By our middle ages, adults begin to experience disc degeneration as discs in the spine lose fluid, lose their shape, and become brittle. As the discs flatten, small joints in the back known as the facet joints may become arthritic, since the discs are no longer thick enough to provide proper spacing.

The disc’s soft center is inflammatory, and its ring contains many nerve endings. A tear in the ring can cause the center to protrude, resulting in irritation of the spinal nerve root that can radiate and cause shooting leg pain in a condition known as sciatica. Although a painful disc can sometimes repair itself, pain can become chronic due to the limited blood flow to the area. 

Stem Cell Therapy for Back Pain

To determine whether a patient would be a good candidate for stem cell therapy, an MRI would be optimal to first identify the root cause of the back pain. In the case of disc degeneration, stem cell therapy could help by promoting the body’s self-healing mechanism.

Mesenchymal stem cells have anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. As such, they can help promote healing in the affected joint, generate new tissue, and slow or potentially even reverse inflammatory damage. This can result in relief of symptoms and recovery of the damaged portion of the disc and spine. In some cases, the treatment can also be delivered in conjunction with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, a treatment in which platelets are isolated from the blood and concentrated to amplify their healing capabilities. Together, these treatments can alter the environment in the spine, eliminating inflammation and promoting regeneration.

Degenerative discs are just one type of issue that can be treated with regenerative medicine. With their enormous healing potential and anti-inflammatory properties, stem cells can also address a number of autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and other orthopedic conditions. As treatments become more widely used, stem cell therapy will continue to be at the forefront of treatment and healing.

This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for back pain, also known as Stem Cell Therapy for back pain. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.