Stem Cell Therapy

Stem Cell Therapy

ReviveMD Center provides stem cell therapy to musculoskeletal conditions and anti-aging. This refers to the conditions that affect the nerves, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones that make up the musculoskeletal system. While some patients have chronic musculoskeletal conditions, others undergo treatment due to injuries. Stem cell therapy speeds up the healing process and reduces the pain that patients feel. Many cases show that people can actually grow or repair tissue with stem cell therapy treatment.

 

Common Conditions Treated with Stem Cell Therapy

Athletes and others have used stem cell therapy to treat an assortment of musculoskeletal conditions. The most common conditions treated at ReviveMD Center include:

  • Tendonitis
  • Tendon Tears
  • Arthritis
  • Sprains
  • Cartilage Defects
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Degenerative Disc Disease

This is not an exhaustive list of conditions treated. If your condition is not listed, contact ReviveMD Center to find out if you can benefit from stem cell therapy.

Umbilical Cord Tissue for Stem Cell Therapy

ReviveMD Center procures stem cells from umbilical cord tissue. The stem cells cultivated from umbilical cord tissue are very versatile. The chance of rejection reduces greatly when using umbilical cord stem cells instead of stem cells donated from bone marrow.

Research has shown that stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue:

  • Reduce inflammation.
  • Help tissue regenerate.
  • Module the body’s immune system.

ReviveMD Center is heavily involved in research regarding stem cells derived from umbilical cords. Thus far, the results have shown that these cells can positively impact a wide array of health conditions as well aging.

 

Types of Pain:

Arthritis

  • Degenerative
  • Post-traumatic
  • Rheumatoid/Psoriatic

Soft Tissue

  • Ligament
  • ACL/Collateral
  • Tendonitis
  • Meniscal
  • Miscellaneous
  • Instability, IT Band Syndrome, etc.

Traditional treatment options are not designed to “fix” issue, just for relief.

  • Bracing, cane
  • Cortisone
  • RFA
  • Pain medication
  • Physical therapy
  • Hyaluaronic acid

        Regenerative Biologics

  • Obtained from consenting donors after scheduled c-section
  • FDA regulated fluid retrieval
  • AATB certified
  • No rejection reaction
  • More growth factors than PRP
  • Has stem cells and activators
  • NONsteroidal
  • Procedure takes less than 1 hour
  • Therapy works in over 80% of patients.
  • It is low risk, high benefit, and has live cells depending on processing.
  • Can help patients avoid surgery and get back in the game fast after the procedure.

If you have knee or other body pain and feel amniotic stem cell therapy could be ideal for you, please contact ReviveMD Center today to set up a consultation with one of our knowledge able doctors!

microRNA / Nanoparticle Therapy

ReviveMD Center also treats patients with exosomes derived from stem cells. Many people think that exosomes are cells, but they are actually extracellular vesicles that are responsible for communicating with cells.

Exosomes contain DNA and microRNA. When they detach from cells, they move through the body and attach to new cells. Then, they essentially download the DNA or microRNA to the cell, telling it how to behave. This is similar to downloading code on a computer. Once the cell is reprogrammed, it bases its behavior on the new code.

Studies have determined that exosomes derived from young stem cells can reprogram older cells, so they are younger. This is beneficial for tissue regeneration, anti-aging procedures, and more. Rolling back the clock on cells helps them perform at optimal levels.

IV Therapy — A New Way to Deliver Stem Cells

Providers generally inject stem cells directly into the problem area. For example, if someone has knee arthritis, the provider will inject the vile of stem cells into the knee joint. The stem cells remain in that area and only help the knee joint.

ReviveMD Center offers IV stem cell therapy for those who want to treat the whole body instead of a specific area. Patients are attached to an IV bag that contains a saline solution and stem cells. The bag delivers the stem cells to the patient for 30–45 minutes. The cells travel through the entire body.

Stem cells actually seek out damaged tissue. Once they find a musculoskeletal problem, they can differentiate into specialized cells and begin to repair the tissue.

While IV therapy is increasing in popularity, ReviveMD Center also gives patients the options for standard stem cell therapy. Patients can discuss both options during their doctor consultation.

Other Regenerative Medicine Options at ReviveMD Center

Patients often combine stem cell therapy with one of the other regenerative medicine options at ReviveMD Center. Our clinic also offers these therapies as independent procedures.

Paying for Therapy

Insurance providers  DO NOT cover stem cell therapy treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. To find out how much your treatment will cost contact ReviveMD Center today.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine is used to repair and regenerate tissue damage. This includes cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and bones. When people develop musculoskeletal injuries, they normally go through pain management that includes prescription medications. While pain management masks the pain, it does not heal the injury. For instance, corticosteroid injections reduce pain and inflammation but do not speed up the recovery process. Once the injections wear off, the patient may still be injured, and the pain could come back.

Instead of providing a band aid solution like pain management, regenerative medicine repairs the tissue. Stem cells and platelets jump-start the body’s natural healing process. Patients can actually improve after regenerative medicine treatment.

What are stem cells, and what makes them special?

