If you are suffering from pain and swelling in your joints, particularly in your hand, hips, knees, and spine, you may be experiencing early signs of arthritis. Caught early, arthritis is often a treatable disease.
Other warning signs of arthritis include the following:
- Joints that have stiffness, inflammation, and pain
- Pain occurring in the morning in the joints lasting at least an hour after you wake up
- Physical activity increases or intensifies the joint pain
- Intermittent pain in the joints then increases and becomes more frequent over time
- Ability to move freely and easily is reduced, and normal tasks become difficult
- Sensation of grinding inside the joints, with the bone rubbing against bone instead of cartilage
- Occasionally, other signs, such as loss of appetite, fever, fatigue, and burning or redness in the joint areas
- Tingling or numbness in the affected areas
There are two most common types of arthritis:
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the joints for reasons that remain uncertain.
The resulting pain and swelling can become increasingly debilitating.
Osteoarthritis is the more common type of arthritis and occurs due to the normal wear and tear on the joints as we age, but it can be exacerbated by being overweight or overusing the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any joint, but osteoarthritis tends to affect joints that bear weight, such as the hips, knees, and spine.
In the past, arthritis has mostly been handled by treating the symptoms of the disease with medication that addresses pain and swelling.
While this temporary relief can allow for some freedom from the pain and limitations of arthritis, recent advanced regenerative treatments have helped numerous people suffering from arthritic conditions.
Regenerative Treatments for Arthritis: Mesenchymal Cells and PRP
There are two regenerative treatments available for those suffering from arthritis: the use of mesenchymal cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP).
Mesenchymal cells are derived from the Wharton’s jelly in donor umbilical cord tissue. Therapy using these regenerative tissues takes advantage of the amino acids, cytokines, and other healing factors found in this material, which can be introduced into the body in areas affected by the disease.
Whether the joint tissues are damaged from an autoimmune disorder or from normal wear and tear, the regenerative tissue can send messages to the surrounding damaged tissues to begin the processes of healing and renewal.
PRP therapy works by drawing blood from the patient and then using a centrifuge to create a concentrated solution of platelets, the body’s mechanisms for delivering healing messages.
When the platelets are injected into affected areas, they similarly tell the damaged tissues to begin regrowth and repair. Patients can then experience relief through means that avoid powerful pain-blocking medication with its own side effects and issues.
If you suffer from arthritis and want an alternative with its origins in the body’s natural healing processes, these therapies may be right for you.