STANDARD OF CARE: STEROID INJECTION VS REGENERATIVE MEDICINE INJECTIONS
BY FRED G. ARNOLD, NMD
Standard of care refers to the appropriate medical treatment based on scientific evidence and collaboration between medical professionals involved in the treatment of a given condition.
In the treatment of painful musculoskeletal conditions, steroid injections such as cortisone injections is considered as the standard of care by many physicians and is often the first treatment offered to patients. Because the nature of steroids is to reduce inflammation associated with painful musculoskeletal conditions, an immediate reduction in symptoms associated with painful joints may be noticed; however, many patients are unaware of the side effects of steroid injections. Steroid injections can weaken bones, ligaments, muscles and tendon-bone attachments, lead to progressive and harmful arthritic changes, suppress the immune system, inhibit human growth hormone, and inactivate Vitamin D. These negative side effects can lead to increased production of pain, more cortisone shots and eventually surgery.
Many orthopedic physicians and doctors treat musculoskeletal and sports injuries with cortisone injections to relieve pain associated with their condition as a “quick fix”. The unsuspecting athlete returns to the playing field thinking their painful condition is cured when it is actually weakened by the cortisone injection. As a result, many athletics overstress their weakened joint resulting in permanent damage that leads to chronic use of pain medications.
Regenerative Medicine Injections
Regenerative medicine injections is an alternative to steroid injections for patients suffering from chronic joint pain, including bone on bone conditions. Regenerative medicine injections is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells and tissues to restore or establish normal function" and reduce pain associated with painful joints.
Some of the current and effective regenerative medicine injection techniques include prolotherapy, prolozone, platelet rich plasma (PRP), and stem cell therapy. Each of these techniques involves specific injections to the painful joint of specific solutions to stimulate the body’s own repair mechanisms to strengthen ligament, tendon and tendon-bone attachments. Regenerative medicine injections does not have the negative side effects of steroids and does not weaken bones or muscles and lead to progressive and harmful arthritic changes. Nor does it suppress the immune system, inhibit human growth hormone or inactivate Vitamin D. Many people and professional athletes are becoming aware of these alternative treatments and are finding successful alternatives to steroid injections.
Summary
Regenerative medicine injections should be a consideration before administering steroid injections such as cortisone. Regenerative medicine injections have an excellent safety and success record and are state of the art treatments for chronic joint pain. Regenerative medicine injections do not have the dangerous side effects of steroid injections and they do not suppress the immune system as do steroid injections. Receiving regenerative injections before a joint replacement can even help to improve the post surgical outcome by strengthening the involved joint, should regenerative medicine injections fail to provide optimum results.