One of the most common problems that is referred to pain doctors is degenerative joint disease in the knee, or osteoarthritis. This happens from general wear and tear over time, with several factors affecting the extent of degeneration and the age at which it occurs. For example, did you know that for every pound of body weight you are applying 4 pounds of pressure on your knee joint? If you weigh 200 pounds, your knee is holding 800 pounds of pressure when you stand. If you gain 50 pounds, the pressure goes up to 1000 pounds. No wonder our poor knees take such a beating!
So what specifically happens with knee osteoarthritis? The cartilage in the knee joint wears down and starts to fray over time. This causes the knee to lose its cushioning and eventually begins to affect the bone too. Inflammation causes the pain. In severe cases, the cartilage is worn completely away and the knee is “bone-on-bone”, but even mild degeneration can cause pain and instability in the knee. When it becomes severe, you may need a total knee replacement. This is a brutal operation that involves sawing out the bones of the knee joint and replacing them with metal. It is one of the most painful operations doctors perform and requires a lengthy recovery.
Fortunately, knee osteoarthritis is hands-down the most studied of all conditions treated by stem cells and the results are fantastic. The research shows about 60-80% of patients are likely to experience significant improvement in pain and ability to function. Can we grow new cartilage from a bone-on-bone knee? Despite what you may see advertised, the research shows that is currently not possible. That said, the science is advancing rapidly and certainly we hope to do this in the future. Current studies show up to 25% thickening of existing cartilage after a single stem cell treatment, and perhaps even more exciting is the finding that it appears to halt the progression of the disease. It is very possible that stem cell therapy could eliminate the need for knee replacements in the future.
Beware of stem cell clinics that claim to “cure” your knee problems with a blind injection of their product into your knee or worse yet, into a muscle or vein. Stem cells are very “sticky” and must be placed precisely on the injured tissue if there is to be any hope of tissue regeneration. That is why at LifeStem we use an ultrasound or x-ray to guide the injection for optimal results.
How does a single stem cell treatment compare with a steroid or hyaluronic acid injection? Really well, thank you. A steroid injection typically provides pain relief for about 30-90 days if all goes well. Hyaluronic acid injections, which may come in a series of three injections about a week apart, typically last no more than 6 months. A stem cell injection can provide pain relief and improved function for 18 months or longer, with some studies showing improvement out to 7 years! That could buy you a lot of time to allow scientists to develop a permanent non-surgical solution to your knee pain.
Speak Life,
Amy Pearson, MD
