Nonsurgical Treatments in Raleigh, NC
ARE YOU LOOKING TO AVOID KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY OR TIRED OF LIVING WITH KNEE PAIN?
Surgery is NOT always the answer. There are NONSURGICAL knee pain treatments available!
Millions of people suffer from knee pain in this country, and many of them have been told that they need an immediate knee replacement. While it is true that some people might indeed need surgery, MOST patients have not tried all of the nonsurgical knee pain treatments that are available. In fact, a lot of patients are scared of surgery, and are looking for alternative treatments but they are unsure of where to go.
Knee pain has a lot of causes, but most often it is due to arthritis, or inflammation of the joint. When this occurs there is a lot of friction in the knee joint which leads to pain and swelling. Nonsurgical knee pain relief treatments are designed to reduce pain and swelling.
VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION
Maybe you have seen TV or newspaper ads about VISCOSUPPLEMENTATION.
Viscosupplementation (Rooster Comb) Injections: These injections are a great treatment for knee pain. They are made from a natural substance called hyaluronic acid that has almost no side effects. They act like a lubricant in the knee and reduce both friction and pain. These injections can be seen advertised in the newspaper, and on TV. When they are used, they can sometimes delay or prevent a knee replacement. These injections are done in a series of 3 shots, and have no down time. This is also a same day procedure that is done in the office, rather than in the hospital.
What to Expect
- There are a series of 3 injections, 1 week apart.
- These injections have been shown to improve knee pain due to arthritis, and can sometimes have long lasting effects.
Is it covered by insurance?
Almost ALL insurance carriers (including Medicare) will cover the cost of the injections, although you may have to pay your “percentage” based on whatever type of healthcare plan you carry. Medicare will usually cover these injection in full, with no out of pocket costs to the patient.
STEM CELL THERAPY AT WAKE SPORTS MEDICINE
The use of adipose tissue has taken on increasing importance in the field of regenerative stem cell therapy. It has recently obtained FDA clearance. It makes use of the high stem cell density of adipose thought to be 1 out of every 100 cells. This technique utilizes mild mechanical forces in a closed system to produce micro-fractured and purified adipose tissue graft which is non expanded and ready to use in a variety of regenerative applications. More importantly, this adipose product has a very well preserved vascular stroma with slit-like capillaries wedged between adipocytes and vascular channels.
Lipoaspirate is a type of autologous (from your own body), same-day stem cell therapy.
This means the collected stem cells are put into a different part of the body in the same person during the same day procedure. Lipoaspirates are obtained from the abdomen or love handle area through a quick liposuction procedure. The gentle liposuction takes a few minutes, and the whole time in the office is an estimated 60-90 minutes.
WHAT is the COST?
The first office visit IS COVERED by insurance, and will be a history and physical. We will discuss the process, and get the consent for the procedure.
We will then schedule you for a second visit for the actual injection. This visit is NOT covered by insurance, and will be about 1 hr long. You will need to pay up front for the injection. Contact us at our Raleigh, NC office to inquire about our injection pricing.
DOES IT WORK?
Some patients are doing very well with stem cell therapy. By this we mean a decrease in pain levels, and an increase in activities. This does not mean that all patients will do well. Do NOT believe anyone that claims that stem cells definitely regrow tissue, or that your pain will definitely be gone. This is a lie.
To date there is LIMITED evidence that stem cells regenerate or regrow meniscus and cartilage. There are a lot of “case studies” which mean that one or two patients are feeling better. But there are NO large clinical trials to suggest that these injections work. While a lot of clinics promise grand results with these injections, the truth is that we physicians are not quite sure what we are doing with stem cells. With that said, a lot of us think that stem cells “might” help to heal damaged tissue in the body.
Personally I think there is promise with stem cell therapy, and that is why I offer it here at Wake Sports Medicine, HOWEVER I will never make any false promises or claims to a patient about possible results. If we knew that stem cells definitely regenerated meniscus or cartilage than insurance would cover it, as it would be cheaper than a surgery.
