Can MSC Treat Back Pain?
- Yes, depending on the root cause of the back pain
- MSC can enhance other treatment methods for best possible results
What Causes Back Pain?
From environmental factors such as the weather and stress to more serious issues such as injury and degenerative diseases, many factors can cause and contribute to back pain. Before deciding on a treatment plan, it is always best to understand the root cause of back pain and what may be exacerbating the issue. Conditions that may be causing back pain include:
- Bulging or herniated discs (which then compress nerves)
- Arthritic facet joints (two of these exist in each spinal level)
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
- Spinal stenosis (places pressure on nerves)
- Loose ligaments and the sacroiliac joint
- Muscle trigger points (or atrophied stabilizing muscles)
- And other conditions
Should I Have Surgery?
Though in the past, surgery has been the only option available to alleviate back pain and other conditions, it is no longer the case.
Regenerative medicine such as MSC injections and other treatments have provided doctors and the patients they treat more options for addressing conditions that cause back pain. These alternatives to surgery present less risk and may considerably cut down on pain and recovery time. Surgery is still a recommended treatment but, depending on the condition, may be the last resort after all other methods have been tried. Though regenerative medicine can still present risk for complications, research and anecdotal evidence from patients suggest that MSC and other treatments could effectively enhance a patient’s life both during recovery and after treatment.
MSC Injections for Back Pain
What is MSC Injections?
The human body is remarkable as it has the capability to repair itself. There are several ways that the body can do this. One way is through using platelets and another, through stem cells. Platelets are found in the blood and help to clot the area when there has been damage. They also tell the surrounding cells what to do to start the healing process. Platelets are equipped with growth factors which they release to speed up the process of healing: growth factors can be likened to the effect of espresso shots.
Mesenchymal stem cells or MSC, like platelets, are another natural mechanism within the body that promotes healing. These are the same stem cells that are used in stem cell therapy. This type of stem cell specializes in differentiating themselves into bone, cartilage, or fat cells when healing needs to occur, as well as more stem cells called daughter cells. MSC (stem cell therapy) and PRP have both been used to treat various back conditions.
MCS Injections: Regenerative Medicine For Back Pain
Regenerative medicine is an umbrella term for treatments such as MSC injections and PRP that use the body’s own means of healing promote healing to a specific area of the body. Because this treatment uses the body’s own means of healing, often there is less risk for complication. What’s more, MSC can enhance PRP to provide the best potential results.
Though PRP treatments can help a patient accelerate healing and help with pain management, sometimes the number of cells regenerated by PRP is simply not enough to get the best results; PRP can help tendons and ligaments heal, but a lot of cells must already be living in those tissues. In other words, if there isn’t a sufficient number of cells available, then enhancing PRP with MCS can be an effective way to treat patients, especially those with arthritis.
MCS and other similar treatments have widespread applications, and like any time you are seeking treatment it is best to seek the advice of a specialist to determine if MCS or any other treatment is the best option for you.
Get started today by making an appointment with Dr. Rahman.