Regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving field that offers new hope for individuals suffering from joint pain. Traditional treatments for joint pain often focus on symptom management, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and pain medication, rather than addressing the root cause of the problem.
Regenerative medicine offers a new approach to treating joint pain that uses the body’s natural healing mechanisms to promote tissue regeneration and renewal.
Types and Causes of Joint Pain
Joint pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including autoimmune disorders, wear and tear across a lifetime, injury or repetitive stress, or the trauma caused by overuse and overexertion.
Some typical joint pain conditions include:
- Arthritis: This painful inflammatory disease can be caused by an autoimmune problem or by overuse of the joints and the natural process of wear and tear on the cartilage in the joints. Osteoarthritis occurs slowly and mostly affects the wrists, hands, hips, and knees. Rheumatoid arthritis can deform the joints and cause fluid buildup and inflammation that compresses nerves and causes intense pain.
- Some diseases: Diseases like gout, lupus, and rickets can cause intense joint pain from inflammation or other fluid build ups.
- Bursitis: If the fluid-filled sacs, called bursae, surrounding the joints become inflamed, they can become extremely painful as they impinge on the nerve tissue.
- Tendinitis: Stress and trauma to tendons surrounding the joints, particularly in the elbow, shoulder, and knee, can cause intense pain in the joints and limit movement.
- Overuse or injury: Occasionally, joints can be damaged extensively in a sports-related injury or just suffer a breakdown of the tissues involved in keeping the joint healthy throughout a lifetime.
These conditions cause pain in basically the same way – damaged tissue becomes inflamed or irritated, and the surrounding nerve tissue becomes compressed, causing intense pain and restricting movement.
While drugs may temporarily provide relief, the pain will return unless the cause of the inflammation is addressed.
Regenerative Treatments for Joint Pain and Inflammation
Regenerative medicine offers two new methods of treating joint pain that take advantage of the body’s natural healing mechanisms to promote tissue regeneration and renewal.
Using either human cellular tissue or Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections, doctors can help the body tell itself to heal. Both types of therapy involve materials rich in amino acids, cytokines, and healing factors that promote damaged tissue regrowth.
Regenerative Tissue Therapy
Human cellular tissue is donated and contains mesenchymal stem cells, which can differentiate into many different cell types, including bone, cartilage, and muscle cells. When injected into the damaged area, these cells can help to regenerate new tissue and promote healing.
Platelet-rich Plasma Injections
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is derived from the patient’s own blood, which is spun in a centrifuge to create a concentrated solution of platelets. Platelets contain growth factors that can stimulate tissue regeneration and repair. When injected into the damaged area, PRP can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Benefits of Regenerative Treatments
While each case is different, these regenerative treatments offer patients a chance at a life free from the pain and immobility of joint pain.
Some of the benefits of regenerative treatments for joint pain and inflammation:
- Non-invasive
- Low risk
- Short recovery time
- Improved range of motion
- Long-lasting results
To find out more about how regenerative medicine can alleviate your joint pain, contact Optilux Wellness Center today at (724) 335-5210.