Stem Cell Therapy for Knee Arthritis - Stem Cell Therapy

Stem Cell Therapy for Knee Arthritis

Stem cell treatment for knee arthritis is a non-surgical procedure of injecting the stem-cells (usually collected from bone marrow) into the patient’s knee, providing the stimulus your body needs to start repairing itself. The main problems with knee arthritis are that it is a wear-and-tear type of injury and that it causes a lot of pain, and stem cells deal with both these problems effectively.

Stem cell treatments generally involve injecting stem cells into the patient’s body, increasing their concentration in the part of the body that needs repairing. They then communicate with the nervous system to repair the damage that has been done. In the case of knee arthritis, they are working with the immune system to repair the damage caused to the cartilage due to wear-and-tear and, in some cases, help it grow back. The treatment seems preferable to other types, such as knee replacement, as it is minimally invasive and practically painless.

Causes of Knee Arthritis

Since knee arthritis, like other types of osteoarthritis, is a wear-and-tear injury, it is normal that most people develop this disorder due as they grow older. It usually happens after 45 years of age, however, it is not uncommon to see it developed even before that. Due to several factors, the risk of earlier development rises, and these factors are:

• Age – as we said, the older the person, the higher the risk due to wear-and-tear.
• Excess weight – Higher weight means higher pressure on all the joints, including the knee, which possibly suffers the most pressure from weight after the ankles.
• Gender – Women over 55 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than men of the same age.
• Heredity – The tendency for osteoarthritis is passed through our genes, either directly, or through the abnormalities in bone shape which surround the knee joint.
• Repetitive stress on the knee – If a person’s occupation requires him/her to do a lot of squatting, kneeling, or lifting heavy things, then that puts increased pressure constantly. Increased pressure means faster tearing of the cartilage.
• Athletics – Athletes which compete in soccer, tennis, long-distance running, or heavy lifting are at a higher risk of developing knee arthritis, due to increased pressure on the knees. However, moderate exercise is required to keep the knee in shape and strengthen the cartilage, as weak muscles around it can also be a cause of arthritis.
• Other illnesses – Rheumatoid arthritis, certain metabolic disorders, or an excess of growth hormone can also influence the development of knee arthritis.

Symptoms of Knee Arthritis

As the name says, knee arthritis develops in the knee, and this is where the symptoms present themselves. They are:

• Pain that increases with activity and decreases with rest
• Swelling of the knee
• Feeling of warmth in the knee
• Knee stiffness, especially in the morning or after long periods of inactivity
• Decreased mobility of the knee
• Cracking sound when moving the knee

Not all of these symptoms have to be present, but as time passes and the knee is not treated, the symptoms can only get worse.

How is it treated?

The stem cell treatment for knee arthritis is a two-step process: extracting your own stem cells from the bone marrow (or fat tissue), and then re-injecting them into the knee. Once the stem cells enter your body, they begin communicating with your immune system and repairing the damage, both by transforming into the cells that repair the cartilage and by bringing more oxygen to the place (everything heals with oxygen).

The extraction of stem cells is done via bone marrow aspiration, which includes numbing your hip and inserting a small needle into the hip bone to take a small bone marrow sample. This procedure does not hurt at all, and was, in fact, described by patients as a comfortable process.

The stem cells are then grown in vitro and injected into the knee over the course of a week, through several injections. The pain gradually subsides over the course of the next few weeks, while functionality recovers. Patients report being pain-free after a few weeks. However, since the knee cartilage keeps tearing, it is highly possible that the treatment has to be re-done after 6 months to a year.

The benefits of choosing this treatment

The main benefit of stem cell therapy for knee arthritis is the fact that the body is using its own building materials to repair itself. The doctors give the repairing cells in your body a little nudge so that they are sent to the place where they are needed the most.

Also, this procedure seems to be preferable to other methods of dealing with knee arthritis, which includes pain relievers, injection of steroids into the knee, or surgery. This is particularly important because stem cell treatment uses the body’s own stem cells, while other methods rely on foreign chemicals doing the work. 

The cost of Stem Cell Treatments for Knee Arthritis

As with all other types of stem cell treatments, there is no singular price available. The average price for treatment is somewhere around $10,000, although the prices can vary from $2,000 to $20,000. As stem cell treatment is still a budding field, there is no standardization of prices. Instead, they vary on a clinic to clinic basis. In places where the costs of living and medical expenses are lower, it might be possible to find cheaper therapies.

Choosing the right clinic and treatment 

Informing yourself about the particular treatment that you have in mind is crucial for any therapy, not just stem cell ones. Find out who the doctor who performs the therapy is and check as much as you can about him/her. The main thing to look for is whether they have had any experience with stem cell treatments before, and specifically with stem cell treatments for knee arthritis. Also, read up on the patient testimonials and, if possible, get in contact with someone who has already gone through this procedure. This will give you a clearer picture of whether or not you should choose a particular clinic and a particular doctor. 

If you are already suffering from knee arthritis and want to know how stem cell therapy can help you, feel free to contact us and find out more.