Stem Cell Therapy For Knee Pain
Stem cell therapy for knee pain is a non-invasive option to steroid injections or physical therapy that may reduce the need for joint replacement surgery.
Your doctor will assess if stem cell therapy is right for you during a consultation and examination of your knee. During the treatment, they’ll inject a small amount of stem cells into the area to promote healing; it’s minimally invasive and takes less than an hour to complete.
Once injected, your stem cells will begin forming new tissue around damaged areas of your knee, helping repair cartilage and reduce or eliminate pain caused by inflammation.
Stem cells can also stimulate the growth of new ligaments, tendons and muscles around the knee area to strengthen this region. Not only does this relieve pain, but it has been scientifically proven to restore mobility and promote overall joint health as well.
Knee pain is a prevalent condition that can affect people of all ages. It may be caused by trauma, injury or arthritis and manifest itself in various ways – including stiffness and loss of movement.
Steroids and physical therapy, for instance, only address the symptoms of your pain. Stem cell injections however encourage a healing process that will permanently eliminate that discomfort. This approach to medicine is known as regenerative medicine and it has been successfully used to address chronic knee issues like osteoarthritis.
Stem cell injections are a quick, minimally-invasive procedure that usually doesn’t need hospitalization or recovery time. Your doctor will numb the affected area and use detailed images as a guide to place your stem cells precisely where they’re needed for healing, without needing any hospitalization or downtime afterwards.
Many clinics provide this regenerative treatment and it usually costs less than other surgical options. However, your health insurance may not cover the costs of stem cell treatments you receive, so be sure to discuss this option with your provider first.
Your doctor can harvest stem cells from either your own bone marrow or umbilical cord blood (UCB), and use them to treat the problem. Bone marrow stem cells are more versatile than UCB but can only be harvested once in lifetime.
Once your stem cells have been obtained, your doctor will place them in a secure environment to preserve them. After they’re ready, your doctor can inject the cells into your knee – depending on its size, this could take anywhere from an hour to three hours depending on how quickly the cells mature.
Once you receive your stem cells, it is important to abstain from taking any NSAIDs for two weeks and avoid any strenuous activities or exercise. After your body has had time to adapt to the new cells, your knee should begin healing on its own.
Your doctor will use a specialized needle to extract stem cells from either your bone marrow or umbilical cord blood. These marrow stem cells are then processed in the laboratory and injected into the injured area. You may experience mild pain or swelling at the site where these cells were injected.
