Whether you have an ongoing injury that just won’t heal, you can’t get the pain relief you need from conservative treatments, or you want to avoid surgery, regenerative medicine may offer the solution you need. The exceptional doctors at Interventional Spine and Pain Center in Manchester and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, offer advanced regenerative treatment options including stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. To learn if you’re a good candidate for regenerative medicine, call one of the offices or schedule an appointment online.

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What is regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine treats injuries and diseases using the same cells your body relies on to heal. You may hear this type of treatment referred to as regenerative cell therapy because it uses living cells, such as stem cells, and injects them into your body, where they regenerate all the different cells needed to promote healing.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells have the unique ability to continuously divide and create a new cell. Then that new cell can develop into numerous types of cells, which are used to replace old tissues and repair injured or diseased tissues. Your body relies on this regenerative process to keep you healthy throughout your lifetime.

Many types of adult stem cells are found throughout your body, but mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are often used for stem cell therapy because they’re abundant and easy to harvest from your body fat and bone marrow.

MSCs also divide and develop into the tissues essential for healing musculoskeletal conditions: ligaments, tendons, cartilage, muscles, collagen, fat, and blood vessels. When they’re injected at the site of an injury or degenerative disease such as arthritis, MSCs regenerate those tissues, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

What is platelet-rich plasma (PRP)?

Along with red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma, platelets are a normal component of your blood. When you suffer an injury or develop a disease, platelets travel to the site and release proteins called growth factors. These growth factors then accelerate healing, regulate inflammation, protect healthy cells, and recruit stem cells to the area.

PRP is produced in the office from a sample of your blood that’s processed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge separates the blood components, leaving concentrated platelets and plasma that are injected at the site of your damaged tissues.

What health conditions are treated with regenerative medicine?

Stem cells and PRP may be used separately or together to produce optimal results. These regenerative therapies are often used to relieve pain and treat conditions such as:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rotator cuff tears
  • Meniscus tears
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Tendon and ligament injuries

Regenerative medicine therapies can help alleviate pain and accelerate healing in many different conditions that cause back, hip, knee, neck, and shoulder pain. PRP injections are also recommended when your injury involves tissues that heal slowly due to poor blood supply, or when your injury is so severe that it overpowers your body’s healing ability.

If you have questions about regenerative medicine, call Interventional Spine and Pain Center or schedule an appointment online.