What if there were a way to naturally reduce your joint or cartilage pain without doping yourself on OTC pain medications or putting yourself under the knife? The truth is, there are actually a lot of options beyond painkillers, expensive physical therapy, and surgery, and stem cell therapy is one of them – in fact, orthopaedic surgeons in London say that it’s one of the best! Why? The secret lies in how it harnesses your body’s regenerative capabilities for natural healing.
The Basics
You’ve probably heard of stem cells before. You know, those cool cells in your body that can become basically anything. Put simply, stem cell therapy takes advantage of this ability and is, in fact, a highly effective method of regenerating injured or damaged tissue using nothing more than the patient’s own cells.
During a typical procedure, healthy stem cells are extracted from other parts of the body, usually abdominal fat or bone marrow, before being processed and re-injected into the affected area. Once in the joint, the stem cells encourage healthy tissue to grow, reducing inflammation and ultimately addressing the root cause of pain and immobility.
The Benefits
Naturally, there are many benefits associated with this advanced treatment. Because the procedure takes very little time, it can be performed on an outpatient basis, saving patients the costs associated with a hospital stay. Additionally, stem cell therapy is non-invasive, resulting in less trauma to the body and improving recovery times compared to surgery; it also minimises the risk of autoimmune responses and other complications, as, again, it uses cells from the patient’s own body.
Moreover, the treatment has been proven to be effective at naturally regenerating tissue, and as a result, it can even potentially help individuals delay or avoid surgery.
The Right Treatment
You’ll usually see stem cell therapy being offered for knee pain, especially for sports injuries or arthritis. Treatments also exist for shoulder, hip, and cartilage conditions, because stem cell therapy is really darn good at addressing all kinds of musculoskeletal issues.
As for what the treatment will actually look like, it depends. Highly specialised clinics like London Cartilage Clinic utilise mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which are capable of differentiating into cartilage-forming chondrocytes. During the procedure, these stem cells will be harvested from the patient, isolated, and injected using X-ray imaging as guidance, ensuring precision. The length of the procedure varies depending on which part of the body being treated, but in all cases, patients will be able to return home on the same day.
Of course, stem cell therapy isn’t for everyone. But if you suffer from traumatic ligament injuries, degenerative conditions, and meniscus tears, you may consider it as an option, especially if you haven’t responded to more conservative treatments.
When in doubt, your best bet is to get an expert opinion from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. They’ll be able to tell you exactly what you need to go back to living your life free of pain.
