Regenerative treatments for low back pain

Dr Sharmila Tulpule Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and India’s first US Board Certified Regenerative Expert

Are you or your near ones, suffering from Chronic Low Back Pain or Sciatica or Disc Prolapse or Lumbar Canal Stenosis?

Have you been advised surgery for the same?

Then it's important for you to know the latest developments in the field and that it's available in Mumbai.

Incidence of Chronic Low Back Pain in India has been on rise very rapidly in the last decade due to lifestyle changes, lack of exercise, rise in obesity, long sitting hours and long hours on computers. Recent years have seen a serious surge in spine related issues in younger population due to IT jobs. It's not uncommon to see a patient in late twenties or early thirties, suffering from disc prolapse! The physical, psychological, and economical problems arising out of this chronic problem, often without a definitive solution, are enormous.

Low back pain occurring in older age groups is often due to Degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Also, it's very common to see older patients suffering from Severe pain in lower back and legs, (called claudication Pain), due to Lumbar Canal Stenosis. The only solution for such patients hitherto was Spine Surgery, for which not many patients are willing.

Typical treatment in all the above cases consists of taking pain killers, trying out different types of physiotherapy and in worst cases, a spine surgery.

But with latest advances in the field of regenerative medicine, Chronic Low Back Pain which doesn't respond to all the routine treatments can be very effectively treated with advanced regenerative therapies called Ortho biologic therapies.

There are many advanced regenerative treatments available which will help you to actually get the root cause treated and in turn avoid surgery. Regenerative medicine is a very advanced and recent branch of medicine where body's own healing power, in the form of processed blood or tissue, is used to heal or regenerate the degeneration or injuries.

There are different types of these regenerative treatments which can be used to treat chronic lower spine conditions. There have been many cases where regenerative treatments have been able to treat low back pain or spine cases and avoid spine surgery. You should get yourself checked thoroughly to see whether you are a candidate for regenerative treatment.

A typical regenerative treatment for lower back or spine problem, uses the growth factors or cytokines from Patients own blood, and is injected in the affected area, under radiological guidance.

The advantages of regenerative treatments in spine are as follows:

They are very safe since they use patient's own blood to process the growth factors.
Typically, each session takes about 40 minutes and total 4 sessions are required.
No hospital admission or anaesthesia is needed.
There are minimal or no side effects.
They can safely be repeated and are very effective.
After completing the treatment, no bed rest is required. You can comfortably walk around in the house and can resume your daily routine from the next day.
Treatment is followed by physiotherapy, for better and faster recovery.

What are the spine conditions, which can be treated with Regenerative Therapies?

Chronic Lumbar Disc Prolapse, either single or multiple level
Lumbar Canal Stenosis
Facetal Joint Arthritis
Chronic Low back Pain with Sciatica due to lumbar spondylosis.

It's very important to get an assessment done by an Orthopaedic Surgeon specialised in regenerative Medicine, to know whether you are a good candidate for Regenerative Treatment for your Spine Problem.

Other conditions treated by regenerative therapies?