Regenerative Medicine for Pain
Facts and Information
Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
What is Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem Cell Therapy, a form of Regenerative Medicine, uses the body’s ability to heal itself to repair damaged tissue that is unable to heal on its own. New growth of healthy tissue is initiated by injecting regenerative cells into the damaged tissue. The regenerative cells have the potential to restore injured cartilage tissue, bone, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and vertebral disc cartilage.
What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)?
PRP Injection Therapy is a natural and cost-effective alternative to surgery—designed to rebuild cartilage, repair torn meniscus and ligaments, and reduce swelling and pain It works by stimulating the natural immune repair mechanisms and supplying the building blocks necessary to build tissue.
PRP is a concentration of your own blood platelets. A sample of your blood is collected and spun down to separate the plasma, which contains a high concentration of platelets. Platelets play a critical role in healing wounds and soft tissue injuries by activating stem cells to regenerate new, healthy tissue. An injection of platelet-rich plasma gives your body a natural boost to accelerate the healing process. Many patients report pain relief in addition to rapid healing.
How does it work?
Stem Cell Therapy takes stem cells, as well as other healing cells and proteins from a patient’s own body and re-injects them back into the injury site. Once injected, stem cells can transform into different types of cells that reduce inflammation and enhance regeneration by signaling local cells to produce new cartilage that repairs the damaged tissue.
How is it performed?
Through a minimally invasive procedure, using ultrasound or fluoroscopic (x-ray) guidance, bone marrow, which contains a high concentration of stem cells, is taken out from the back of a patient’s hip. Once removed, it is placed in a centrifuge (FDA approved filter) to concentrate the stem cells and other desired cells, and isolate the undesired cells. The Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) is then injected into the site of the injured tissue using appropriate imaging guidance.
The entire process takes about 90 minutes and a local anesthetic is used to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
Why choose us?
Our providers are extremely specialized in the field of Pain and Regenerative Medicine. They offer a holistic approach to treating your condition and will not recommend this therapy if, in their medical opinion, it is not the best option for you. There are many “providers” offering stem cell therapy only, while they don’t have the education, experience or knowledge to treat the patient as a whole. Many stem cell clinics use nurse practitioners or family doctors to perform these procedures. As a patient, you should be assured that your physician is the most experienced and skilled in performing injections and interventional pain procedures. At CYP, we have been treating patients with the most challenging pain conditions for almost 30 years. Dr. Nelson is one of the most skilled interventional pain physicians in the area, having performed tens of thousands of procedures over the years. Our providers at CYP, truly care about helping patients improve their lives.
STATE OF THE ART TREATMENT
How Can Stem Cell Therapy Help You?
Stem Cell Therapy can aid your body in healing injured tissue that causes you pain without invasive surgery. You may be a candidate for Stem Cell Therapy if you are suffering from one of the following conditions:
Chronic Spine Pain: Back or neck pain from disc degeneration, facet degeneration, or Sacroiliac joint pain Knee, Hip, or Shoulder Osteoarthritis (“Degenerative Joint Disease”)
Tendon Injuries: Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow, Rotator Cuff Tendon, Achilles Tendon, Hip Tendons, Hip Bursitis, or Patellar Tendon
Ligament Injuries: Knee (ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL) or Plantar Fasciitis
Non-healing Fractures
Stem Cell Therapy for Back and Neck Pain
Back pain and disability is commonly caused by disc and facet degeneration. In the past, medications and surgery have been the only alternatives to treating chronic pain because there were no therapies available to slow down or reverse the degenerative process. Stem Cell Therapy provides a regenerative therapy option for treating chronic back and neck pain caused by degeneration.
A NATURAL COST-EFFECTIVE
ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY
What are the Expected Results?
The purpose of Stem Cell Therapy is to provide long-term healing. During the first week following the procedure, patients may experience increased pain. However, patients usually see significant improvement in symptoms over the weeks that follow. Most patients respond well to just one stem cell injection, but occasionally the procedure is repeated after several months. Some patients also benefit from an injection of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) about four to six weeks after Stem Cell Therapy for optimal results.
Advantages of Stem Cell Therapy
Stem Cell Therapy is a non-surgical procedure that allows your body to rebuild its own healthy tissue. The end result is regeneration of an injured area, which leads to significant pain reduction. Unlike surgery, Stem Cell Therapy has minimal downtime and avoids painful rehabilitation periods. It is a safe procedure with no risk of rejection because the stem cells are taken from and reintroduced into your own body.
