The latest World Health Organization data shows lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Debilitating lower back pain resulting from disease and injury places a heavy economic and mental health burden on individuals.
If you’re suffering from lower back pain and searching for a way to relieve pain for the long term, consider stem cell treatment. Our team here at STEMS Health in Miami Beach treats thousands of patients with lower back pain each year. In this latest post, we’ll explain the many benefits patients receive from stem cell treatment.
Low Back Pain Treatment Options
Medication
Medication options for lower back pain include over-the-counter anti inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help alleviate muscle soreness and strengthen muscles at the source of lower back pain.
Surgery
Doctors often consider surgery for low back pain when there is a clear root cause, such as a herniated disc. Surgeons may recommend a minimally invasive discectomy procedure. Procedures can remove the part of the disc that is pressing against the nerve and causing pain.
Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies such as yoga and acupuncture may hold value for some low back pain patients. Patients might also consider platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections for lower back pain and joint pain.
Targeting Disc Degeneration
The spinal discs between the bones in your spinal column act as shock absorbers, helping you move, bend, and twist comfortably. As you age, these spinal discs degenerate and cannot absorb shock as well as they once did. Disc degeneration may accelerate with time and with demanding physical jobs. The typical disc degeneration patient is active and in their early 30s or 40s.
What are the Symptoms of Disc Degeneration?
- Pain that becomes worse when sitting, bending, lifting, or twisting
- Pain goes away when running or walking
- Periods of severe pain that fluctuate from a few days to several months before easing
- Numbness and tingling in the legs
- Weakness in the leg muscles
How Stem Cell Treatment Addresses Disc Degeneration
Evidence-based stem cell treatment for disc degeneration is a leading option for those who have tried many other treatments without success.
Intradiscal stem cell injections involve transferring adult stem cells from your bone marrow and injecting them into the degenerated disc. Before injecting stem cells, regenerative medicine leaders such as STEMS Health optimize the cells for the specific application within the patient’s lower back.
The resulting disc cells produce the crucial water-retaining molecules required in the disc’s gel-like center. Stem cells allows doctors to help alleviate the symptoms associated with disc breakdown, not just improving function but enhancing your day-to-day life.
What are the Benefits of Stem Cell Procedures for Lower Back Pain Over Surgical Options?
- Stem cell treatment is minimally invasive, and there’s no need for hospitalization
- The duration of recovery after stem cell treatment is weeks rather than months
- With a shorter recovery, you’ll spend less time on pain medications and be pain free faster compared with back surgery
- There are fewer risks of complications such as infections when undergoing stem cell treatment compared with surgery
What Does the Process of Undergoing Lower Back Pain Treatment with Stem Cells Involve?
Learning the steps involved in the lower back pain relief process can help you prepare for your stem cell treatment. Stem cell treatment for lower back pain generally includes the following steps:
Initial Consultation with a Doctor
You and your doctor will review your medical history to determine whether stem cell therapy holds treatment value. Your doctor will explain the treatment process in detail and answer your stem cell therapy questions.
Diagnostics and Analysis
Diagnostic tests help stem cell doctors determine the severity of your lower back pain condition. Your regenerative medicine specialist will conduct various imaging tests. Tests include MRIs and CT scans, to analyze the external and internal morphology of the intervertebral disc. The scans will also identify potential structural failure.
Follow-Up Consultation
Your doctor will conduct a follow-up with you to highlight the results from your imaging tests. This follow-up appointment is your chance to discuss any changes in your lower back pain since the initial appointment. You can also learn how the imaging results link with your pain symptoms.
Your doctor will then make recommendations based on the test results. They will rovide you with all the data to make an informed decision regarding stem cell treatment for your lower back pain.
Booking Treatment
After the follow-up consultation, should you decide to undergo stem cell treatment, you’ll then book your treatment appointment. Your doctor and their office team will help prepare you for the day of the stem cell injections. For example, they’ll advise you on avoiding aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications seven days before treatment. They’ll also guide you on specific preparations based on your unique medical background.
The Day of Your Stem Cell Treatment
The harvesting of your stem cells and stem cell injections take place on the same day. After receiving instructions from your regenerative medicine team, you’ll go to the treatment suite and prepare for the stem cell injections. The process begins with the extraction of stem cells from bone marrow. The doctors place the cells into a centrifuge, which processes the cells to combine them with growth factor-rich platelets that help support the tissue-rebuilding process.
An experienced physician then injects the combined stem cells into the damaged tissue of the lower back, harnessing the highest levels of precision and guided by a fluoroscopy (X-ray) to directly treat your discs.
Get Relief from Debilitating Lower Back Pain with STEMS Health in Miami Beach
Our double-board certified physicians are here to answer your questions and tailor stem cell treatment specifically for your long-term health goals. STEMS also provides stem cell therapies for a range of conditions, including hair loss, stem cell facials, tennis injuries, golf related injuries, jaw disorders, and other regenerative treatments, for patients in the Miami Beach area.
STEMS Health is bringing concierge service and cutting-edge regenerative medicine to lower back pain patients throughout the country. Book your initial consultation for stem cell treatment at STEMS Health in Miami and discover why we’re one of the foremost regenerative medicine clinics in the U.S. Call (305) 677 0565 or confirm your appointment online!
