What type of painful conditions can stem cells treat?
• Osteoarthritis- The majority of complications in osteoarthritis patients are related to the mechanical destruction of cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints. Stem cell treatment is designed to target these areas within the joints to help with the creation of new cartilage cells. As mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent they have the ability to differentiate into cartilage called (chondrocytes). The goal of each stem cell treatment is to inject the stem cells into the joint to create cartilage (chondrocyte cells). Stem cells are also natural anti-inflammatories which can assist with osteoarthritis pain and swelling in the joint area.
• Lower Back Pain- the intervertebral disc is a common source of chronic lower back pain. Annular tears which are disc tears at the outer aspect of the disc which can cause pain. Treatment objectives are to inject the stem cells into the disc to enhance disc rehydration, promote healing, and prevent further breakdown of the disc. Preliminary studies are showing promise for mildly degenerative lumbar disc pathology. Larger follow-up studies are under development. Stem cell injections into the intervertebral discs are still considered experimental. Other locations such as facet joints and SI joints are also being evaluated in ongoing studies.
What type of painful conditions can PRP treat?
• Platelet Rich Plasma “PRP” is a non-surgical, natural blood plasma treatment that is typically used to treat muscle strains & tears, ligament & tendon tears, minor arthritis, and for joint maintenance. PRP has been used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of shoulder, hip & knee. PRP has also been used in treatment of various locations including shoulder (Rotator Cuff), elbow (Tennis Elbow), ankle (Achilles) and knee (Patellar Tendinitis) for example.
Will my insurance cover PRP or stem cell injections?
• While PRP treatments and stem cells have been around for years, many insurance companies still consider this treatment experimental and deny coverage. New research and technology has expanded the application of these therapies for use in orthopedic and painful conditions.
