Stem Cell Injections

FAQ’s on Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Injection Therapy

What is a Stem Cell Injection?

A stem cell injection is one of the newest treatment options available to patients, and involves the use of the body’s own undeveloped cells to heal damaged tissues.

When specialized tissues such as cartilage or muscle are damaged, it is difficult for the body to produce these quick enough to adequately treat the injury. In some cases, like cartilage, the body cannot produce these cells at all.

Stem cells are able to adapt and become these specialized cells, providing a means to stimulate the body’s own healing process for a better and faster recovery. Stem cell injections are quickly becoming a way to potentially treat injuries that would otherwise be permanent.

What will a Stem Cell Injection treat?

The exact capabilities of a stem cell injection are currently just working theories, with many still in the clinical testing stage. Assuming that the stem cells are harvested correctly, it is theoretically possible to create an injection that can treat nearly every injury of the body. This is due to the ability of stem cells to become any cell of the body, allowing for the replacement of cells that are lost due to injury.

For pain management, the indications include:

Tendonitis – elbow, achilles, rotator cuff, patella
Ligament Injuries
Arthritis – Knee, Hip, Shoulder, Ankle, Elbow
Fractures
Plantar Fasciitis

How is a Stem Cell Injection performed?

There are two main ways stem cells can be gathered in preparation for use in an injection. The first method involves harvesting these cells from a person’s bone marrow or adipose tissue, creating an injection that can be used for that patient only.

Cells gathered from this person are referred to as self-cells, and are harvested from the bone marrow or adipose tissue of the patient.

Amniotic Stem Cells

The second method of gathering these cells is to harvest them from the amniotic fluid that remains after birth. This is typically discarded following a birth, but may instead be taken to a lab where the stem cells can be extracted. The fluid is obtained after scheduled c-sections from consenting donors. There is no fetal tissue and no ethical concerns.
Once harvested, these are carefully scanned for possible diseases. These are processed into an injectable that consists of the stem cells, hyaluronic acid (assists in the regeneration of tissue) and anti-inflammatory agents which, together, work as a reliable means of both pain treatment and a stimulant for the healing process.

How well do Stem Cell Injections work?

Small studies looking at bone marrow stem cells and amniotic stem cells have shown excellent results. Larger studies are underway to obtain statistical significance.