If you find that your joints are constantly in pain and you have a limited range of motion and you’ve exhausted all treatment methods, your doctor may suggest surgery. Before you commit to a hip or knee replacement, however, you should ask your doctor about stem cell therapy. This treatment method is increasing in popularity and helps people avoid invasive surgeries.
What is stem cell therapy?
Everyone generates stem cells. These cells either self-renew to create new stem cells or differentiate to create specialized cells (such as brain cells). They are the only type of cell that naturally generate new cell types. Researchers are interested in stem cells for several reasons, including the fact that stem cells can be used to replace diseased cells. Stem cell therapy uses healthy cells to repair damaged, diseased, or injured tissue. Instead of having to get an organ replacement or joint replacement, stem cell therapy can be used.
Who is stem cell therapy for?
Stem cell therapy is currently being used as a treatment method for several conditions, including cancer, spinal cord injuries, and osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis can appear at any age, but most frequently occurs in aging individuals. In this type of arthritis, the cartilage around the joints gradually wears down. Pain, stiffness, and inflammation can occur as a result. It is a hard condition to find relief from, which is why some individuals eventually opt for surgery to replace their most painful joints. Research is still being conducted to determine the effectiveness of stem cell therapy, but most patients report some sort of improvement and relief after treatment.
How does stem cell therapy work?
Stem cell therapy begins in a lab. Stem cells can be found in embryos, adult tissues such as bone marrow, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood. Once cells are extracted, scientists can use existing stem cells to grow and manipulate new cells. The new cells do not necessarily have to be stem cells. They can also be specialized cells, such as blood cells or nerve cells.
Once specialized cells are produced, they can be implanted into a person through a stem cell transplant. During this process, healthy new cells are injected into damaged tissues. The new cells can then began repairing the damaged tissue. It doesn’t provide immediate relief. It can take several injections before an individual begins to notice a difference.
If you’re interested in scheduling a consultation with a health professional to talk about stem cell therapy, visit: https://nationalwellnesscenters.com. During a consultation, a professional will discuss your medical history with you to determine if you would respond well to stem cell therapy.
What are the benefits of stem cell therapy?
Stem cell therapy is less invasive in comparison to surgery. You may be sore afterwards, but you will not have as long of a recovery period as you would with surgery. Another great benefit is that your own existing stem cells can be used to generate new cells. This means there is less of a risk of your body rejecting the treatment.
Once you have the treatment, you can quickly return to your everyday activities. Over time, you’ll see a reduction of pain and have less of a need for medication. You’ll notice an increase in function and movement within your joints. You may even notice that the quality of your sleep improves! Many people that suffer from joint pain do not sleep very well at night because of the pain they’re in, but stem cell therapy will help the pain disappear so that you can rest better. Ideally, the treatment will also prevent you from needing surgery in the future.
What are the disadvantages of stem cell therapy?
One of the largest disadvantages of stem cell therapy is that there is still research being conducted on it. While stem cells have been proven effective at replacing and restoring cells, that may not mean they are effective at treating conditions long term.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also warns that some clinics may be using illegal and harmful stem cell treatment methods. If stem cell treatment isn’t done correctly, it can lead to reactions such as blindness or the growth of tumors.
Final thoughts
If done correctly by an approved clinic after a medical consultation, stem cell therapy can be a safe alternative to surgery. If you’re experiencing chronic joint pain, stem cell therapy may help provide you with some relief. Stem cell therapy can also help with other medical conditions outside of joint pain.