Degeneration is a common cause of low back pain. There are many factors that contribute to how much degeneration occurs and who experiences symptoms - the biggest being increasing age, and genetics. Unfortunately we don't have control over these factors and even though we live a healthy lifestyle and put litle wear and tear on our spine, we can still have disabling pain and loss of function.
Current treatment for low back pain includes conservative management, such as exercise and physical therapy, medications such as anti-inflammatories, therapeutic injections, and can progress to even surgery, with the goal of restoring function, and quality of life.
New Technologies Providing New Hope
Looking to the future, we are gaining further understanding of how the degeneration process occurs in the spine. At a cellular level, there is ongoing damage that can occur, with a loss of healthy cells inside the disc that is responsible for the degeneration of the disc’s structure. Eventually, normal cells are replaced with scar like fibrotic cells, and the walls of the discs break down because of a weakened structure. This could lead to bulging discs, protrusions, disc herniations, tears, and bone spurs as arthritis and inflammation begin to occur as well. This process leads down its own pathway of degeneration, but what if there was a way to reverse this and return normal, healthy cells to our discs?
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Every person carries inside their bodies cells that have the ability to form completely new, healthy tissues. These cells are called STEM CELLS and are found throughout the body and exist in order to replenish dying cells and regenerate healthy tissue. Unfortunately this process slows down the older we get.
Proven Medical Technology With Proven Results
Scientists have known about these stem cells as early as 1993 and were deemed safe for therapeutic use in humans shortly thereafter. Since then, research has continued to show that they can aid in healing, and the repair and even regeneration of tendons, bone, and degenerative and damaged joints. Even more recent research has shown that adult Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to produce new cells in lumbar discs, which are able to bring new healthy tissue to a degenerating disc, and thus reversing, slowing down, or even possibly putting a stop to the aging process.
Outpatient Procedures Without Spinal Surgery
We perform many of these prcedures, as adult stem cells can be transferred into a person’s degenerated disc safely and effectively in an outpatient setting, without resorting to surgery. We can harvest a small volume of stem cells, or growth factors, with some options of these being available commercially as well. Our physicians Dr. Baumgartl and Dr. Fisher are both well-qualified, trained experts on spinal, musculoskeletaion, joint, and rehabilitative options, with STEM CELL and growth factor (PRP) treatment being a new exciting option available to our patients.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a form of regenerative medicine for soft tissue injuries & managing or eliminating back, neck, joint or other pain.
What is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy?
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a safe, effective and all natural way to bring growth and healing factors to damaged joints and soft tissue for repair, as well as to alleviate chronic pain. PRP consists of a small sample of your own blood, spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets and then injected into the injured or painful area.
PRP has been used for over 20 years in numerous surgical fields to enhance bone grafting, repair damage, accelerate wound healing and reduce the risk of infection after surgery. Medical research and intensive studies are leading the way to the tremendous benefits offered by PRP for joint pain, soft tissue injuries, low back disc degeneration, and arthritis, with the goal of enhancing the body’s ability to naturally heal itself.
How Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Works
When tissue injury occurs, a healing process starts. The first phase is inflammation, and platelets collect at the site to stop bleeding, and begin to release growth factors as signals for other cells to come in and start the healing process. We can simulate this initial step by concentrating these platelets and administering them straight into the injury or damaged area, thus delivering a powerful mixture of therse healing stimulating chemicals exactly where you need them, dramatically enhancing your body’s natural healing process.
The PRP injection is very safe. You may experience very mild pain, stiffness or swelling initially but once the initial inflammatory phase passes, the healing begins. While any medical procedure carries a small risk of infection, since you’re using your own blood this risk is minimal.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy can be used to treat a variety of acute and chronic injuries, including:
• Chronic lower back pain
• Spinal stenosis
• Tennis elbow
• Rotator cuff tears
• Knee osteoarthritis
• Achilles tendinitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears
• Acute and chronic tendon problems
• Injuries to ligaments and muscles
