Stem Cell Therapy: Knee Regeneration for Patients with Chronic Pain
Knee pain that results from osteoarthritis is a major contributor to a patient’s chronic pain, disability, and discomfort. Conventional medicine practices may involve prescribing a patient with painkillers, anti-inflammatory medicines, and muscle relaxants. While the patient may feel good in the short term, they may find that these medications do not provide truly lasting results. These prescriptions may be putting a blanket over the pain without identifying the root issue. So understandably, a patient may then wonder what other treatment options are available to them. The study and research of stem cell therapy has increased over the years and may be a good alternative to other types of care that have not worked for you.
When a patient meets with a doctor and has never received a treatment before, they are likely to arrive with plenty of questions. A knee pain doctor in Reading, PA from a doctor’s office like the Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania can assist you. Here we have answered a few of the more common questions patients may ask when deciding if stem cell therapy is right for their condition:
Why are patients drawn to trying out stem cell therapy?
A patient may have been told that they must go through knee joint replacement surgery in order to treat their condition. In many cases a patient tries everything else before they consider going under anesthesia. Stem cell therapy treatments for the knee are a fairly non-invasive procedure that can decrease inflammation, reduce pain, stop the progression of arthritic damage, and even encourage the body to repair cartilage. After a single session or multiple stem cell therapy sessions, a patient may not require knee joint surgery at all.
What exactly is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is considered a degenerative disorder, which happens when a patient’s knee joint cartilage slowly breaks down. Previous injuries may also contribute to the development of osteoarthritis, particularly if the knee joint was fractured, tendons were damaged, or the person suffered ligament tears. The patient may then feel unstable when walking, due to the joint becoming worn.
Where are the stem cells extracted?
Depending on the patient, stem cells may be extracted from various areas including bone marrow within the hip, fat stores, or from a blood sample. The duration of a stem cell treatment may last a few hours, in which the cells are taken from the body and injected under image guidance by an accredited doctor. Before injection, the doctor may “optimize” the cells, so they can be prepared for absorption by the body.