The field of regenerative medicine is complex. Patients often believe that the treatment they receive at one clinic is the same as another, that the latte at this Starbucks is the same as the latte at another.
The decision of how to treat medical conditions can be overwhelming. Many patients research all potential options. Others follow their doctor’s advice. Some just go with standard procedures.
Traditional treatments for knee pain have often been NSAIDs or surgery. NSAIDs reduce inflammation, therefore reducing pain. Unfortunately, inflammation is our body’s natural method of healing. Millions of tiny cells rush to the injury to perform their individual role in the healing process. So, when inflammation stops, healing stops also. Surgery is often not necessary. 86% of musculoskeletal injuries can be effectively treated without surgery. Discover your options.
Healthy function of joints is controlled by “chondrocytes,” mesenchymal stem cells that regulate replacement of damaged cells. When the balance between the supply of new cells is adequate to maintain healthy function, the body is in homeostasis. However, imbalance in this function leads to degeneration of tissue, such as osteoarthritis.
Research is beginning to dispel some of the mysteries surrounding the human body, particularly how the body regenerates tissue. In the early 1990s, scientists discovered small sections of RNA called microRNA or miRNA. This discovery allowed them to see more precisely how DNA functions in our bodies and the role these tiny molecules play in the process of regeneration of tissue.