Regenerative Therapy for Knees in Vacaville
The cartilage that covers the ends of the bones allows the bones to easily glide against one another with just only minimal friction. Osteoarthritis can cause damage to the cartilage and can lead to increased friction wherein it carries inflammation, pain, and ultimately, a loss of function and mobility.
Regenerative therapy in Vacaville is a form of treatment that uses the body's own healing mechanisms to help repair and slow down the deterioration of body tissues like cartilage.
Regenerative therapy for the knees focuses on:
- Reduce pain and decrease inflammation
- Slow and repair damaged cartilage
- Delay or prevent the need for knee replacement surgery
This treatment involves the following:
- Concentrating the stem cells together
- Taking a small amount of blood, mostly from the arm
- Injecting the stem cells back into the knee
Does Regenerative Therapy in Vacaville work?
There are studies that concluded that regenerative therapy improves symptoms of arthritis on the knee. Even though the overall results look promising, there is more research to be done to ensure its effectiveness. This includes the discovery of the following:
- Correct dosage
- How it works
- How long is the duration of the result
- How often you'll require the treatment
Possible risks and side effects
Regenerative therapy for the knees is a non-invasive procedure, and studies suggest that there are only minimal side effects.
After the treatment, some people may experience temporary increased pain and swelling. However, the majority of individuals who took therapy therapy don't feel any adverse side effects.
The treatment makes use of stem cells that came from your own body. In theory, this can already reduce the risk of any side effects. However, there are several procedures of harvesting and processing the stem cells, which could affect several success rates of the published studies.
Make sure to do these things before receiving any treatment:
- Ask your doctor for advice
- Learn everything there is to know about the procedure and how it works
Cost of the procedure
Despite conflicting evidence about the effectiveness of regenerative therapy, many clinics offer them as a treatment option for arthritic knee pain.
Even though the FDA classified the regenerative therapy for arthritic knee pain as "investigational", the treatment is not yet standardized and there is no telling how much doctors and clinics will charge.
The cost can range up to several thousands of dollars per knee and that there aren't a lot of insurance companies who will cover the treatment.
Other options
If osteoarthritis is holding you back especially on your daily routine, the ACR/AF recommends these options:
- Weight management
- Exercise and stretching
- Heat and cold pads
- Steroid injections into the joint
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication
- Alternative therapies like yoga and acupuncture
If the ones listed aren't that effective, a total knee replacement surgery can become your next best option. Knee replacement surgery is a common operation that can improve your mobility, reduce pain, and improve quality of life.
Conclusion
There is still ongoing research regarding regenerative therapy as a treatment for osteoarthritic knee pain. Some research has shown promising results and there's a possibility that it could become an accepted treatment option. For now, it is still pricey and experts remain cautiously optimistic about the treatment.
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2:00pm - 7:00pm
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Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine
1490 Alamo Drive Suite B
Vacaville, CA 95687