How Long Does Stem Cell Therapy Last?

If you consider taking stem cell therapy for particular orthopedic conditions like treating injuries of shoulders, back pain, damages of knees as well as treating arthritis and osteoarthritis, then you are probably interested in how long stem cell therapy lasts and if the effects of this treatment are long-standing.

Recent studies have shown that stem cell injections for arthritis bring relief which can last from six months up to 1 year. Some patients also report the effects of the therapy that last for several years.

Every medical case is quite individual, so it’s pretty tough to determine the strict term for the stem cell injections to take effect and if you ask ‘how long does stem cell therapy last?’ there is so far no certain answer.

Nevertheless, let’s take a brief look at what this treatment is supposed to be.

How do stem cells work?

Stem cell therapy is regarded as a form of regenerative medicine that uses the skills of such cells to self-renew and promote the healing of tissues and organs by transforming their ill structure into a healthy one once they get into the damaged area of the body.

The procedure of injecting the stem cells is an easy process that requires no admission to the hospital and suggests a very short at-home-rehab period for about several days. The reliving effects of such stem cell injections last (more precisely, they are expected to last) about a year. If the pain comes back, then the procedure should be repeated.

Stem Cell Treatment Process

The step-by-step process of providing stem cell treatment is as follows:

Note: Here we describe autologous therapy as it is. For allogeneic therapy (material taken from a donor) everything is the same except for the need to sign some additional documents and receive some special instructions.

1. The very first step supposes that stem cells are taken from the patient’s own adipose tissue or bone marrow using a pain-free and safe method with minimum discomfort.
2. The material is processed in a centrifuge to get a concentrated liquid called plasma which contains a number of layers including the layer with stem cells and a layer with platelets and growth factors.
3. The unnecessary layers are separated and the concentrated liquid with a high healing potency is then injected into the injured area on the body of a patient.
4. The areas where shots are administered can be different since the therapy is applied for the treatment of pain in the knees, shoulders, hips, or other joints harmed by arthritis. The injections are made with the use of local anesthetics.
5. After the procedure, a patient can leave the office and drive him/herself home since there’s no need to stay at the in-patient facility. The downtime is supposed to last about a couple of days until a slight swelling at the injection site goes away.

A single procedure provided within stem cell therapy lasts about an hour with all the preparations, extracting the material, and the injection itself. It may take a few weeks until a patient admits the first relief and a significant improvement of their mobility and better flexibility of joints.

The Takeaway

Each of us is individual and the reactions we may have from any definite medical treatment are different as well. This means the effects of stem cell injections last during the time span that will be varied for every patient.

If you need to learn a more detailed personal prediction of your potential benefits from the therapy, get in touch with our doctors to apply for a free consultation and discuss when you are able to visit our office for elaborate diagnostics and further treatment. Our doctors are happy to assist!