TOPSHAM

J ess Bell, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and physiatrist, strives to give her patients a complete experience when they visit her — a timeout from the world, as well as help with their physical ailments.

She is the only board certified physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation), who is also a D.O. in the state of Maine. A physiatrist is a rehabilitation physician, who is a nerve, muscle and bone expert, who treats injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. Rehabilitation physicians are medical doctors who have completed training in the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R).

“I completed four years of specialized training in PM&R and I feel I have learned a lot from that training and that I really have something unique to offer my patients,” said Bell. “I feel we present something very different here, because I work very indepth with each person, who comes to see me, so that he or she can optimize their health. I promote the body’s ability to heal itself.”

Located in the 1 Bowdoin Mill Island complex (the same building that houses the Sea Dog Brewing Co.), Suite 204, Dr. Bell is accepting new patients with open arms. She cares deeply for all her patients and wants to give them a spiritual, mental and physical experience.

Lois Bell, Jess’ mother and the office manager, said, “We take care of our patients immediately. We work from the heart, so we really care about the people who come in here. This is so much more than a spa per se; it’s a very spiritual experience. And we create an environment that feels very safe.”

Treatments can range from fairly simple osteopathic manipulations to more invasive dextrose prolotherapy. Jess Bell believes in offering and utilizing her broadspectrum skill set.

“I believe I am the only person offering prolo therapy in this area, and I have had a lot of success with it. I often get patients whose only option is surgery, or perhaps surgery isn’t even an option to them. Often after only a few treatments with prolotherapy they improve a great deal,” said Bell.

‘Tricks’ the body

Dextrose prolotherapy is when a concentrated dextrose (sugar water) or saline (salt water) or other natural substance is used as an irritant to stimulate mild inflammation in the injured region, which in turn “tricks” the body into thinking the area is injured and to start healing that area. This type of treatment has been shown to be effective in treating many musculoskeletal conditions, such as tendinopathies, ligament sprains, back and neck pain, tennis/golfers elbow, ankle pain, joint laxity and instability, plantar fasciitis, shoulder, knee and other joint pain.

“I see long-term complex or unique chronic conditions, as well as more acute cases, and with all my patients I want to stimulate health through natural means. I believe prolotherapy is the only non-surgical treatment that is targeted toward repairing damaged connective tissue,” said Bell.

Recently, Lois Bell said, Dr. Bell treated a woman who came in with tremendous lower back pain and who had trouble sitting, standing or walking. Surgeons had told this patient that they were unable to operate on that specific area of her back that was causing her the pain. Bell treated the woman with prolotherapy twice.

“And just this week the woman called to say she was on vacation in Florida and that she was swimming and walking on the beach, something she had been unable to do for a long time. And to thank Dr. Bell so very much,” Lois said with a smile.

Believing that what they have to offer patients is special is usually underscored when someone leaves after a treatment.

“People walk out of here with their heads held high and they say they feel rejuvenated,” said Lois Bell.

Emphasis on comfort, calmness and treating each and every patient as a special person is very important to both Bell women.

“I want to create or set off a spark of health in that person, so I believe environment is really important. I want my patients to look forward to coming, and that they enjoy the entire experience,” said Jess Bell.

She doesn’t just treat the symptom; she emphasizes overall health to all her patients.

To contact Jess Bell, to set up an appointment or for questions, call (207) 841-8900.