A simple cheek swab is helping patients like Elizabeth Boh find answers to chronic pain
NEW ORLEANS — Could a look inside your DNA, that blueprint of what makes you who you are, guide you to better health and performance?
A doctor says it is helping him treat his patients’ aches, pains, and injuries more effectively.
How much do you spend on nutritional supplements every month? And are the ones you take making you healthy, or are they just being flushed away?
Well, this test may help you find the ones that are just right for you.
For her whole life, Elizabeth Boh had a question about her health.
“Why did I keep having torn rotator cuffs and bad discs in my neck and back? I’ve had nine shoulder surgeries, five neck surgeries, and four back surgeries,” recalls Elizabeth Boh, 64.
Five years ago, she got the answer: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, an inherited disorder that affects your connective tissue, including the joints and skin. Then, in the last year, Dr. Jacques Courseault recommended a simple genetic test to see exactly what supplements could help Elizabeth’s health be at its best.
Eighty-five percent of patients with soft tissue injuries in our clinic are found to have an MTHFR genetic variant,” explained sports medicine physician Dr. Jacques Courseault, who founded the Fascia Institute and Treatment Center (FIT) in Metairie.
Dr. Courseault says just that one genetic difference interferes with the way cells metabolize folate, which is important for DNA repair. Its effects are seen in brain cognition, hair, skin, nails, nerves, and more. However, with a simple genetic test, he can ensure you receive the correct form of vitamin B that your body can utilize. So, as a sports medicine doctor, he is looking deeper than the bones and muscles for the cause of pain.
“And those cells need nutrition, and they need the right kind of protein, and they need the right kinds of vitamins in order to function in a healthy way,” he said.
“It allows them to focus on what their particular needs are, not just generic needs, or a generic multivitamin that’s meant for the general population,” said nurse practitioner Kelli Morrell, Director of Clinical Medicine at FIT.
The test is very simple. All you do is take a swallow of water to clear your mouth out, and then the cheek swabbing starts.
The genetic test is designed to help you avoid taking unnecessary supplements and to take the proper form of the ones you do need, all conveniently packaged into custom capsules for you. The supplements can help you lower inflammation and support your hormones, brain chemistry, metabolism, and overall performance at their best.
“A lot of patients are really surprised, and they’re actually really happy to see what their genetic makeup looks like,” said Morrell.
“I have more energy. I don’t feel as fatigued. My pain levels are better,” said Boh.
Most insurance probably does not pay for the test.
The test and the consultation to get your customized formula is $400, but there are patients who not only feel better, but in the long run, save money on not buying all the supplements they do not need.
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