There are several types of cells used in regenerative medicine, and each offers different effects and benefits. If you want to treat your pain condition naturally, without drugs or surgery, it’s worth looking into the different types.
Your body contains four types of stem cells: tissue-specific stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells. Tissue-specific stem cells can come from different parts of the body but they can only be used in the same type of body tissue that they came from. Pluripotent stem cells are able to build any type of cell in the body and can become any type of cell. Induced pluripotent stem cells are pluripotent cells that can become any cell type in the body. We only use regenerative cells harvested from Wharton’s jelly-derived from mesenchymal stem cells.
Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Cells
Wharton’s jelly is rich in young healing cells and active growth factors. Wharton’s jelly is collected from umbilical allografts in a safe and ethical way at the time of childbirth. Harvesting it causes no pain or harm to the mother or newborn. Treatments containing these regenerative cells are a very promising form of regenerative medicine.
By using these fresh healthy cells, we are able to capture their powerful healing and growth factors, and the other naturally occurring components they contain. This is not a form of stem cell therapy; this form of regenerative procedure is called mesenchymal cellular therapy. Our doctors do not perform stem cell therapy.
Adipose Tissue
Adipose tissue is the scientific name for the fatty tissue found in our bodies. The tissue is taken from the patient’s fat tissue and placed back into the patient’s body where healing is needed. Since these cells are taken from your body, they can contain harmful toxins and cellular damage from the normal wear and tear of growing older. We do not use this technique of stem cell therapy. We consider it less effective due to the age of the cells and the damage that could be present within them. Toxins contained within the tissue could be reintroduced into the body during stem cell therapy using adipose tissue.
Another reason we do not favor this method of therapy is the procedure to collect these cells can be painful for the patient. The procedure to harvest the adipose cells is similar to liposuction where a large cannula or tube is inserted into the trunk and extremities to extract the fat tissue from the patient’s body.
Bone Marrow
Bone marrow is found in the center of your bones. It is a soft spongy tissue that produces red blood cells and parts of blood plasma. Stem cells can be harvested from this bone marrow tissue. Similar to adipose tissue, stem cells collected from the patient’s bone marrow have been through the aging process and may be less effective than the regenerative cells collected from Wharton’s jelly.
In addition, the procedure used to collect bone marrow for transplant can be painful and leave the patient vulnerable to an infection. This procedure is called a bone marrow harvest. It is a surgical procedure that takes place in a hospital operating room. While the patient is under anesthesia the doctor will drill into the rear pelvic bone or femur. At this time, the bone marrow is extracted with a syringe. Several skin and bone pierces are required to extract the necessary amount of bone marrow for transplant. Our doctors do not perform bone marrow stem cell therapy.
The mesenchymal cells extracted from Wharton’s jelly offer a highly effective, natural alternative to surgery and medication for pain patients. They target pain at the source and stimulate your own cells to regenerate and heal. Is it the right treatment for you? We invite you to visit our office and talk with our doctors about the amazing possibilities of regenerative medicine for pain.