Treatment for hand pain can range from noninvasive (rest, anti-inflammatory medication, ice or heat, physical therapy) to minimally invasive (stem cell therapy or platelet-rich plasma therapy) to fully invasive procedures, such as arthroscopic surgery or a total joint replacement.
If you are suffering from hand pain, consider your options in regenerative medicine – in particular, stem cell therapy. But what exactly is stem cell therapy?
Where Do Stem Cells Come From?
Because of the ethical issues cited worldwide regarding embryonic stem cells – which are found in living human embryos that are only up to five days old, or five days after conception – the scientific community quickly figured out how to harness people’s own stem cells for treatment. One of the benefits of this is that the patient’s body won’t reject the stem cells after the cells are re-injected back into the patient for treatment.
Adult stem cells can be extracted from our own adipose (fat) tissue, where they lay dormant and are easy to extract via a liposuction procedure. Excellent stem cells are also found in bone marrow, although those stem cells are more difficult to extract.
After the cells are extracted, these adult stem cells are processed and then re-injected in a concentrated form into the area of your body that needs an extra dose of healing power.
Stem Cell Therapy for Hand Pain
Adult stem cells are your body’s natural healing mechanism. They work hard every day when called upon to initiate the healing of damaged tissue by replenishing dying or damaged cells.
When stem cells are injected into your hand, the cells naturally locate the damaged area and then initiate repair or regeneration. Stem cell therapy for the hand “jump-starts” this natural process, enabling healing to take place.
Minimally Invasive Treatment Means Faster Healing
What can you expect if you do have stem cell therapy for hand pain? Stem cell therapy is minimally invasive, so it doesn’t require months of physical therapy before you can get back on your feet and resume normal activities.
Your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan that will include gentle movement and other methods for the first month or so after treatment. By weeks five and six, your stem cells will be building new tissue, and you will need to encourage oxygen/blood flow.
Hand Pain Treatment in the Chicago North-West Suburbs
Do you have hand pain? Dr. Michele Yoon specializes in treating hand injuries and conditions. Contact Dr. Yoon today at (847) 957-4183 to schedule an appointment with our skilled physicians. You can also fill out our simple online appointment request form right now.
