What is regenerative medicine?
Regenerative medicine focuses on treatments that activate your body’s natural ability to continuously produce new cells that build or rebuild the tissues needed to repair injuries and heal.
The body’s healing activities are incredibly complex, but all healing begins with critical cells that trigger the process. Regenerative medicine uses those same cells, turning them into treatments that improve healing.
Which regenerative medicine treatments are available?
The office of Roland Reinhart, MD, provides the most advanced treatments by partnering with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). They offer the following therapies:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
Your provider produces PRP in the office by drawing a blood sample and processing it to separate the platelets and plasma.
Platelets are packed with specialized proteins called growth factors. When you’re injured, your body disperses platelets to the damaged tissues, where they release the growth factors.
The growth factors trigger healing activities, including:
- Reducing inflammation
- Stimulating new blood vessel growth
- Supporting new tissue development
- Drawing stem cells to the area
A PRP injection boosts the process and accelerates healing with an influx of platelets.
Stem cell therapy
Stem cells self-replicate, generating a new stem cell that can develop into different tissues. For example, some stem cells continuously produce new platelets and red and white blood cells.
Other adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, develop into the tissues — muscle, ligament, tendon, cartilage, bone, nerve, fat, and skin — needed to repair musculoskeletal injuries.
Your provider can take a sample of body fat or bone marrow from your hip, separate and clean the stem cells, and inject them into injured or diseased tissues. The injected stem cells immediately do their natural job of healing.
Hyaluronic acid injections
Hyaluronic acid is primarily a joint lubricant, but it also plays a supportive role in healing. Injections of hyaluronic acid control inflammation and redirect blood to damaged tissues. A healthy blood supply is essential for healing because blood carries platelets and stem cells to the injury.
When will I experience results after a regenerative medicine treatment?
You could experience some discomfort at the injection site for a short time. You should also temporarily avoid strenuous activities to give the injection time to work. Since the healing process takes time, you won’t notice results for a month or longer.
Call the office of Roland Reinhart, MD, today, or schedule a regenerative medicine appointment through online booking.