Regenerative Medicine for Pain Management

Abstract

The field of Regenerative Medicine is increasingly growing and our knowledge of how these cells play a role in healing and regeneration continue to evolve. Most commonly, physicians and patients know about Bone Marrow, Adipose Tissue, and PRP as options to help one stimulate healing.

When using Regenerative Medicine to help with pain management there are several important factors to consider. The first aspect is to stimulate healing and repair. The second aspect is to create a non-degenerating situation. Moreover, the mechanism is not only about the actual cells but the effect these cells have on nearby cell populations in a particular part of the body.

Likewise, a lot of people commonly confuse the term “stem cell” with embryonic stem cell. For procedures performed in the USA it is important to note that treatment options should only involve non-embryonic stem cells. Particularly, it’s the use of one’s own adult stem cells taken from their own body, which is the compliant and safer way to treat patients.

A big change in our understanding of how to bring about tissue regeneration is the microenvironment. This is key and of primary importance, almost more important than the cells themselves; because, bone marrow, adipose and PRP work through paracrine effects. More recently, the use of stem cells and the role of exosomes and their involvement in healing is becoming more important.