According to a literature review published this month, interest in the use of stem cell therapy for chronic pain has been growing. Many human trials are being conducted and stem cell therapy has shown promising results in the treatment of neuropathic pain, disc disease, osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal pain.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to develop into specialized cell types. During fetal development stem cells play an essential role in the development of organs. Stem cells are also present in adults in all tissues of the body and assist with organ and tissue repair. Adult stem cells can be categorized according to the tissue of origin, such as placenta and umbilical cord stem cells, hematopoietic (blood-derived) stem cells, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and adipose (fatty tissue) derived MSCs. Recent innovations in science have made it possible for these adult stem cells to have many of the same characteristics of embryonic stem cells. These cells can be harvested from the patient’s own body so that they do not provoke an immune response against the treatment. They can then be injected into the area of the body needing repair.
Stem cell therapy for neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain includes trigeminal neuralgia, radiculopathy (pinched nerve root in the spinal column), polyneuropathy, peripheral nerve injury, postherpetic neuralgia (lingering pain after shingles), pain due to brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and central poststroke pain. Stem cell therapy can replace cells that were previously injured and allow them to grow and connect with existing cells. There are reports of positive results of stem cell therapy in all of these neuropathies.
Stem cell therapy for discogenic back pain
Stem cell therapy has been shown to improve pain from degenerative disc disease. It can decrease inflammatory response and increase the number of cells in the disc. Patients with moderate chronic back pain as well as those who are disabled are considered good candidates for stem cell therapy. Reduced disc tissue degeneration, recovered disc height and decreased pain have been found in a number of studies
Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis
Multiple randomized controlled trials have found that stem cells extracted from the patient’s body, including bone marrow, adipose tissue and connective tissue in the joints and have the ability to differentiate into different cell types and proliferate, repairing the joint, reducing pain and inflammation and halting disease progression. Peak improvement is seen six to twelve months after treatment. Earlier intervention in disease progression can yield more positive results. Most studies were done on very advanced disease and the results were less robust than expected.
Stem cell therapy for musculoskeletal disease
Musculoskeletal conditions include problems with bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, ligaments and joints. Pain is usually the first symptom. Stem cells can rapidly proliferate and repair damaged cartilage, so they can treat damaged tendons, ligaments and cartilage. There is limited data on using stem cells to treat these conditions, with most studies having small sample size and some studies not reaching clinical significance. Animal studies have so far shown more positive results than human studies. Still, the use of stem cells to treat musculoskeletal conditions has been growing worldwide.
Risks and side effects of stem cell therapy
Side effects of stem cell therapy are usually rare and mild, and may include minor pain at the injection site, joint swelling, reduced range of motion, infections, nausea or abdominal pain. One rare and serious adverse outcome is tumor formation, which some researchers believe can be averted through careful screening of the transplanted cells.
Find Healthcare Providers Who Offer Stem Cell Therapy
Cindy Perlin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, certified biofeedback practitioner, chronic pain survivor, the author of The Truth About Chronic Pain Treatments: The Best and Worst Strategies for Becoming Pain Free and the founder and CEO of the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory. She has been helping her clients in the Albany, NY area reach their health and wellness goals for over 27 years. She also provides virtual pain consults. See her provider profile HERE.
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