Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are the pinnacle of regenerative medicine. In comparison to prolotherapy

and platelet-rich plasma therapy, stem cell therapy uses healthy adult stem cells

harvested from the patient’s own tissues and takes advantage of the ability of these

cells to promote regeneration in the injured or degenerated tissues.

“Adult stem cells are present in bone marrow and other tissues. Before June 2021,

they were also commercially available after harvesting from donated amniotic fluid,

cord blood, or other perinatal tissues. The Food and Drug Administration ruled

against the use of these perinatal tissues in medicine, and therefore these types of

therapies are not available anymore.

When injected into injured or degenerated tissue (tendons, ligaments, spinal discs,

etc), stem cells release signaling molecules. If viable surrounding tissues are still

present, these signaling molecules or growth factors stimulate repair and

regeneration of these tissues in a natural way.

The most common condition we treat with stem cell therapy is low back and neck

pain from degenerative disc disease (discogenic lumbar and cervical pain). This is a

chronic pain condition notorious for how hard it is to treat through conventional

treatments like epidural steroid injections or fusion surgery. Stem cell therapy offers

a new and exciting alternative to this problem.

Other conditions treated with stem cell therapy are musculoskeletal injuries and

degenerative conditions of the shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, foot and ankle.

At this time, stem cell therapy is considered an experimental treatment. Its success

also hinges on establishing a correct diagnosis with our pain-mapping techniques,

and on the chronicity and severity of the condition. When successful, stem cell

therapy can replace older, invasive surgical procedures that are prone to

complications and liable to create additional arthritic degeneration with time.

The success of stem cell therapy is also dependent on patient’s general state of

health. To that extent, our unique Functional Medicine approach to patient’s general

health is directed specifically at identifying chronic inflammatory markers, immune

and hormonal deficiencies, nutritional and exercise deficiencies, and aims to correct

them through a nutritional and lifestyle modification program.”

Stem cell injections are an office-based treatment. We collect bone marrow and

concentrate it through minimal manipulation using custom algorithms. The cells are

then injected into the affected areas using precise live radiological and ultrasound

guidance. The procedure may last anywhere from 1-3 hours, including mandatory

rest and recovery time after our lumbar disc procedures. We offer office-based

sedation when necessary and close follow-up after each procedure, tailored to the

individual needs of each patient.

To find out more, and to learn if you are a candidate for autologous, point-of-care

stem cell therapy, contact us for an appointment.