Things to Know About Stem Cell Therapy & Your Spine in Charlotte
Back pain is a common condition that affects many Americans and individuals worldwide. You’ve probably had it or may be currently living with it. Possibly, you’ve tried managing it with over-the-counter medications, physical therapy, and opioids, and yet you still feel some discomfort.
Low back pain can be challenging to treat, no doubt, but thanks to advances in regenerative medicine, it is possible to use stem cells to treat different types of back pain. If you’ve been looking for treatment for your spine in Charlotte and Fort Mill using stem cell therapy, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on to discover how this revolutionary treatment can help your spine.
Stem Cells: What Are They?
Every type of cell in your body has a defined and specific purpose. Stem cells, on the other hand, do not yet have a specific purpose. Hence, they’re at a stage where they are undifferentiated and can become anything as the body needs them.
They’re especially useful in medicine because of their regenerative potential, so they’ve become widely used for the treatment of several conditions such as knee arthritis and many types of joint conditions. If you have chronic low back pain that refuses to respond to therapy after the use of over-the-counter medications or sufficient rest, then you may be a candidate for stem cell therapy.
How We Treat Spine Pain with Stem Cell Therapy in Charlotte & Fort Mill
Stem cell treatment is a specialized technique for harnessing the body’s regenerative potential. Stem cell therapy uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for harnessing the body’s healing process and facilitating quick recovery of back pain.
These stem cells are harvested from the patient’s own body, so there’s no risk of adverse reactions and rejection. Once harvested, they’re injected into the affected area of the spine under fluoroscopic guidance for precise injection of the stem cell into the targeted disc(s), joints, ligaments, or muscles.
Instead of managing the symptoms as commonly encountered with conventional therapies, stem cell therapy actually treats the source of the pain. The stem cell does this by initially differentiating into the necessary cell type to repair affected spinal discs or joints.
The stem cells then begin a regenerative process that enables the affected area to self-renew, so they start working to heal naturally. By addressing the source of the pain, pain and inflammation are immediately reduced and recovery is faster.
Spine Conditions That Can Be Treated with Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy is effective for treating several back conditions. Here are some of the back conditions that can be effectively treated with stem cell therapy:
Degenerative Disc Disease
Several conditions related to the aging process can lead to chronic back pain. One of these conditions is degenerative disc disease which occurs as a result of continuous stress on the discs that run through the spine.
This causes the discs to lose their flexibility, elasticity, and shock-absorbing properties. Hence, the surrounding ligaments start wearing, become brittle, and could even start tearing slowly. Additionally, the center of the disc starts shrinking. These events lead to degenerative disc disease, and they require expert intervention for precise diagnosis and treatment.
Disc Herniations
Do you feel back pain that radiates to one or both of your arms or legs and even some numbness and weakness in your extremities? Then you may have a herniated disc. Herniated discs usually occur as a result of too much continuous pressure on healthy intervertebral discs.
These pressures can come from forces that are exerted through bending or falling from a significant height. At times, discs may become herniated as a result of repeated poor posture. Diagnosis of disc herniations requires the intervention of a pain specialist using a combination of physical observation and specialized imaging techniques. Fortunately, this condition can be effectively treated with stem cell therapy.
Spine Arthritis (Facet Joint Disease)
Spine arthritis is characterized by stiffness and low back pain which gets worse when sitting upright or standing. In most cases, it is usually caused by degenerative changes to the joint between the bones of the spine which causes a condition known as facet joint syndrome.
Common symptoms of facet joint disease include back and/or neck stiffness, pain that gets worse for about 30 minutes after waking up and later in the evening, swelling, localized tenderness, and loss of flexibility. If you experience any of these symptoms, you may need the intervention of a pain specialist to check for spine arthritis.
Fortunately, stem cell therapy for facet joint disease is only minimally invasive and can help heal and restore structure and function to your spine.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction can occur as a result of activities that impose repeated stress on the sacroiliac joint or events that lead to abnormal joint motion. Hence, too much motion or too little motion can cause sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
Symptoms usually manifest as weakness, tingling, numbness, and low back pain. This condition can be effectively treated with stem cell injections targeted to the sacroiliac joint.
Pinched Nerves
Pinched nerves can cause pain anywhere they’re located in your body. Pinched nerves in the lumbar regions can cause low back pain which can radiate to your hips, buttocks, and legs. Pinched nerves or sciatica results from compression of the nerve between the discs in the spine which causes pain in the back shooting down the leg.
Conventional pain management techniques can only manage back pain conditions resulting from a pinched nerve for a short while. An appropriate diagnosis and precise targeting using stem cell therapy effectively treat this condition by facilitating regenerative repair of affected tissues and nerves.
Find Stem Cell Therapy for Your Spine in Charlotte and Fort Mill
We provide personalized treatments for your conditions at Advanced Sports & Spine. Contact us for stem cell therapy for your spine pain in Charlotte and Fort Mill.