Regenerative Medicine, Pain Killers or Orthopedic Surgery

There aren’t too many options for people who are suffering from arthritis. You can attempt to change your diet. You can seek an orthopedic professional. Some people start exercising as an attempt to relieve their arthritis. However, when it comes to looking for a solution, besides a lifestyle change, your options are usually limited to regenerative medicine, pain killers or orthopedic surgery.

If you’re unaware, arthritis takes place when you have worn away some or all of the protective cartilage in your joints. In many situations people have worn away the cartilage in their joints from being overweight. People realize they are beginning to develop arthritis so they quickly try to lose weight, change their diet or change their lifestyle. Unfortunately for most people it’s too late. They have worn away the cartilage to a degree where lifestyle change isn’t enough. This person now has a few options which include regenerative medicine, pain killers or orthopedic surgery.

There are pros and cons to the few options mentioned above so it’s up to you to decide which solution is best for you.

Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine such as stem cell therapy has been an attractive option for many people. The biggest benefit of stem cell therapy is you can avoid orthopedic surgery. After an x-ray to determine if you do, or do not, qualify for stem cell therapy you’ll go through a simple injection. The entire procedure takes less than an hour. No surgery, no recover and no rehabilitation.

Stem cell therapy rebuilds your cartilage, which is why it’s considered regenerative medicine. You don’t have to worry about an artificial joint wearing out. Stem cells rebuild your cartilage so you feel like you did before you developed arthritis.

However, there is a downside to stem cell therapy. The biggest downfall is that stem cell therapy is NOT covered by insurance. Like many newer procedures it will take time for insurance companies to recognize regenerative medicine as a procedure that should be covered by insurance. However, if you can afford Lasik surgery, most likely you can afford stem cell therapy too.

Pain Killers

Pain killers come in all shapes and sizes, especially for arthritis pain relief. Like regenerative medicine, there are many pros and many cons to taking pain killers. First of all, taking pain killers, especially over the counter painkillers, is a fairly simple procedure. Compared to other orthopedic treatments, taking a pill is the easiest of all and most likely the cheapest. You can go to any convenience store and purchase Advil or Tylenol for less than $10.

Besides the fact that over the counter pain killers are inexpensive, you can also feel good knowing that painkillers aren’t invasive to your joints in any way. However, do the pros outweigh the cons? It doesn’t seem like it.

It hard to say that painkillers are a solution to arthritis. They’re not. Taking a pill is nothing more than putting a Band-Aid over your arthritis symptoms. Pain killers may kill the pain, but not the problem. You’ll always have to take pain killers if that’s the route you decide to take. However, after a while most people find that pain killers, especially over the counter, lose their effectiveness and they begin to search for alternatives. Not to mention, pain killers include a long list of possible side effects such as:

• Stomach ulcers
• Liver Damage
• Increased risk of stroke
• Increased risk of a heart attack
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite

Orthopedic Surgery

For decades the most popular option for arthritis has been orthopedic surgery or joint replacement surgery. We have been told that arthritis is a permanent and irreversible condition. Orthopedics told patients until recently that once your cartilage has worn away it will never come back and joint replacement is imminent.

The major benefit to surgery is that it’s covered by insurance. Without spending much, or any, of your personal finances you can go through a surgery to replace your joint with an artificial one. This is an attractive option for people. Many patients have arthritis pain, which pain killers can’t treat, yet they don’t have any money to invest in other procedures. In most cases the pros of surgery don’t outweigh the cons.

If you opt for surgery you may be able to have insurance cover the procedure. However, replacing a joint is an extremely invasive process. You’ll be in surgery for hours, you’ll be at home for weeks or months recovering and in many situations patients don’t feel pain relief after the surgery. Also surgery is not a permanent solution. For example, a replacement knee will only last 10-15 years. If you get a knee replacement when you’re 50 you can expect to undergo surgery again by the time you’re 65 at the latest.

Besides the inconvenience of surgery, can you afford to take off work for a month to recover. Many elderly people who undergo surgery are retired. Perhaps these people can take off work to undergo surgery. However, some people aren’t as lucky. Some people can’t afford to take a month off work. Many people aren’t retired and they rely on their bi-weekly paychecks to make ends meet.

Stem Cell Professionals in York Pennsylvania

The stem cell professionals believe that surgery should be an absolute last resort. We want people to feel as good as they did before they developed arthritis. We want you to pitch the painkillers and avoid surgery.

If you are starting to develop painful symptoms from arthritis do not wait until it’s too late. Call the Stem Cell Professionals in York, Pa and we’ll help you decide if regenerative medicine is the right solution for you. 717-881-2343.