Lumbar discs, along with nerves, muscles, ligaments and five vertebral bones, make up the lower portion of the back called the lumbar spine. Together they help support the body’s weight with the discs themselves offering a cushioning effect that keeps the lumbar vertebrae from rubbing against one another. The discs also keep the bones of the lower back properly spaced and aligned, allowing us to bend and move without damaging spinal nerves that travel the length of the lumbar region to the end of the spinal canal.
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Trauma, disease and natural wear and tear deterioration over time can erode any component of the lumbar spine, and they frequently affect the discs, causing a variety of symptoms including pain, numbness, decreased flexibility, bladder and bowel problems and even paralysis if the damage gets to be too great. Traditional treatments for lumbar disc degeneration have included measures meant to control symptoms, such as rest, medication, physical therapy and surgery. However, these options do little to physically repair lumbar disc decay, instead only providing support to adjoining tissue structures so that damage is mitigated and further decay is delayed. The good news is there is finally a better option. Unlike other treatment options, stem cell therapy for lumbar disc problems works to actually repair disc tissue. Here’s what you need to know about using stem cell therapy for lumbar discs:
What is Stem Cell Therapy for Lumbar Discs?
Stem cells are special cells that can develop into multiple (or sometimes all) types of cells. They are able to replicate as needed, with many existing in embryos and helping to guide our initial development. Others exist postnatally; these adult stem cells are the types of stem cells used in lumbar disc treatments. It is believed that stem cells can be harvested from reserves within a patient’s own body (for this type of treatment, usually bone marrow in the hip, as well as abdominal fat), then combined with other biologics and injected back into the patient’s damaged disc to facilitate the regeneration of healthy lumbar disc tissue.
How Stem Cell Therapy for Lumbar Discs Works
Research shows that stem cells have the ability to regenerate healthy cells, even in tissue that differs from their original source. Usually, cells can only give rise to cells of their like type: blood cells make more blood cells; skin cells make more skin cells, etc. Adult stem cells, however, by virtue of their very nature, have the ability to become most types of soft tissue cells regardless of their origin. When lumbar disc tissue deteriorates via an injury or disease or even old age, an inadequate store of existing disc cells from which they might replicate, coupled with a limited blood supply, often makes it difficult for cellular renewal to take place; there simply isn’t the necessary supply of raw materials available for cellular regeneration to occur. Stem cell therapy for lumbar discs works by providing the cells needed to replace the damaged ones, decrease inflammation and recruit the bodies resources to help repair the damaged tissue.
What Results Can You Expect from Stem Cell Therapy for Lumbar Discs
Study after study indicates that stem cells have the potential to reduce inflammation, generate new cells, repair damage and reduce pain. Furthermore, our own patients here at ThriveMD have seen significant improvements to their mobility, along with dramatic reductions in their levels of pain, making us confident that stem cell therapy for lumbar discs could potentially work in similar ways for you or a loved one, too.
Want to Learn More?
Past scientific discoveries and today’s ongoing research indicate stem cell therapy for lumbar discs is not only safe, it is effective. Our medical director, Dr. Scott Brandt, has dedicated his career to regenerative medicine and interventional pain management, spending more than 20 years studying, administering care and teaching stem cell therapies and restorative cellular techniques. To learn more about using stem cell therapy for lumbar disc degeneration, please contact our office for a consultation.
Stems Cells are Less Risky and Have the Potential to Be More Powerful than Many Traditional Spinal Treatments
New spinal disc treatments make use of stem cells. There are several types of stem cells, but the ones used in today’s treatments are autologous, harvested from a patient’s own fat and bone marrow reserves. Studies show that stem cells taken from these areas have the potential to differentiate into different types of joint tissue, as well as reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Because the stem cells used for these kinds of spinal disc treatments are not supplied from a donor but rather from a patient’s own body via needle aspiration and/or liposuction, there is no risk of rejection and minimal risk of infection. The entire treatment procedure is completed in an office based procedure suite within 2-3 hours, and patients typically return to their own homes to recover for one to two days, resuming normal daily activities thereafter. When compared to lengthy rehabilitation and strengthening programs that require time to experience noticeable results or surgery that is invasive with a prolonged recovery, today’s new spinal disc treatments using stem cells are minimally invasive and the only option for possibly changing underlying cell morphology.
Stem Cells are the Ultimate Pain Relievers
Traditional treatments to treat diseased and injured discs included pain medication, steroid injections, physical therapy and surgery, any one of which only potentially alleviated symptoms of musculoskeletal degeneration. In 2021 we have other options, though! Continuing research has shed light on how adult stem cells have the ability to actually repair discs at a cellular level. It’s exciting news because it means adult stem cells can be harvested from and reapplied to patients in a way that encourages new tissue growth! When healthy tissue replaces damaged and diseased tissue, normal function can be restored and pain can be improved at the source!
The ThriveMD Difference
Today’s new spinal disc treatments are not created equal. To ensure the best care, as well as the best results, patients need to seek superior healthcare from an experienced regenerative medicine clinic. Our medical director here at ThriveMD, Dr. Scott Brandt, has over two decades of experience in interventional pain management, regenerative stem cell therapy and age-related disease. He remains active in new product development and clinical research, and speaks frequently at workshops and conferences. Please contact our office to learn about the latest spinal disc treatments using stem cells and whether or not one might be a realistic option for you or a loved one.