How Stem Cell Therapy and Other Nonsurgical Treatments Can Relieve Your Back Pain

Tens of millions of Americans live with chronic back pain, or pain that lasts for several months or more, at some point. The leading cause of disability around the world, back pain can hinder everything from your moods and sleep abilities to your social life and work productivity.

These statistics are daunting, but there is hope. The right treatment plan can help alleviate your symptoms and restore your quality of life.

Dr. Nicholas Perenich and his team at Spine Institute of Florida in Dade City and Spring Hill provide a variety of back pain treatments that don’t require going “under the knife.” If you’d like to find lasting relief without surgery, consider the following options.

Common back pain causes

Any condition or injury that strains or damages the bones, muscles, ligaments, or nerves in your back can lead to severe or lasting pain.

Painful back conditions we often see in our office include:

Arthritis
Disc herniation
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Spinal kyphosis
Spinal stenosis
Sprains and strains
Spondylolisthesis
Vertebral fractures

While anyone can develop back pain, your odds are heightened if you’re middle aged or older, carry excess weight, engage in sports or sudden athletic activity, or use poor form when lifting large or heavy objects. Genetics can play a role in back pain, too.

How stem cell therapy reduces pain

Stem cells, which occur naturally in your body, have the unique ability to turn into specialized cells. That ability makes them appealing to scientists and doctors in terms of treating many conditions, from spinal cord injuries and arthritis to Parkinson’s disease.

Stem cell therapy uses your own stem cells to prompt healing mechanisms in your body with the aim of tissue repair, reduced inflammation, and lasting pain relief.

While research is ongoing, an analysis of eight studies showed that stem cell therapy can significantly reduce low back pain in adults. Another study showed that stem cells injected into a herniated disc can reduce pain by over 50% for at least 12 months.

Other nonsurgical back pain treatments

Our team at Spine Institute of Florida typically starts back pain treatment with conservative care. Only when noninvasive options fail to sufficiently help do we recommend surgery

Depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms, we may recommend:

A back brace
Lifestyle changes, such as a healthier diet and sleep habits
Oral medication
Physical therapy
Spinal injections

We also offer radiofrequency (RF) ablation, which uses heat to destroy nerves involved with your pain. One study showed that RF ablation reduced back pain by nearly 50%, on average, for over four months.

If it turns out that you are a candidate for spine surgery, we’ll suggest a minimally invasive procedure if possible. Endoscopic foraminotomy with neurotomy, for example, widens spinal nerve openings through tiny openings to relieve pain from bone spurs, herniated discs, and sciatica.

To get on the path to lasting back pain relief without surgery, call Spine Institute of Florida or schedule an appointment through our website today.