Could Stem Cell Therapy Be The Next Best Thing?

Not many people want to think about what will they have to endure in order to save themselves from knee osteoarthritis. The question asked by many who suffer from osteoarthritis is will their body be able to function properly. What could possibly be the best treatment for someone to stabilize this form of arthritis? Performing stem cell therapy offers individuals who suffer from knee osteoarthritis a greater chance to possibly cure and control the disease.

For those who may not know what stem cell therapy is, it is a treatment where the patient is given months of rehabilitation after their surgery on the affected knee is completed. As a matter of fact the Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas in San Antonio, TX, offers multiple treatments such as stem cell therapy, physical therapy, steroid injections to the knee, surgery, and more. Not to mention, the therapy is supposed to alleviate knee pain, improve the patient's’ quality of life, and increased knee cartilage growth. The degenerative arthritis commonly affects people at the age of 55 years and older. However, the stem cell therapy treatment could possibly reduce the pain of osteoarthritis, ACL, and PCL tears that one has experienced in their lifetime.

Typically, what doctors or physicians hope for is the treatments to work effectively to where the patients can prevent themselves from going through chronic pain and other serious injuries. What more would someone want than to see their struggle of dealing with chronic knee pains reduced? The stem cell injection is a one day injection treatment encouraged by doctors and physicians for patients to use after surgery. Stem cell therapy could very well be the most recommended treatment for people to benefit from. Imagine how many financial issues, time, and health insurance struggles you may face from traditional knee surgery procedures. Doctors and physicians are creating innovative treatments such as stem cell therapy in order to continue enhancing the health of patients.   

MEDICATION, REPLACEMENT OR THERAPY?

Comparing Joint Pain Solutions

Thanks to modern medicine, we are living longer than ever! Everyone wants to live a long, happy life but longevity does have some downsides. Arthritis impacts nearly half of all seniors. When it becomes serious, joint pain can impact your whole day and even put you in danger. Given this, it’s not surprising thatthe American Association of Hip And Knee Surgeons predicts, by 2030, there will be 500,000 hip replacements and 3 million knee replacements every year.

Joint pain can be treated in numerous ways. Each option has pros and cons.

PAIN MEDICATION

Depending on the severity of your joint pain, it may be manageable with medication. Reducing inflammation can relieve some joint pain. Supplements and creams are available over the counter that may relieve arthritis pain. For more serious pains, your doctor may prescribe stronger prescription medications.

Pain medication can help you maintain your normal activities. However, masking the pain does not correct the underlying issue. If your arthritis remains minor, then pain medication is a cheap, simple solution but worsening joint pain may require you to explore alternate options.

JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY

When common activities at home and work become difficult or impossible to maintain because of joint pain, a total joint replacement can greatly increase your health and quality of life. While all surgeries have risks, hip and knee replacements are common, very successful surgeries.

During a hip replacement, a surgeon removes the joint that has arthritis and is causing pain. Then an artificial joint takes its place.

A knee replacement is similar. A surgeon removes the damaged surface of knee joint to get rid of the damaged bone. Then, the knee is resurfaced with a prosthesis made of metal and plastic. Generally speaking, there are three parts: the tibial component, the femoral component, and the patellar component.

While these are very well understood surgeries, joint replacements, like all surgeries, have risks. Blood clots, fracture, infection, and dislocation are some of the risks to keep in mind before choosing a surgical option. The surgery itself may cause mild to moderate pain, and nausea can be caused by the combination of pain medication and stress.

Successful joint replacements will decrease pain in the long term and improve mobility. Most people recover from surgery in six weeks and are pain-free within a year. Artificial joints usually last over 20 years, although younger, more active people may wear it out faster. Follow up visits are important to ensure the artificial joint works in the long term.

STEM CELL THERAPY

If your arthritis is too severe for pain medication to handle but you are not comfortable with the risks, recovery time or maintenance involved with a joint replacement, stem cell therapy may be your best bet!

Stem cell treatment takes adult stem cells from your bone marrow and injects them into a damaged joint. Stem cells are your body’s way of replacing and repairing damaged cells naturally. By targeting your body’s natural healing process to a specific location, doctors can repair old damage from arthritis. Unlike pain medication, stem cell therapy treats the root cause of your pain.

Stem cell injections are minimally invasive. Patients do not need to spend the night in the hospital and you usually need only one or two injection cycles. Some patients experience mild pain for two or three days at the injection site. Ice can help reduce inflammation and can bring relief to these slight pains.

