Advancing Healing: The Power of Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine transforms healthcare by providing natural treatments that repair damaged tissues. How? Innate healing cells from the body are removed and then injected as a precisely-targeted treatment. 

Our Alliance Spine and Pain Centers team includes leaders in regenerative medicine. We’re experts in determining when to recommend regenerative therapies and skilled in different types, allowing us to customize your care.

Power of regenerative medicine

When your body is injured by a small cut, a severe injury, or damage due to disease, specialized cells quickly travel through the bloodstream to the area. 

These cells activate and regulate the complex healing process, including producing new cells to replace damaged tissues. 

Regenerative medicine’s power comes from the same natural ability. We can extract the healing cells, concentrate them, and use them to treat the source of your pain.

Healing cells in regenerative medicine

The body’s remarkable healing process is complex and includes numerous cells and biochemicals. However, two cells share the starring role: stem cells and platelets.

Stem cells

Stem cells live in specific areas throughout your body. They’re the only cells capable of producing the new cells needed to replace damaged tissues. Here’s how they do it.

All stem cells have two crucial characteristics. First, they’re blank cells that can mature into different types of specialized cells. For example, blank stem cells in your bone marrow can turn into red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, depending on your body’s needs.

Their second crucial characteristic is that they continuously self-replicate. As long as stem cells live, they can split into two and produce a new stem cell. The new stem cell can remain blank or it can mature and specialize.

Through self-replication and specialization, stem cells can produce whatever type of cells your body needs to heal your injury.

Platelets

Platelets (found in your bloodstream) contain proteins called growth factors. When tissues are injured, platelets go to the area and release the growth factors.

The growth factors trigger healing activities in the nearby cells. There are numerous growth factors, and each one controls different aspects of healing.

Growth factors recruit stem cells to the area, regulate inflammation, and synthesize new blood cells, to give you a few examples. They also build a foundation to support the new tissues produced by stem cells. 

Regenerative medicine treatments

Our Alliance Spine and Pain Centers team is on the leading edge of regenerative medicine. We have extensive training and experience in several regenerative medicine treatments, including:

Platelet-rich plasma

We produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the office from a sample of your blood. Spinning the blood in a centrifuge separates the cells and plasma. We remove and concentrate the platelets and use them for your PRP.

Using real-time imaging to guide the needle, we place it at the injured tissues and inject the PRP. The platelets quickly release growth factors that accelerate healing.

PRP is an option for most musculoskeletal conditions, including injuries and inflammatory and degenerative diseases. However, it’s especially beneficial when the damaged tissues don’t have a good blood supply or your injury is slow to heal.

Bone marrow aspirate concentrate

Bone marrow is an excellent source of stem cells for treating musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. The stem cells from bone marrow can mature to become muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bones, skin, and nerves.

To produce bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), we use a hollow needle to withdraw bone marrow from your hip bone. After processing the sample to concentrate the stem cells, we inject the BMAC into the injured tissues.

Stromal vascular fraction

Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a mixture of stem cells (similar to those in bone marrow) and growth factors obtained from your body fat. We use liposuction to harvest a fat sample, process it to separate the healing cells, and then inject it.

Exosomes

The cells in your body communicate by releasing tiny sacs (vesicles) called exosomes. Exosomes contain numerous biochemicals, including growth factors, genetic material, and proteins.

Cells release exosomes, and then the exosomes discharge their biochemical messengers, stimulating activities in the nearby cells.

Stem cells release exosomes that reduce inflammation and stimulate cellular repair and regeneration. After harvesting exosomes, we can inject them into areas that need the healing boost.

Alpha-2-macroglobulin

Alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), a naturally occurring protein in the body, is a regenerative treatment for osteoarthritis. The protein protects joints, eases arthritis pain, and reduces inflammation by blocking cartilage degeneration.

Can regenerative medicine help you?

The best way to learn if regenerative medicine can improve your pain and heal your body is to schedule a consultation. Connect through online booking or call the nearest Alliance Spine and Pain Centers office today. We have 20+ offices in the Atlanta region, including two in Augusta.