Adult Stem Cells Revolutionize Back Surgery

spinal stenosis

For decades the only solution for men and women who suffer from chronic, debilitating back pain has been a choice between invasive surgery, or the long-term use of strong painkillers. Neither option addresses the underlying causes of back pain, nor do they promise a real solution.

But today, the use of adult stem cells to regenerate spinal tissue offers men and women with upper and lower back pain a new option for rehabilitation that combines cutting edge technology with up-to-date science.

Back pain of any kind can be caused by a variety of factors, including injury, congenital defect, and even simple aging. As the tissues that surround and cushion the vertebrae in the spine are compromised, spinal discs become damaged and the result is terrible pain.

Traditional treatments include rest, painkillers, and eventually invasive surgery. In all cases, the pain may return and disc degeneration can continue. The tissues that surround the spine actually become dry and thin, and fail to cushion the discs of the spine.

The commonplace phrase of having "slipped a disc" or "ruptured a disc" is actually evidence of tissue degeneration that can lead to limited mobility and suffering.

In the past these spinal tissues couldn't be repaired, and could not grow back. For this reason back pain was often a lifelong affliction that negatively impacted all aspects of a person's life.

But with the discovery of adult stem cells, a new horizon has been opened-up for those whose day-to-day lives have been disrupted by back pain.

Mesenchymal stem cells, harvested from the patients themselves, are being used by surgeons and scientists around the world to regrow cartilage and other tissues that were previously thought damaged beyond repair. Since the cells come from the patient's own body, the risk of tissue rejection is small, and the healing process a great deal faster.

Mesenchymal stem cells are unique because they are able to differentiate into bone tissue, cartilage tissue, or fat tissue. By injecting these cells into areas of the spine suffering from tissue degeneration, modern surgeons like Dr. Mark Flood of Celling Treatment Centers in Austin, Texas, are able to use a patient's own body to facilitate recovery from previously incurable back pain.

The surgery itself is quickly completed, minimally invasive, and sometimes conducted on an outpatient basis by only the most skilled back surgeons. Gone are the long hospital stays and painful recovery times of traditional back surgery, as well as the dependence on painkillers associated with treatment.

With this new advancement in scientific understanding and medical technology those currently struggling with back pain have a new option that could change their lives forever; it can offer them the ability to regain their previous mobility, or even enjoy a pain-free life for the first time.