A commonly affected location of pain from sports injuries or even simple wrist movements, the elbow enables us to perform a wide variety of motions and tasks, and when it hurts, it can severely limit a person’s range of motion. Fortunately, despite the cause of your elbow pain, the regenerative medicine experts at Axis Stem Cell Institute can help.
Causes of Elbow Pain
Although not one of the major joints of the body like the knees or shoulders joints, the elbow can sustain a lot of wear and tear and easily become irritated and inflamed. Common causes of pain include overuse, hyperextension, and torn tendons. Risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of experiencing elbow pain include arthritis, increased activity level, and participation in sports. Improper form like rotation, flexing, or contracting of the elbow on a frequent basis can lead to the gradual wearing down of the tendon and cartilage in the elbow, leading to pain of various degrees.
Types of Elbow Conditions
The most well-known condition that leads to elbow pain is arguably tennis elbow. Medically called lateral epicondylitis, this injury is caused by overuse of the elbow joint that leads to inflammation of the extensor tendon and pain. Other conditions can affect the elbow and cause pain, including elbow bursitis, which is caused by inflammation in the olecranon bursa, a small fluid-filled sac located at the tip of the elbow.
These conditions and others can go away on their own, with self-management using anti-inflammatory drugs, cold packs, and elbow braces, but sometimes don’t. Other times, the pain felt is so intense that it interferes with a person’s lifestyle, leading people to seek treatment. A non-surgical way to get your full range of motion back is to try stem cell therapy, which can speed up the healing process and offer a non-invasive treatment from remitting injury of several types of elbow conditions.
Stem Cell Therapy For the Elbow
Stem cell therapy works by harvesting stem cells from either adipose tissue or bone marrow, then injecting them directly into the area of the body that needs a healing boost. Stem cells are types of cells found throughout the body that have the potential to become any other type of cell, from brain tissue to blood vessels.
When injected into an area of inflammation or injury, they will be signaled by the injured tissue to become what it needs: cartilage, tendon tissue, or even bone cells. This addition of vital resources helps heal the issue faster than traditional techniques, helping people in pain get the relief they need.
The Stem Cell Therapy Process
All stem cell therapies begin with a consultation, during which our regenerative medicine specialists will ask about your symptoms, evaluate the area, and determine how best to go forward with treatment, perhaps including other therapies such as platelet-rich plasma.
Stem cell therapy is a three-step process. First, the stem cells are harvested from the predetermined source with the appropriate method. Next, we process the harvested tissue to isolate the stem cells. Finally, the solution is injected directly into the elbow at the level and location where they are needed most.
Stem Cell Therapies in Seattle and St. Petersburg
If you’re in pain and are looking for a non-medication, non-surgical solution, Axis Stem Cell Institute is here to help. With locations in Washington state and Florida, we have helped thousands of people get out of pain with quick, easy stem cell treatments. To schedule a consultation at our Seattle or St. Petersburg office by calling 206.823.0960 or filling out our online form.