Regenerative Medicine

How Does Regenerative Medicine Work?

Our bodies already have an innate ability to heal themselves. Think about when you get a small cut—you don’t do anything, and within a few days it’s a scab, and then it’s gone. Regenerative medicine capitalizes on those natural capabilities and aims to speed up healing to restore the structure and function of damaged organs or tissues. It utilizes things that are naturally occurring within the body and, along with advancements in technology and laboratory studies, enhances restoration of healthy cells to improve healing and overall health. The three major components of regenerative medicine are rejuvenation, replacement, and regeneration.

Rejuvenation – This involves boosting the natural ability of the body to heal itself. It was once thought that some cells in the body were incapable of healing themselves, but research has shown us that this isn’t the case in most situations. For those with certain diseases or organ function problems, rejuvenation can help enhance the body’s natural ability to heal with regenerative medicine treatments. To encourage the speedy growth and rejuvenation of natural cells and tissue seems like the most sensible solution to a myriad of conditions, without the need for costly and invasive interventions or medications.

Replacement – When a person’s cells, tissues, or organs are simply not working, replacement is the best option. This usually involves a transplant of some sort from a donor. It may involve a full organ transplant or something as simple as cell replacement. Some organs can regenerate when just a small portion is given from a donor. In these cases, replacing the damaged or diseased organ is possible with the use of a live donor’s sacrifice.

Regeneration – When an area of the body has experienced disease or injury, regeneration is needed. This is the main part of regenerative medicine, hence its name. It involves delivering cells of a specific nature to diseased or injured areas. This brings about the restoration of healthy cells and tissues and promotes healing, both short-term and long-term. Stem cell therapy is an example of this sort of non-invasive treatment. It is now widely used by many orthopedic doctors across the country.

Regenerative Medicine at AICA Orthopedics

We are passionate about helping our patients heal from injury or disease and live their best lives. Because of that, we offer two incredible forms of innovative and effective regenerative medicine treatments: stem cell therapy and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection therapy. Both of these treatments work with the natural healing processes of the body to promote healthy cell growth and restoration. Both also come in the form of an injection administered by a licensed practitioner. An additional benefit is that they also provide pain relief, if only short term.

Stem Cell Injections – This form of regenerative medicine uses non-specific cells called stem cells to bring about rapid healing and growth within the body. This treatment is used for localized injuries, like a muscle strain or tendon tear. It can also be used to treat brain and spinal cord injuries to enhance restoration of healthy cells and promote healing. Our team of physicians and specialists are trained to harvest these cells, source them properly, and inject them where they are most useful for your treatment and relief. Once they have been injected, the cells will go to work dividing over and over and conforming to the needs of the specific injury they surround.

PRP Injections – Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections are used in similar instances as stem cell injections, such as for a soft tissue injury or for spine pain. PRP utilizes the proteins in the blood to enhance faster healing and help the body recover from injuries faster. Proteins are necessary for the healing process and are the building blocks of many growth processes. Our doctors will extract your blood cells and separate the useful part (the platelets) using a centrifuge. This process does not require the use of the other parts of your blood.

Who is Regenerative Medicine Useful For?

Patients who experience disease or injury that has been untreated or treated unsuccessfully in the past might be able to find relief through the use of injection therapy. Stem cells and platelets are incredibly useful tools to aid your body in its natural capacity to heal you and reduce your pain level by a significant amount. Instead of prescribing a drug therapy regimen, which would attempt to duplicate the functions of the body through chemical interactions, our team aims to see your pain and injury put to rest. We will utilize our state-of-the-art imaging technology to assess your pain level and injuries. Our diagnostic tools can be utilized in our offices for your convenience and will be ordered on the basis of your specific needs. We can perform digital x-rays, MRI’s, CT scans, EMG’s, and NCV tests. A proper assessment of your soft tissue, hard tissue, skeletal, and nerve injuries are the first priority when treating your pain and illness.

If you have been coping with pain and injury and you think that our experts might be able to provide you with relief using regenerative medicine, contact our team today.

To learn more about regenerative medicine and all that AICA Orthopedics can do for you, contact one of our Atlanta offices and schedule your consultation today