Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy is a rapidly evolving form of treatment for physical injury, neurological disorders, degenerative conditions, and more. When traditional surgical intervention may not work or is too expensive or invasive, stem cell therapy can be a great choice for relief.
What are stem cells, how can stem cell therapy help treat your needs, and how can you find relief through Warner Orthopedics & Wellness?
What are Stem Cells? How do they work?
Stem cells, found in human embryos, organs, and tissue, our cells carry the potential to develop into other cells. As these cells divide, they act as a repair system. Stem cells have the possibility of becoming a more specialized cell, such as a brain cell or muscle cell, or may remain as a stem cell. Stem cells can divide limitlessly, and they can heal and restore the cells around them in the process.
At Warner Orthopedics, we do not and will not use embryo cells. We harvest mesenchymal stem cells from bone. Stem cells can be multipotent or pluripotent. Multipotent stem cells can develop into many different types of cells. Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to grow into any type of cell that occurs in the human body. Adult mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow are multipotent.
What is stem cell therapy, and what does it treat?
Stem cells therapy provides a safe and natural alternative method for healing as opposed to traditional invasive surgery, injections, or medications. Once a stem cell is obtained and isolated, it can be stored and grown indefinitely within a laboratory. However, this is only possible with a registered clinical study. At WOW, we use methods cleared by the FDA instead. These stem cells can be used to treat a variety of illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and joint injuries. At WOW, we focus on MSK problems.
Jack Nicklaus, an American golf legend, opened up in early 2018 about how stem cell therapy reduced his debilitating back pain that developed due to the repetitive motion of his golf swing. Prior to his stem cell therapy, Nicklaus underwent minor spinal surgery, but this procedure only offered temporary relief.
In February of 2016, Nicklaus received stem cell therapy that utilized adipose stem cells gathered from abdominal fat. After being concentrated and checked for contamination, “Nicklaus received 10 injections in his back and on each side of his lumbar spine, or lower back, and four in his cervical spine, or neck” (Gupta and Sanjay). After a period of recovery and a few months for the stem cells to actively repair the damage, his constant pain subsided.
The FDA currently does not condone this particular method. Rather, mesenchymal stem cells work very well in a treatment plan for OA, muscle injury, tendon damage, sprains, and ligament tears. They are often also used to assist with bone healing. Homologous, autologous, minimally manipulated same-day, same-setting transfers are more appropriate. At WOW, we follow that guideline.
Countless others are finding relief, much like Jack Nicklaus did. From physical injury, to immune disorders, to degenerative conditions, stem cell therapy is providing healing where traditional surgical methods have fallen short.
How does stem cell therapy work?
Mesenchymal stem cell treatment is a same-day procedure done in a sterile setting. After harvesting bone marrow from the hip, leg, or heel, it is prepared at the same setting with purpose-designed technology.
A medical professional will next inject the specialized stem cells into the site of injury for them to begin healing and repairing the damaged tissue. This outpatient procedure can take up to four hours, and while recovery times vary depending on the condition, most patients can return to their daily activities the day after the procedure.
There are certain pre-procedure and post-procedure steps to take to optimize outcomes.
What are ‘stem’ cells and why do they matter?
Posted by Warner Orthopedics & Wellness on Friday, February 16, 2018
Stem cell therapy at Warner Orthopedics in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
At Warner Orthopedics & Wellness, our specialists will diagnose your issues and areas of pain to help you determine if stem cell therapy is the right choice for you. With traditional adult-mesenchymal stem cell therapy using injections of cells gathered from bone marrow concentrate, you can find relief from injuries to tendons and ligaments, arthritis, sprains, and much more. Contact us today for more information and about choosing the treatment you need.