The recovery time is also incredibly short. Stem cell treatment is done on an outpatient basis. You rest for the first two days and restrict yourself to general use for the first two weeks. Cardio activities are safe after three weeks and, after 4 weeks, weightlifting and running are permitted.

If your arthritis pain is too extreme for pain medication and you would prefer to avoid a major surgery, call us at (210) 293-3136 to start your treatment!

The Difference Between Embryonic Stem Cells and Adult Stem Cells

Regenerative medicine is a promising area of medicine in which damaged tissue in the body can be repaired using stem cells. Because of the exponential development of stem cell research, doctors have the ability to treat conditions and traumas that were not possible to cure even a few years ago.

There are many different types of stem cells, but the two main types are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. There are many doctors that specialize in only embryonic stem cell treatment, as well as doctors who solely use adult stem cells for tissue repair.

The use of embryonic stem cells, which is considered a controversial treatment by many, uses the stem cells of a human embryo to create cells that repair damaged tissue in a patient. These stem cells represent the only cell type that has the ability to renew itself indefinitely. Embryonic stem cells are also pluripotent, meaning they have the potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers to treat tissue.

Adult stem cells are considered less controversial because they involve using the own patient’s cells to repair the body. Only found in adult tissue, this treatment is non-immunogenic. In other words, the cells used will not cause the immune system to respond negatively. Adult stem cells will stop growing after they have conducting their initial function. They only have differentiation potential to tissues in one germ layer.

As previously mentioned, there are clinics who only focus on treating their patients with adult stem cell treatment. The Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas is a prime example of medical doctors who ONLY use adult stem cells in their procedures. Conveniently located in San Antonio, this medical team focuses on treating osteoarthritis, hip pain, knee pain, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and rotator cuff tears. The use of adult stem cell therapy allows these doctors to confirm that something from your body can heal your body.

Click here to learn more about the Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas, or call (210) 293-3136 to schedule an appointment and start your treatment.

Why Stem Cell Regeneration is a Game-Changer

Osteoarthritis, a joint disease also known as degenerative arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis. It impacts roughly 20 million Americans. When seeking treatment in San Antonio, many people consider options as simple as pain relief medicine and as complex as joint fusion. However, as medical technology has improved, a new, alternative option for osteoarthritis treatment has become viable: adult stem cell therapy. Organizations like the Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas provide opportunities to receive stem cell treatment (regenerative medicine), which has anti-inflammatory properties to help fight pain.

The disadvantage of pain relievers are its temporary relief and side effects, which include the increased risk for heart attack and other cardiovascular problems in higher doses. Your body can also become tolerant of the drugs or experience more severity. Lastly, using pain relievers will not change the course of your arthritis. It masks the pain temporarily but does not improve the root cause of it.

After consulting with your doctor, you may find that surgery is an option for dealing with knee, shoulder, or joint pain. At a young age, osteotomy, a joint-preserving surgery, can improve joint alignment and stability. Joint replacement is also another  surgical process that will help improve function but it is only viable after your osteoarthritis has progressed to a severe case. Ideally, you want to avoid that situation!

Scientists have made enormous progress in the field of regenerative medicine. The idea is not new but, in recent years, doctors have increased the effectiveness and safety of adult stem cell surgery in treating arthritis, frozen shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis, and much more. Here is a list of the most commonly treated conditions with Stem Cell Therapy.

Mesenchymal stem cells involved in stem cell transplant and treatment will not be rejected by the body because they are the patient’s very own. According to a study supported by The Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas, only 0.04% of perpendicular bone marrow biopsies had adverse effects.

Regenerative medicine is a safer treatment option than traditional surgical options. Stem cell therapy regenerates healthy cells and replaces diseased cells. This aids the repair of diseased and damaged tissues within the body. For example, a person with heart disease will be able to have cells that contribute to restoring defective heart muscle with the use of stem cell therapy.

With an increased understanding of stem cell therapy, doctors are able to have an alternative for patients that only requires 1-2 injection cycles, allowing them to return to normal activity in as little as 4-6 weeks.

Consult with a doctor at the Stem Cell Orthopedic Institute of Texas for an accurate time estimate for your osteoarthritis or other knee, hip, or shoulder problems. Their facility is conveniently located in San Antonio, and setting up an appointment is as easy as filling out a form or giving them a call.

Learn more about adult stem cell therapy here.