Until recently, most back pain sufferers used a combined regimen of rest, physical therapy, medication and, sometimes, surgery to facilitate pain relief. But research over the past two decades has introduced an alternative treatment option with significant promise for many patients: stem cell therapy. Here’s what patients should know about spine degeneration and what they can expect when using stem cell therapy to treat it: Why Spine Degeneration Can Hurt Our spines are each composed of individual bones called vertebrae, the majority of which are separated by intervertebral discs. These …
How to Choose Which Annular Tear Treatment is Right for You
But First, Let’s Talk About the Spine The human spine (what most of us call “our back”) is the bony column that runs from the base of our skull to the top of our pelvis. It includes 33 vertebrae and a variety of muscles, nerves and other soft tissue structures that combine to protect our spinal cord and stabilize our body’s weight distribution. Of course, the spine also allows us to flex and rotate as needed. Twenty-three discs separate the majority of the spine’s individual vertebrae; these discs are important …
5 Common Misconceptions About Stem Cell Therapy for Herniated Discs
Stem Cells for Back Pain: Expectations vs. Reality
Stem Cell Injections for Back Pain: The Process and Recovery
Stem Cell Therapy for Degenerative Disc Disease
Everything You Need to Know About Stem Cell Therapy vs PRP
PRP 101 Blood is composed of four main components: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Unsurprisingly, platelet-rich plasma has a much higher concentration of platelets (about 5-10 times greater) than blood. PRP is beneficial for regenerative purposes because platelets contain natural sources of growth factors, as well as proteins and cytokines that stimulate the healing of bone and soft tissue. As such, PRP promotes cell repair, which in turn can lead to decreased inflammation and reduction in pain. A PRP procedure consists of four stages: First, the …