Stem cells are essentially blank slates. They can differentiate into various cell types, such as cartilage, tendon, bone, skin, or red blood cells. Stem cell therapy uses stem cells to increase the number of specialized cells needed to repair soft tissue or bone. By boosting the number of specialized cells, the recovery time is shortened.

What types of stem cells are there?

Stem cells are divided into two categories, which are unlimited and limited. Unlimited stem cells (embryonic stem cells) can turn into any type of cell. Specialists can replicate the cells outside of the body and then inject them to treat conditions. We do not use any embryonic stem cell products at ReviveMD Center.

Limited (adult) stem cells cannot be replicated outside of the body, so physicians transplant them after extracting them or freeze them for later use. Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are harvested from health donors and processed under strict regulatory guidelines in FDA cleared facilities. Our center only uses adult MSC products to include amniotic ad umbilcial cord products. Hence none of them are considered controversial. Known as the “products of conception”, the regenerative materials from amniotic and umbilical tissue include the following:

  • Amniotic Fluid
  • Placental membrane
  • Umbilical Cord Tissue
  • Umbilical Cord Blood
  • Wharton’s Jelly

The exact function of these materials supporting growth and health of the fetus is outside the scope of this guide. However, understand that a lot of the functions provided during fetal growth translate into patient benefit during regenerative procedures such as preventing infection and tissue growth of all types such as collagen, tendon, lung, kidney, heart, etc.

Research performed on the products of conception have shown several benefits to what the materials contain including:

  • High numbers of Stem Cells
  • Concentrations of Growth Factors
  • High numbers of Cytokines

Additional elements including exosomes, microsomes, secretomes, mRNA.
The best analogy applicable is that the products of conception produce regenerative materials that contain a full “orchestra” of components to treat patients!

Note: You may see competitor marketing materials that state “products of conception” do not contain live cells. This is true if the biologics are radiated during processing or contain too much preservative. But it is not true if the materials have been processed without significant radiation or preservatives. This is why we are VERY careful about the labs we work with so patients receive products that are safe and of the highest quality to produce the best outcomes possible!

Do physicians use regenerative medicine in their practices?

Absolutely. Countless pain management and orthopedic practices have embraced regenerative medicine.

Are these products FDA approved?

No they are not. They are not regulated as drugs, rather they fall into the biologics category. These are regulated heavily by the FDA, but do not get approved or denied.Here is how the FDA regulates things:

Medical devices – joint implants, screws/rods, DME, etc. In the world of regenerative medicine, this only applies to the kits used in PRP, bone marrow or adipose procedures.

Drugs – think of Lipitor, Vicodin, Viagra, etc. These are medications that have gone through a clinical trial and been approved for a specific indication.

Biologics – the FDA strictly regulates how biologic materials are acquired, processed, stored and used under the CFR Part 1271. Amniotic and umbilical materials fall under this category, which does not involve an Approval/Denial process like drugs do.

Specifically, the section under Part 1271 that applies to amniotic/umbilical tissues is Section 361 products, which are not required to be licensed or approved by the FDA and are regulated under Section 361 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act.

Is one type of stem cell better than the other?

Theoretically the answer is yes. However, it’s currently not clinically relevant. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent and can differentiate into over 200 cell types.

However, there are ethical concerns over how they are obtained, and also the cells themselves often do not know when to stop replicating. This can form tumors.

The non-embryonic adult mesenchymal stem cells obtained from one’s bone marrow, amniotic fluid or umbilical cord can still differentiate into several important cell types, but not 200.

This is called being Multipotent and able to turn into cartilage, muscle, tendon,ligament and most vital organ cells. Multipotent stem cells have not been shown to form tumors like the pluripotent variety.

What type of procedures are available for Stem Cell Therapy?

Procedures available for stem cell therapy include localized or IV injection with amniotic or umbilical cord derived stem cell therapy.

The procedures are all performed as an outpatient, with each procedure taking less than an hour. With the amniotic or umbilical cord therapy, the fluid is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled C-section. Then it is processed at an FDA regulated lab and cryogenically frozen and thawed out right before use.

Clinics use regenerative medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including arthritis, tendonitis, cartilage defects, diabetic neuropathy, fractures, hair loss and aging. The practitioners treat these conditions with platelet-rich plasma therapy, amniotic-based stem cell-rich injections and umbilical cord derived stem cell injections.

Have scientific studies proven the effectiveness of regenerative medicine and musculoskeletal conditions?

Large-scale scientific studies still must be conducted regarding regenerative medicine and musculoskeletal conditions. However, researchers have conducted several small studies with animals and humans as subjects. The results of these studies have been positive. The results support the hypothesis that regenerative medicine is key to improving musculoskeletal conditions.

Does insurance cover stem cell therapy and other regenerative procedures?

If the condition is determined to be muscoloskeletal and sports injuries, insurance may be able to cover the cost of treatment based on clinical necessity and documentation on a case by case basis. Most insurance policies do not cover aesthetic regenerative procedures.

How much does it cost to get a regenerative medicine treatment?

Various factors determine the cost of the procedure. Patients can find out how much their treatment will cost during the consultation as ReviveMD Center clinicians will discuss a treatment plan with you during your visit.