STEM CELL THERAPY

Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. This modern, outpatient procedure uses your body’s own regenerative ability to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

Stem cell therapy refers to injecting concentrated stem cells, placing them precisely at the site of injured tissues. Once they are in your body, the injected stem cells begin to work, regenerating the tissues needed to heal. Interventional Pain Doctors use ultrasound or fluoroscopy for real-time imaging. The imaging allows the doctor to see the targeted tissues and accurately guide the needle to the precise area before injecting the stem cells.

Stem cell therapy targets the underlying source of pain without relying on medication and surgery, leading to increased function and mobility with a shorter recovery time than surgical options.

If you have an injury, or if you have tendons or ligaments that have become inflamed, stem cell therapy may help. It uses your body's own stem cells to help heal damage. It may help you avoid surgery.

Spinal discs allow your spine to bend and twist. These flexible shock absorbers can be damaged by injury, disease, or the added stress that can result from a spinal fusion. But stem cell therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help repair disc damage. It can slow disc degeneration. It may help you avoid surgery.

PRP therapy makes use of two special types of cells involved in healing and repair: platelets and stem cells. Platelets are found in the blood and have high concentrations of growth factors and a connective tissue called fibrinogen, both involved in wound healing. Stem cells are found in high concentrations in tissues such as the adipose tissue (fat) and bone marrow. They have the ability to differentiate into any type of cell. Using this natural regenerative ability, your body can continuously repair damaged and diseased tissues.

Stem cells also release important substances called exosomes, which are tiny sacs containing a variety of biochemicals. These biochemicals activate healing activities in nearby cells.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy uses your body’s own natural healing mechanisms to help regenerate damaged tissues, help heal an injury, and relieve pain. During PRP therapy, a small sample of your blood is drawn and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from the other components. The concentrated PRP is then injected into and around the point of injury, kickstarting and significantly strengthening the body’s natural healing signal.

Cells are extracted from your own body, either from adipose, bone marrow, or plasma. The cells are processed to remove the necessary cells from the other components in the sample and can be used to treat different musculoskeletal issues involving muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.

If you suffer an injury or develop a disease, your body sends cells to the area to heal the problem. However, sometimes your body needs extra support, especially if the injured tissues have a poor blood supply, your injury is severe, or you have a chronic condition.

PRP therapy gives your body a boost, accelerating the healing process and reducing inflammation so you heal more quickly and completely.

These are a few examples of the conditions often treated with PRP and stem cell therapy by the Interventional Pain Doctors team of orthopedic and spine and pain management

specialists:

• Osteoarthritis of the spine and joints

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Rotator cuff tear

• Meniscus tear

• Spinal stenosis

• Degenerative disc disease

• Tendon and ligament injuries

PRP therapy offers a great option for patients looking for pain relief and allowing them to get back to doing the activities they love.

Everyone responds a bit differently to regenerative techniques which means it may be more effective for some patients than others.