Can Stem Cell Therapy Repair Damaged Knees?

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Can Stem Cell Therapy Repair Damaged Knees?
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Table of content

• Overview
• What is stem cells treatment?
• Stem cell injection for knees
• Does it work?
• Side effect and risks
• Other options
• Take away

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Overview

• In recent years, stem cell therapy has been
  hailed as a miracle cure for many conditions,
  from wrinkles to spinal repair. In animal
  studies, stem cell treatments have shown promise
  for various diseases, including heart disease,
  Parkinsons disease and muscular dystrophy.
• Stem cell therapy could also potentially treat
  osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. In OA, the
  cartilage covering the ends of the bones starts
  to deteriorate and wear away. As the bones lose
  this protective covering, they start to rub
  against one another. This leads to pain,
  swelling, and stiffness and, ultimately, loss
  of function and mobility.
• Millions of people in the United States live with
  OA of the knee. Many manage their symptoms
  through exercise, weight loss, medical
  treatments, and lifestyle modification.
• If symptoms become severe, total knee replacement
  is an option. Over 600,000 people a year undergo
  this operation in the United States alone. Yet
  stem cell therapy can be an alternative to
  surgery.

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What is stem cell treatment?

• The human body is constantly manufacturing stem
  cells in the bone marrow. Based on certain
  conditions and signals in the body, stem cells
  are directed to where they are needed.
• A stem cell is an immature, basic cell that has
  not yet developed to become, say, a skin cell or
  a muscle cell or a nerve cell. There are
  different types of stem cells that the body can
  use for different purposes.
• There is evidenceTrusted Source that stem cell
  treatments work by triggering damaged tissues in
  the body to repair themselves. This is often
  referred to as regenerative therapy.
• However, research into stem cell treatment for OA
  of the knee is somewhat limited, and the results
  of studies are mixed.

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Stem cell injections for knees

• The cartilage covering the ends of the bones
  enables the bones to glide smoothly against one
  another with only slight friction. OA causes
  damage to the cartilage and leads to increased
  friction resulting in pain, inflammation, and
  ultimately, a loss of mobility and function.
• In theory, stem cell therapy uses the bodys own
  healing mechanisms to help repair and slow the
  deterioration of body tissues, such as cartilage.

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Stem cell injections for knees

• Stem cell therapy for knees aims to
• slow and repair damaged cartilage
• decrease inflammation and reduce pain
• possibly delay or prevent the need for knee
  replacement surgery
• In simple terms, treatment involves
• taking a small amount of blood, usually from the
  arm
• concentrating the stem cells together
• injecting the stem cells back into the knee

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Does it work?

• Several studies have concluded that stem cell
  therapy improves arthritis symptoms of the knee.
  While overall results are promising, more
  research is needed to discover
• how it works
• correct dosage
• how long the results will last
• how often youll need the treatment

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Side effects and risks

• Stem cell treatment for knees is noninvasive, and
  studies suggest that side effects are minimal.
• After the procedure, some people may experience
  temporary increased pain and swelling. However,
  the overwhelming majority of people who get stem
  cell injections have no adverse side effects.
• The procedure uses stem cells that come from your
  own body. In theory, this dramatically reduces
  the risk of any serious side effects. However,
  there are various ways of harvesting and
  processing the stem cells, which likely affects
  the various success rates of the published
  studies.
• Before receiving any treatment, its best to
• learn as much as you can about the procedure and
  how it works
• ask your doctor for advice

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Other options

• If OA is causing knee pain or affecting your
  mobility, the ACR/AF recommend the following
  options
• exercise and stretching
• weight management
• over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication
• steroid injections into the joint
• heat and cold pads
• alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and
  yoga
• If these dont work or become ineffective, a
  total knee replacement surgery may be an option.
  Knee replacement surgery is a very common
  operation that can greatly improve mobility,
  decrease pain, and significantly improve quality
  of life.

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Takeaway

• Research into stem cell therapy for treatment of
  osteoarthritic knee pain is ongoing. Some
  research has shown promising results and it may
  one day become an accepted treatment option. For
  now, it remains costly and experts remain
  cautiously optimistic.

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Reference

• https//www.healthline.com/health/stem-cell-therap
  y-for-kneestakeaway