An Alternative to Steroid Epidural Injections or Neck and Back Surgery
A steroid epidural injection is a medical procedure aimed at delivering steroid medication around the nerves in the neck and spine that are irritated or inflamed. While injections can effectively help patients avoid surgery, they involve the use of high-dose steroids, which carry the risk of severe side effects and may potentially hinder the body’s natural healing processes.
In contrast, Regenexx provides a range of minimally invasive procedures designed to offer alternatives to steroid epidurals. These procedures utilize ultra-precise spinal injections of platelet lysates or in select cases, bone marrow concentrate. Advanced imaging guidance ensures the precise placement of these injections directly into the affected area, promoting the regenerative therapeutic effects and minimizing the risk of complications. By leveraging these advanced techniques, procedures using Regenexx injectates aim to provide reduced pain and promote the body’s innate healing abilities without the drawbacks associated with high-dose steroids.
Treating Bulging or Herniated Discs
What is a bulging disc?
Also known as disc protrusion, a bulging disk is when the outer covering of the disk, called the annulus, is partially damaged or torn, causing the area to bulge. This can cause extra pressure on spinal nerves, causing tingling or numbness.
What is a herniated disc?
Also known as a disc extrusion, sequestration, herniated nucleus pulposus or a disc extrusion, a herniated disk occurs when the outer covering of the disc called the annulus, is completely damaged or torn, causing the inner gel to shift completely. This can cause numbness, tingling and swelling.
Platelet Lysate is a specialized treatment frequently used for addressing bulging and herniated discs. Developed by Regenexx, this procedure harnesses natural growth factors derived from the patient’s own blood platelets. With extensive expertise in Platelet Lysate, Platelet-Rich Plasma and bone marrow concentrate sourced from the patient’s body, Regenexx ensures personalized treatment options tailored to reduce pain.
Administered under precise imaging guidance, Platelet Lysate Spinal procedures target specific areas requiring treatment. They aim to reduce symptoms such as lower back or neck pain, buttock and leg discomfort and numbness and tingling in the arms, hands, legs or feet. This highly specific, image-guided non-surgical approach provides an alternative for patients suffering from problems related to bulging discs and herniated cervical, thoracic or lumbar discs. These procedures are exclusively performed by physicians in the licensed Regenexx network, ensuring specialized care and outcomes tracked in a registry.
Using Bone Marrow Concentrate and Platelets as Healing Agents
Regenexx pioneered this innovative treatment approach, providing extensive experience and a comprehensive range of procedures tailored to address a variety of conditions. Our treatments offer precise, image-guided, non-surgical options to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Our highly skilled physicians use advanced imaging to pinpoint and treat specific areas of the neck and back, helping patients avoid spinal fusion surgery and the need for frequent high-dose steroid epidural injections.
Our advanced Interventional Orthobiologic treatment protocol targets the complexities of degenerative discs, which often lead to complications such as compressed nerves (stenosis), facet joint overload resulting in arthritis and lax ligaments contributing to spinal instability. We deploy platelet and/or bone marrow concentrate sourced from the patient’s own body to address issues like disc movement caused by lax ligaments and arthritic facet joints.
Each of these critical areas requires a customized approach, ensuring that patient receives the most suitable procedure tailored to their specific needs.
This advanced, precise image-guided non-surgical procedure involves isolating cells from the patient’s own bone marrow. The bone marrow is obtained through a specialized needle under advanced imaging guidance during an office-based procedure supervised by your Regenexx physician. Patients typically find the harvesting procedure well tolerated, often reporting minimal discomfort or pain. Following collection, the bone marrow undergoes centrifugation to concentrate the cells while removing unnecessary components. The concentrated cells combine with a preparation of concentrated blood platelets, are then injected into the damaged disc on the same day, guided by advanced imaging to ensure precise placement.
