stem cell treatment for degenerative disks, anyone?

Hi Lynnwood,

My pain management doctor wanted me to consider stem cell therapy for my back after I continued to have problems following surgery for a herniated disc (though it was not as much for back pain as it was for leg pain due to my back problems). I went as far as going for a consult, but it turned out that I was not a candidate at that time, as I ended up still having a surgical problem (stem cells won't fix nerve root compression).

I did do a lot of research myself before I saw the stem cell doctor. Basically the results were mixed. Some people seem to benefit, while others don't (which is pretty consistent with what I have seen clinically with dogs and horses). It seemed to me like the less severe the problem going in, the better the outcome, which makes sense. That being said, there are also different types of (non-embryonic) stem cell treatments, such as PRP (which indirectly recruits stem cells to the area), bone marrow derived stem cells, and fat derived stem cells, and the protocol used may also influence results. But the fact is, stem cell therapy is still in its infancy (though that does not mean that it is not worth trying).

Here is a free review article on the use of stem cells to treat DDD, which may help provide you with more information: /www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3347696/#!po=5.64516

I'm sorry I can't be of more help. But check back in a few weeks, as I might be considering this treatment again myself, depending on what my doc says this week...

Skeye

Oh, and I would say the best thing that happens is that it relieves all or most of his back pain. The worst thing that happens is it does nothing to help the pain, and/or causes new/secondary problems such as bleeding or infection at the injection or harvest site, or in the case of bone marrow derived stem cells (which are usually taken from the hip), fracture at the harvest site (probably minimal risk, as the needle used to harvest the bone marrow isn't that big, but it is theoretically possible in someone who is osteoporetic, as most elderly folks are, especially since it takes quite a bit of force to inset the needle/cannula into the bone).

Post Edited (skeye) : 12/10/2017 10:32:32 PM (GMT-7)

Thanks Skeye & Susie!

Thanks for the link, Skeye.

Susie, I saw the posts from KaseyKat but they were some time ago and she doesn't have an email listed so no idea how her long-term results have been.

Mostly, I wish my father would try a steroid shot first! FDA approved and insurance pays for!

FYI - I shuouldn't have even mentioned his age, it's misleading. Between weight lifting, running, bicycling, tennis, off-road motorcycling, and being in excellent mental health, he more than holds his own with a number of 60-65 year old playmates!

Lynwood:
I underwent a stem cell transfer about 2 years ago with the hope of easing bone loss in my hips due to avascular necrosis. Unfortunately, the treatment did not benefit me.

But in researching restorative medicine I came to meet an incredible physician, Rahul Desai, MD. Dr. Desai is a well-respected physician whose focus is stem cell transfer and plasma rich protein transfusions. He travels extensively and lectures to physician groups and hospital systems. He heads a restorative medicine clinic in Portland, Oregon called RestorePDX.

I encourage you to visit the web site for ReatorePDX to learn about stem cell therapy and other restorative medicine practices. The web site is a treasure trove of information.

www.restorePDX.com

Best wishes to you and to your father,
- karen -