1457-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 22:19:18','2021-08-26 22:19:18','',1457,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4842',0,'revision','',0),(4843,9,'2021-08-27 18:23:55','2021-08-27 18:23:55','','DANCING v3','','inherit','open','closed','','dancing-v3','','','2021-08-27 18:23:55','2021-08-27 18:23:55','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(4844,9,'2021-08-27 18:31:09','2021-08-27 18:31:09','Dancing','Dancing','Dancing','inherit','open','closed','','dancing','','','2021-08-27 18:31:09','2021-08-27 18:31:09','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4845,9,'2021-08-27 18:32:34','2021-08-27 18:32:34','<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h4>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting there</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But thee views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world, made it all wroth it.\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\"][/video]\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:32:34','2021-08-27 18:32:34','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4845',0,'revision','',0),(4846,9,'2021-08-27 18:48:21','2021-08-27 18:48:21','<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h4>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting there</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But thee views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world, made it all wroth it.\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:48:21','2021-08-27 18:48:21','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4846',0,'revision','',0),(4847,9,'2021-08-27 18:53:00','2021-08-27 18:53:00','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript of My Kilimanjaro Climb</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Post Postscript</h2>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:53:00','2021-08-27 18:53:00','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4847',0,'revision','',0),(4848,9,'2021-08-27 18:54:35','2021-08-27 18:54:35','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript of My Kilimanjaro Climb</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:54:35','2021-08-27 18:54:35','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4848',0,'revision','',0),(4849,9,'2021-08-27 18:55:07','2021-08-27 18:55:07','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Postscript of My Kilimanjaro Climb</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:55:07','2021-08-27 18:55:07','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4849',0,'revision','',0),(4850,9,'2021-08-27 18:57:16','2021-08-27 18:57:16','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nFirst an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr) and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time.. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that were full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 18:57:16','2021-08-27 18:57:16','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4850',0,'revision','',0),(4851,9,'2021-08-27 19:00:28','2021-08-27 19:00:28','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 19:00:28','2021-08-27 19:00:28','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4851',0,'revision','',0),(4852,9,'2021-08-27 19:03:27','2021-08-27 19:03:27','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 19:03:27','2021-08-27 19:03:27','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4852',0,'revision','',0),(4853,9,'2021-08-27 20:02:22','2021-08-27 20:02:22','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:02:22','2021-08-27 20:02:22','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4853',0,'revision','',0),(4854,9,'2021-08-27 20:08:38','2021-08-27 20:08:38','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n<h3>&lt;iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/iUtJs2SlGC8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;</h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:08:38','2021-08-27 20:08:38','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4854',0,'revision','',0),