If you’ve been researching alternatives to joint replacement surgery, you’ve probably come across at least some information about stem cell therapies. Regenerative medicine is one of the newest alternative treatments that is available for treating joint conditions and injuries.
During a stem cell treatment, the doctor will harvest stem cells from your own body and prepare them for injection into the joint. The stem cells have the ability to adapt into other types of cells, but the procedure requires precision that only an educated and experienced physician can accomplish.
But what do the stem cells do? Basically the purpose of these regenerative therapies is to slow, stop, or reverse the progression of degenerative injuries and joint diseases, such as arthritis. The effectiveness of the stem cells varies from person to person, and it is still unclear what factors are involved.
You only need one stem cell therapy to get results, but you won’t notice results right away. Most patients start noticing an improvement in pain and flexibility within a few weeks of the treatment. However, the stem cells will continue working to improve the joint over the next year. At that time your doctor can reassess the joint and determine if another stem cell treatment is appropriate or if some other means need to be pursued.
As more research is being done on regenerative medicine every year, we can already use these basic stem cell treatments for joint pain and stiffness. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to see if stem cell therapy is right for you.