How Being a Health Care Clinic Volunteer Changed My Life

Why Consider Stem Cell Therapy For Knee Pain?

by Brett Mills

Arthritis is an incurable condition. It can affect people of any age, although it's more common in older adults. Osteoarthritis occurs as the cartilage in your joints degrades over time. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can be brought on by stress if a person is genetically predisposed to it. There's no way to prevent arthritis from developing, and unfortunately, there is no cure. All types of arthritis are degenerative diseases, which mean they damage your body over time. Stem cell therapy is a powerful new tool in your doctor's arsenal. It can help you fight arthritis. Here are two key reasons you should consider this treatment:

It does not require a donor.

When you first hear about stem cell treatment, you may immediately wonder where the stem cells will come from. Fortunately, this treatment does not require a donor. Your doctor will be able to extract stem cells from your own bone marrow. They will use a needle to remove some bone marrow from your body. Next, the bone marrow will be placed in a centrifuge in order to extract the stem cells within. If your doctor is unable to use your bone marrow for any reason, they may also be able to extract stem cells from your fat; abdominal fat is usually used for this purpose.

Using your own stem cells is beneficial for a number of reasons. It means you won't have to wait for a suitable donor to become available. There is also a lessened chance that your body will reject the stem cells, since they don't come from a foreign body.

It is an alternative to surgery.

Doctors typically prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to slow the progression of arthritis. However, this will not cure your arthritis. Over time, your condition may wear down your cartilage, which can be very painful. Without cartilage, your bones will grind against each other, which can cause pain in your knees while walking and running. Knee replacement is usually indicated at this point, but knee replacement is an invasive surgery with a long recovery period.

Instead of surgery, you can try knee pain stem cell therapy. Your doctor will inject stem cells into your knee at strategic places. Stem cells are valued for their ability to transform into any type of cell found in the human body. Your stem cells will become cartilage, allowing your body to regrow the cartilage that was lost. Your own cartilage will act as a better buffer for your joints than any artificial replacement. As an added bonus, this treatment is much less invasive than knee replacement.

Share