Pain management can often be every bit as frustrating and stressful as the pain itself, especially when it comes to chronic joint pain and inflammation. Solutions for this type of pain frequently include either excruciating surgeries with long recovery periods or long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs called NSAIDs, which have a long list of side effects that can cause serious complications. Even less appealing are the highly addictive qualities of narcotic painkillers, though these can seem like the only option when all else fails.
Thankfully, there is a better option available with proven results and significantly fewer risks! Stem cell therapy is growing in popularity thanks to its success, its versatility, and its reliability as an alternative to surgeries that may or may not return you to the activities you previously enjoyed before pain disrupted your life.
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Stem cell therapy uses the concept of taking stem cells--a type of cell that has not yet been assigned a role in the body and has the potential to become anything--and designing them to replace damaged or diseased cells nearly anywhere within the body. Doing so can encourage rapid healing, improved mobility, and lasting pain relief without the use of narcotics or invasive surgeries.
Is Stem Cell Therapy Safe?
The FDA closely regulates any kind of cellular therapy, and as long as the doctor performing the procedure has been properly educated and trained on how to turn these stem cells into specialized cells, the therapy itself is safer than most surgeries with no known side effects! Patients consistently report improved pain levels and quality of life in as few as one treatment. Some patients will return for additional treatments if the site is re-injured or if their end goal is to be able to engage in more intensive activities, but multiple treatments is typically not necessary.
How Does Stem Cell Treatment Work?
The treatment itself is an injection of the cells into the site of injury, where the cells will develop into the specialized tissues needed to improve your quality of life. There is no need for any kind of anesthesia, and pain during the procedure is minimal. However, if there is any concern about injection pain, your doctor may be willing to numb the area with a topical or injectable numbing agent. The process from start to finish--preparation of the procedure to any necessary bandaging--takes around half an hour, and you’re free to resume your life immediately thereafter so long as activities don’t agitate the sensitive injection site. The affected area may be sore for a couple of days in some cases, but recovery beyond that is relatively painless!
How Long Does Stem Cell Treatment Take to Work?
Effective time may vary from patient to patient depending on the severity of the damaged tissues. Minor injuries or wear and tear pains may see drastic improvement in as little as a couple of weeks, while patients whose pain is from more serious damage may require a few months before reaching the full benefits of stem cell therapy. Said patients may also request follow-up injections to encourage further healing.
Why Should I Choose Stem Cell Therapy Over Other Alternatives?
One of the biggest reasons for stem cell therapy rise in popularity is that it can provide better results than surgeries and painkillers with virtually none of the risks or side effects. When done right, this alternative can bring patients long-lasting pain relief and genuine healing without putting them through excruciating surgeries that will require longer recovery times than it would take for the stem cell therapy to do its work.
There is also something to be said for not having to rely on painkillers and anti-inflammatories for long periods of time, especially if they run any risk of addiction or serious side effects. Stem cell treatments completely sidestep the need to put patients already in pain through even more of it and protect them from long-term drug reliance.
What’s My Next Step?
If you’re experiencing chronic pain that you believe stem cell therapy may be able to treat, set up a consultation! You have nothing to lose by asking any additional questions you may have, and absolutely everything to gain. Athletes suffering from osteoarthritis and severe injuries have used stem cell injections to return to an active, athletic lifestyle, and anyone can benefit from this milestone in modern medicine. Don’t delay your relief, and set up your consultation today!