At Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics, we offer regenerative medicine as a nonsurgical treatment option for a variety of orthopedic conditions. Certain injections can reduce inflammation and pain caused by arthritis, and even slow the degenerative process. Because my primary subspecialty is treating foot and ankle conditions, I use regenerative medicine injections to treat arthritic joints or osteoarthritis of the ankle, midfoot or forefoot.
Arthritis is a loss of cartilage in a joint that leads to an irregular joint surface, causing inflammation and pain. We use regenerative injection therapy as a way of treating this inflammation.
We start by drawing a patient’s blood, then use centrifuge technology to isolate the proteins in the blood we want to use. Next, we inject these proteins back into the inflamed area, which bind the inflammatory proteins in the joint, thus decreasing inflammation, and then decreasing pain. This type of therapy is still investigative, but data suggest it can slow down the degenerative process and may even delay the need for surgery.
Many patients ask how these regenerative injection therapies differ from cortisone injections. Corticosteroids work by reducing inflammation, and regenerative medicine injections really do a very similar thing but without the side effects we sometimes see with cortisone injections. We know that cortisone injections repeated over time can cause further degeneration of cartilage, or even have some degeneration or problems with the soft tissues surrounding the joint. With regenerative medicine injections, you don’t have those risks.
Learn how regenerative medicine injections can also help patients with tendon disorders:
To find out if regenerative medicine treatment options may be right for you, please make an appointment by calling 913-319-7600.
About the Author:
James Halloran, M.D.
is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon whose primary clinical interest focuses on diagnosis and treatment of conditions involving the knee, ankle, and foot. Dr. Halloran completed fellowship training in both sports medicine and foot/ankle surgery.
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The medical information contained in the Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics website is provided to increase your knowledge and understanding of orthopedic conditions. This information should not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific medical or surgical treatment plan. As each patient may have specific symptoms or associated problems, the treatment regimen for a specific patient may not be the proper treatment for another.
Gaining knowledge and understanding of a particular problem or condition is the first step in any medical treatment plan. We believe the information presented on our website will be helpful for those individuals experiencing orthopedic injuries or other musculoskeletal problems. However, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your family physician. You are encouraged to consult with your physician to discuss any course of treatment presented or suggested.
