
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy to Manage Pain
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (or UCL), known to baseball fans as Tommy John surgery because MLB pitcher Tommy John was the first major league baseball
Stem Cell Therapy for Pain Management
Another treatment for effective pain management and to promote healing that is gaining in popularity among professional athletes is the branch of regenerative medicine comprised of stem cell therapies. While stem cell therapies is a catch-all term for a wide range of treatments that are at varying stages of development, injections with stem cells harvested from non-embryonic tissues are currently the most prominent approach. Arrowhead Health Centers, for example, uses Placental Tissue Matrix Therapy. This type of stem cell therapy harnessing the undifferentiated state of cells within the placentas from healthily born babies to manage pain that results from chronic back, knee, and joint problems. From these cells, damaged tissues (like worn cartilage) are replaced with new cells—hence the term “regenerative medicine.” This particular type of treatment is so effective for pain management and healing injuries that some have even ventured to suggest that it may one day completely replace the Tommy John surgery described earlier in this article.
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