How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that uses stem cells to heal the body. If you’ve been suffering from pain as a result of the aging process or an injury, we can harness and magnify your body’s own healing potential to repair the damage and possibly even avoid surgical intervention.
Therapies that use stem cells to heal the body work so well because stem cells have many different regenerative and healing properties. Over 40 years ago, researchers found that cells derived from bone marrow had the ability to form various tissues. Stem cells are early-stage cells that under the right conditions, are capable of developing into other types of cells with the potential to regenerate damaged tissue.
What Can It Treat?
This treatment can help treat damaged or injured joints and tissues that have been affected by normal wear and tear, the aging process, arthritis, or some type of injury. They are especially effective because they rebuild soft tissues such as cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles that have experienced damage or even a tear. Stem cells have been used in all of the major joints of the body such as shoulders, hips, and knees. Smaller joints such as finger joints have also been treated effectively. The discs, facets, and muscles of the lower back have been treated successfully with stem cells.
What Happens During the Treatment Process?
Stem cells are located in your body’s bone marrow, and during the treatment process, they will be carefully extracted from the pelvic bone. Once the stem cells are isolated and concentrated into an injectable form, they will be re-injected into the body, specifically into the damaged tissue or joint.
Once injected back into the body, the body responds with a healing reaction, and those same stem cells will then multiply and begin healing the damaged joint or tissue. The entire treatment takes approximately 45 minutes to complete from start to finish.
Is There Any Downtime?
Once your treatment is over, you’ll be able to return home, but you will return to the office for follow-up visits so that your progress can be carefully monitored. You’ll be advised to avoid strenuous activities that put weight on the treatment area for two weeks following your treatment. If your treatment area is a disc, you’ll be advised to rest for two to three days for best results.
Is the Treatment Safe?
You can rest assured that when you choose this treatment, you’re choosing a form of regenerative medicine that’s been studied and is a safe and effective way to heal the body naturally.
The stem cells are derived from your body, not an alternative source, so when they are re-injected into the damaged joint or tissue, your body will respond well and use those stem cells to heal, regenerate, and restore function to the area. You won’t have to worry about any adverse reactions because the stem cells come from your body.
If you’ve been trying to heal damaged tissue or a damaged joint with traditional techniques or medications with little to no success, it may be time to look within your body to find ultimate healing. If you’re interested in learning more about this form of regenerative medicine, we can help. Contact us today at St. Charles Spine Institute to learn more.