Arthritis and Stem Cells: All Your Questions Answered

More than 50 million Americans are living with arthritis. The associated joint pain, stiffness, and discomfort can make everyday activities such as climbing stairs, bending, and lifting items difficult. At its most severe, arthritis can lead to disability and have a major impact on your quality of life.

Today, innovative treatment is changing the way doctors treat arthritis — and in many cases, it can restore your quality of life. At Dr. Stem Cell here in Encino, California, board-certified orthopedist Dr. Bruce Fishman offers cutting-edge stem cell therapy to treat joint problems such as arthritis.

If you’re considering this breakthrough treatment, you likely have questions. It’s helpful to learn what stem cells are and how they’re used to treat arthritis in the knee, hip, and other joints.

Arthritis: a painful joint condition

Knee arthritis (osteoarthritis) is the most common type of arthritis. Medication to ease pain and inflammation and surgery are traditional treatments for this painful joint condition. Arthritis can occur when joints are damaged from injury but most often occurs from wear-and-tear associated with aging.

Cartilage is a strong tissue that connects the joints in your body so you can move smoothly. In people with arthritis, the cartilage breaks down and the joints rub together, causing pain and problems with mobility. Arthritis is a progressive condition that worsens over time.

If you have arthritis, stem cell therapy is an exciting treatment option. Clinical studies show the strongest support for the benefit of stem cell therapy for knee arthritis; however, it’s used effectively for other types of arthritis as well.

The power of stem cells

Stem cells are special cells with the ability to develop into other types of cells. Stem cells are a part of the body’s natural repair system, able to fix damaged tissues by becoming healthy cartilage cells or bone cells, for example.

Stem cell therapy can ease arthritis symptoms. An injection of stem cells precisely at the site of your damaged tissues puts you on the path toward improved healing. This remarkable regenerative treatment helps replace damaged cartilage and reduce inflammation. This means less pain and improved mobility.

Stem cell therapy provides an alternative to surgery

Stem cell therapy treats arthritis at the root. In the past, patients with arthritis were limited to medication and surgical treatment options. Today, stem cell therapy not only can help repair damaged joint tissue, but it also may delay or eliminate the need for surgery.

Patients who undergo stem cell therapy report a reduction in joint pain and an improved ability to move. Reducing the need for joint replacement surgery is a significant benefit and medical breakthrough for arthritis treatment. Instead of preparing for surgery and a long recovery, stem cell therapy can help you get back to your life.

Advantages of stem cell therapy for arthritis

Stem cell therapy offers advantages over traditional treatment. It can:

• Halt disease progression
• Regenerate tissue
• Reduce pain
• Restore quality of life
• Reduce the need for surgery

If you have arthritis, the team at Dr. Stem Cell can help. Call our Encino office to schedule your free consultation, or request an appointment online.