Stem Cell Therapy using Bone Marrow (BMAC) for Osteoarthritis

In the past few years, stem cell therapy has been acclaimed as a miracle treatment for Osteoarthritis. In every family of the United States and across the globe, there must be at least one member living with Osteoarthritis. Mild symptoms can heal through exercises, fat loss, simple medical interventions, and some lifestyle changes. 

However, it won't help the moderate to severe ones. For such chronic osteoarthritis cases, stem cell therapy doctors can offer the best helping hand. They have come up with Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Treatment as an alternative to painful surgeries. 

What is Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate?

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate includes substances derived from the elements contained naturally in the human body. In simple words, BMAC helps the body repair itself by using stem cells produced from the human's bone marrow. When such cells are infused directly into an injured area, they stimulate the body's healing mechanism. 

Further, it results in rapid and effective regeneration of the tissue, restoring it to a more steady condition. It is a non-surgical method that treats chronic Osteoarthritis of the spine, knee, hip, and other joint-related degeneration. 

How does this therapy work?

The stem cell therapy doctors collect a small number of mesenchymal stem cells (Medicinal Signalling Cells) from the patient's bone marrow. They generally extract the cells from the back of the pelvis or hip region, keeping the patient under sedation or local anesthesia. After the extraction, the practitioner pulls out the injection and applies some pressure over that area to stop bleeding, following a small dressing. 

The cells are centrifuged to make them concentrated. The stem cell therapy clinician will inject the concentrated cells into the region that requires recovery using image guidance and track the needle's location. Right after the dose, the cells release production and other factors that activate the body's curing response. As the body's recovery process starts, the patient may encounter some swelling and discomfort. 

In most cases, the patients observe an improvement in stability and strength and a reduction in discomfort typically after four to eight weeks. However, the healing period depends upon the severeness of Osteoarthritis. Crutches or a sling may be advised to limit the use of the damaged site as it heals, relying on the injury.

To maximize the efficiency of the BMAC regenerative therapy, stem cell therapy doctors may give one or more needle shots based on the size of the wounded region. 

Is it safe to take BMAC injections?

According to research and clinical evidence, regenerative medicine treatments using a patient's own biologic substance are exceptionally effective. Any adverse reaction or complication is improbable to happen. As the BMAC injections churn out from the person's bone marrow, there is no risk of disease transmission. 

Expectations Before the Treatment

Before the BMAC medication begins, your stem cell therapy doctor will go through all your symptoms and review the scan images if you have any. The patients may fail to have any visuals of their injured part with them. Under those circumstances, the clinician will order the necessary imaging (MRI or X-ray) to evaluate your damage or the position of your pain, impairment, or immobility. 

After getting all the accurate reports and medical records, the physician may offer BMAC stem cell treatment for the sufferer. Moreover, the procedure may get delayed if the patient is taking some antibiotics at that moment. Taking any oral or injectable steroids before seven to eight weeks of BMAC treatment is highly inadvisable by the doctors. Consult with your physician if you need to take steroids. 

Expectations During the Treatment

The whole process of collecting, concentrating, and injecting bone marrow aspirate concentrate into an injured tissue takes about one to two hours. The patient will be lying on a comfortable table or bed for the stem cell extraction. The physician will then apply general anesthesia to clean and numb the region from where the needle will take the bone marrow. 

Then, following the extraction, it will get processed in a specialized centrifuge to isolate the platelets and stem cells from the other elements. As a result, it will transform into a productive concentrate that will aid in repairing. The concentrate is then injected into the wounded region with the help of image guidance to ensure correct placing. The stem cells activate the secretion of cellular growth factors, which stimulate the body's own healing process and revitalize diseased cells after the dose.

Expectations After the Treatment

You will experience soreness around the affected area during your BMAC stem cell-like treatment. Nevermind! This soreness is a good indication that the healing process has begun. This impact will last few days and diminishes as the recovery period proceeds. It would be best if you handle the injected region with precaution. 

Three-four weeks after the procedure, refrain from taking anti-inflammatory drugs, which prevents the body's natural healing mechanism. Your stem cell therapy practitioner will recommend you to avert any intensive exercise for about two to three weeks. You should only resume their daily activities and can perform light training after a resting period. 

Implementing physical therapy programs will support the performance of the BMAC procedure. After your treatment, you will need to make a follow-up doctor visit. Typically, the patients require one BMAC injection to help with their Osteoarthritis. While some may get instant relief after the first dose, some may have to schedule a second injection. 

Takeaway

In case of inadequate blood flow or other regenerative properties, BMAC can be instrumental in recovery. It has been a fruitful, less invasive, and less risky treatment to heal many orthopedic disorders. There are plenty of stem cell therapy clinics in the US that offer stem cell therapy but very few come close to offering it the right way and to the right patient population. Not everyone is a candidate for bone marrow based therapy and other alternatives may be offered.

Nevertheless, Dr. Roshni Patel offers the best and powerful BMAC treatment in the country. With nearly two decades of experience in interventional pain management therapies, she has founded one of the top Regenerative medicine clinics in the US. 

Want to know more about BMAC therapy? Call us at 860-397-6179 and schedule your visit today!