Living with Osteoarthritis

Living with Osteoarthritis

 
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, can occur because of injury, infection, from being overweight or for some it can be heredity. Knee Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the joints breaks down causing chronic knee pain, stiffness, and abnormal joint functioning.

The knee is the largest joint in the body, the knee moves like a hinge, allowing you to sit, squat, walk or jump. When knee problems arise, they can interfere with almost all your daily activities and certainly compromise your participation in more advanced activities or sports.

Due to the wear of tear that happens along the joints, living with osteoarthritis can make daily life painful. Often patients complain that they feel loss of control of when their knee (or other joints) may act up, cause pain, or limit their ability to do something. Quite safe to say, that this condition does affect day to day life.

 

Stem Cell Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis

 

Traditionally, treatments have been centered around surgical and pharmaceutical interventions. While pharmaceuticals have the potential to allow for a temporary pain relief, the cartilage will continue to deteriorate. Knee replacement surgery is often required when the knee joint has reached a point where the pain can no longer be controlled. Surgery should be used as a last resort as it is highly invasive and non-reversible should you achieve less than optimal results.

A safer, non-surgical treatment is available in our clinics, in Wisconsin, with Dr. Murray.

There is recent research that does suggest, that stem cells can regrow cartilage, furthermore, there is research on the use of stem cells (specifically mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs) in knee osteoarthritis treatment. Results demonstrated that MSCs (connective tissue stem cells) administered into the knee remained on the surface of the damaged meniscus and embedded into the cartilage, resulting in the restoration of meniscal tissue.

As you can see the growing field of regenerative medicine and orthopedics show us promising results in conditions such as osteoarthritis. We understand the difficulty of living with it and are here to help guide you towards a treatment plan that can help you get back to your day to day life.

 

Do you suffer from knee pain? Contact Dr. Murray and his team in Wisconsin, at Oconomowoc, New Berlin, and/or Mequon. We would love for you to come in for a consultation and assess what is the best treatment plan for you.

Contact us today at info@solsticewi.com

What Conditions Can Stem Cell Therapy Treat?

Stem cell therapy is a gentle, non-invasive treatment that provides pain relief for individuals suffering from a variety of conditions. It’s a form of regenerative medicine that not many are aware of, but has the potential to replace several conventional methods of pain relief therapy. Here are a few illnesses that respond well to stem cell therapy treatments.

 

Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints and can be very painful. Conventional medicine used to treat this condition includes steroids and acetaminophen, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), like Aleve. As opposed to stem cell therapy, these medicines will help to decrease the pain, and reduce stiffness, but will not address the cause of the pain.

 

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, often caused by overuse, but can also originate from rheumatic disease or infection. Doctors typically prescribe steroid injections, physical therapy, or recommend surgery to treat the condition. Stem cell therapy aids the body in eliminating inflammation of the tendons by regenerating the cells.

 

Sprains

Tearing or stretching of the ligaments is considered a sprain. This type of injury can result in extreme pain and significantly reduce mobility in the affected area. Minor sprains can be treated at home, but there are some cases where doctors will prescribe a splint or a walking boot. If it occurs more than once in the same area, surgery may be recommended to tighten the ligament. Stem cell therapy, in this case, would work to regenerate the tissue in the ligament.

 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. It causes pain and stiffness, particularly in the knee, hip, and joints of the thumb. Traditional treatments include medicines like steroids and narcotics to control the pain, as well as physical therapy. Stem cell therapy is a viable option for people with osteoarthritis, as it aids the body in repairing and restoring the degenerated cartilage.

 

Herniated Disc

A herniated disk refers to an injury to a disc between the separate bones that line up to make your spine. This type of injury primarily occurs in the lower back and is commonly known as a wear and tear condition. Most people experience pain in the legs or arms, numbness, tingling or muscle weakness. Stem cell therapy in this instance regenerates the disc cells.

 

These are just a few of the many conditions to which stem cell therapy can be applied. Unlike other conventional therapies for pain, stem cell treatments are noninvasive and gentler on the body. Most people prefer this medicine because it promotes natural healing and requires little downtime.

 

If you suffer from pain and would like more information about the benefits of regenerative treatments like stem cell therapy, Solstice Health is here to help. Our experienced doctors can help you choose an effective pain relief treatment that’s just right for your condition.

 

Contact us today to find out if you qualify for this groundbreaking therapy. We have three convenient locations in Wisconsin: Oconomowoc, WI (262)-354-3100, New Berlin, WI (262)-505-6260, and Mequon, WI (262)-354-3100