Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

When you’re in pain, it’s important to find effective, long-lasting solutions that can provide short recovery periods. This is what regenerative medicine offers.  Over the past decade, there has been a growing field of medicine that utilizes the body’s own healing capabilities using platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This growing field is labeled as regenerative medicine. Regenerative therapies focus on healing and help regrow damaged tissue naturally. Regenerative injection therapy is used to provide relief to musculoskeletal injuries that involve damage to ligaments, tendons, cartilage, joints, and discs.

What Are MSCs?

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most basic components and cellular building blocks with the ability to regenerate into any tissue type. Our bodies often can not accumulate enough stem cells into the affected or injured area thus limiting the healing process from fully repairing the damaged tissue. By utilizing your own cells and introducing a concentrated amount into an area of injury, we promote the recruitment of even further stem cells and complete healing, growth, and regeneration of the needed tissue directly. This may be accomplished with MSC injection therapy.

At CEPRM Center of Excellence in Pain & Regenerative Medicine in Farmington, CT, we use MSC injections to stimulate the body’s natural healing process in order to regenerate tissue in damaged joints. MSCs are a more concentrated form of platelet-rich plasma, containing vital growth factors and cytokines your cells need in the repair process.

Are MSCs Safe?

Stem Cell Therapy is completely safe as we are using what your body naturally produces, concentrating the desired critical components and transplanting them into the affected area for effective tissue regeneration and healing. There is no risk of rejection and very minimal overall procedural risk.

FDA regulations do not allow for the cloning of stem cells or growing them in a lab. Also, stem cells derived from fat cells are not approved by the FDA as it does not allow for manipulation. This leaves us to another rich stem cell source in our body which is bone marrow. Stem cells exist in our bodies and are rudimentary cells that can differentiate into other cells.

Think of bone marrow stem cells as the mother cell that is responsible for producing new blood cells. Bone marrow contains hundreds of growth factors and is often used for severe degenerative conditions or where PRP therapy may not be sufficient to provide the growth factors needed to provide relief.

Lastly, there are many offshoot therapies that use biologics derived from placental tissue or blood cord. These biologics are sometimes marketed as Stem cells but are not stem cells and contain zero viable cells. What they contain are growth factors that can also aid when combined with PRP or Stem Cells derived from your own body.

Where Can MSCs Be Applied?

MSCs may be used to target a number of conditions that could benefit from their healing and regenerative qualities. Especially when considering chronic pain, alternative solutions may be necessary if it has been difficult to find relief. Along with generalized joint pain, MSCs may be used to target:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Shoulder pain and instability
• Tennis & golfer’s elbow
• Hamstring and hip strains
• Knee sprains and instability
• Patellofemoral syndrome and patellar tendinosis
• Ankle sprains
• Achilles tendinosis & plantar fasciitis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spine Conditions including Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease
• Joint Injuries & Pain
• Chronic Pain

Benefits of MSCs

With so many options for joint pain out there, you may be wondering what benefits choosing stem cell therapy provides. Overall, mesenchymal stem cells utilize biologic material harvested directly from the patient’s body. The general benefits include minimal risk, minimal recovery time, and minimal worry:

Avoid surgery and its many complications and risks: Stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure.

Minimal post-procedural recovery time: One of the most time-consuming factors of any injury is not always the treatment itself, but actually the recovery time. With stem cell therapy, recovery time is minimal.

No risk of rejection: Due to using biologics extracted from the patient, there is no risk of rejection.

No communicable disease transmission: As the cells originate within your own body, there is no risk of spreading disease from or to another person.

Consider All Your Options – Regenerative Medicine Is Providing Relief For a Number Of Conditions

If you are suffering from joint or back pain, or a debilitating condition, it is important to consider all of your options. Our elite team of professionals can determine if you are the right candidate for MSCs. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today.