What is chronic pain?

Any pain that persists for more than three months after the initial injury or cause is healed is considered a chronic pain. It may occur in any part of the body and can range from mild to severe in intensity. Very often, chronic pain is accompanied by mental or emotional burden due to the debilitating effect of constant physical pain. The most common causes include past injury, past surgery, strain, degenerative conditions, or inflammation. In some extraordinary cases, the cause is not clear, much to the frustration of the patient. Chronic pain can significantly affect quality of life, making it difficult to maintain work, relationships and activities. Very often, there is no direct cure for the pain, so some individuals must learn to cope with the condition in various ways.

There are many types of chronic pain. The most common are:

• Musculoskeletal pain, including fibromyalgia
• Nerve-related pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Visceral pain: including heart, lung, or bladder pain

What are the symptoms of chronic pain?

Each patient is affected by chronic pain in a unique way. Some can experience it mildly while others can have their lives severely disrupted.

The symptoms patients can present include stiffness, fatigue, insomnia, decreased physical function, and of course, persistent pain. These symptoms often evolve into other conditions including anxiety, depression, irritability and mood swings.

How is chronic pain traditionally treated?

Traditional treatments involve managing the pain through pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological therapies. The first kind will attempt to address the pain through NSAIDs, muscle relaxers and opioids. Common non-pharmacological treatments involve lifestyle adjustments. For example, some get a group of people that can provide emotional support, others balance their activities with appropriate rest, lead a healthy lifestyle and learn relaxation techniques to reduce the intensity of the pain. Physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massages can also provide some relief.

How can stem cells help treat chronic pain?

The downside of traditional treatments is that they provide limited relief. In addition, secondary effects from traditional treatments can result in further complications including the development of degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and the development of dependencies to pharmacological treatments.

Chronic pain is a symptom very much related to inflammation in the body. With regenerative therapy, we treat the issue by its root. Stem cell therapy is a minimally invasive procedure aimed to amplify the body’s natural healing mechanisms in order to reduce inflammation and heal damaged tissues. Stem cells possess immunomodulatory properties that reduce the underlying inflammatory processes that cause pain. When the immune system is triggered by external factors for an extended period of time, it leads to high levels of pro-inflammatory markers in cells and tissues. This leads to an inflammatory cycle that can only be broken by the suppression of inflammatory cytokines and the release of macromolecules like hyaluronic acid and collagen. Stem cells and exosome transplants stimulate the natural self-healing, anti-inflammatory powers within the body.

Many of our patients visit us with recurrent medication intake and after their treatments are able to lead lives without it.

Our stem cells are ethically sourced from the Wharton’s jelly found in the umbilical cord tissue of healthy donors. We screen and expand these cells in strict protocols that ensure their safety and efficacy. When we transplant these cells, we do so alongside exosomes and other adjoining therapies to enhance the healing properties of the cells, support the formation of healthy, new tissue at the cellular level, and unlock the health benefits they can provide. We offer a holistic, integrative approach to our therapies, focusing on each individual and catering to their needs.

We know chronic pain can be a great obstacle to your goals and can greatly affect your physical and mental wellbeing. We are here to tell you this does not have to be your “normal”. We will walk you through your journey towards recovery so that you can enjoy every moment of your life.