Right now the 3 most common types of Stem Cell injections are:
- Fat
- Bone Marrow
- Amniotic
If you have any questions about stem cells, please make an appt with Dr. Kanaan to discuss this further before you spend thousands of dollars.
PLATELET-RICH PLASMA & STEM CELLS (REGENERATIVE THERAPY)
The body has an amazing capacity to heal itself. When the body becomes injured, a natural healing process occurs to repair the damaged tissue. The body signals platelets and other components in our blood supply to migrate to the site of injury. Under normal conditions, these platelets release a variety of factors that initiate and subsequently promote healing. New advances in medicine have been developed to harness and concentrate these platelets to be precisely introduced to the injury site in an injectable form. The implantation of these platelets from a small amount of the patient’s own blood has the potential to “supercharge” the body’s capacity for healing.
In order to prepare PRP, blood is taken from the patient. The components within the blood are isolated to produce the PRP through a separating process in a machine called a centrifuge. The entire process takes about 15-20 minutes. When PRP is injected into the damaged area it stimulates the tendon or ligament as well as causing mild inflammation that triggers the healing cascade. This is all accomplished without using any animal products or other foreign material.
Patients can see a significant improvement in symptoms. Patients may experience more pain the first 1-2 weeks after the injection. This in a normal reaction and part of the inflammation that triggers the healing process.
PRP(Advanced Regenerative Therapy) can reduce healing times up to 50%. This may eliminate the need for more aggressive treatments such as long- term medication or surgery, as well as a remarkable return of function.
PRP injections can be performed in muscles, tendons and ligaments all over the body. Some examples include: resistant fractures, muscle strains, ligament sprains, articular cartilage injury, arthritis, acute tendon rupture, and chronic tendinopathy.
While responses to treatment vary, most people will require a series of 1 to 3 injections. Each injection may be spaced several weeks to a few months apart. There is no limit to the number of treatments you can have: the risks and side effects do not change with the number of injections.
If you have a tendon or ligament injury and traditional methods have not provided relief, then PRP therapy may be the solution. The procedure is less aggressive and less expensive than surgery. It will heal tissue with minimal or no scarring, and alleviates further degeneration of the tissues. Your doctor will determine to see if PRP therapy is right for you.
WHAT is the COST?
The first office visit IS COVERED by insurance, and will be a history and physical. We will discuss the process, and get the consent for the procedure.
We will then schedule you for a second visit for the actual injection. This visit is NOT covered by insurance, and will be about 1 hr long. You will need to pay up front for the injection. Call us to inquire about our Advanced Regenerative Therapy (PRP) injection pricing.
CUSTOM KNEE BRACES
A good fitting and properly prescribed brace, or splint, can be very beneficial for the nonsurgical treatment of various orthopedic problems. Braces are classified in a category of medical products called Durable Medical Equipment (DME). Some DME products, like knee braces and various splints, help provide long lasting support and rehabilitation for medical conditions when you are out of the doctor’s office. At Wake Sports Medicine in Raleigh, NC we will evaluate whether you might benefit from wearing a brace or splint to reduce your pain and improve your symptoms.
Types of Braces and DME Equipment
We carry a variety of braces in our clinic, and we specialize in making sure that you find something that relieves your symptoms, and fits your lifestyle. Some of the braces and other DME equipment we carry are:
- Knee Unloaders
- Knee Supports
- Hinged Knee Braces
Fitting for knee braces and other rehabilitation equipment can be a challenge. At Wake Sports Medicine, we have our skilled team ready to properly fit you for the correct piece of equipment. It is important to make sure that the equipment is not only the right fit, but that it is also designed to fulfill the intended use of the patient. Ill-fitting or the wrong equipment could cause injury and the medical condition to worsen.
How does a brace help relieve joint pain?
Joint pain is caused by a variety of factors, and often times arthritis is involved. When you have arthritis there is a great deal of friction within the joint, and this in turn causes inflammation and pain. When you use a brace you can sometimes stabilize the area of pain, and reduce the joint pain.
Wake Sports Medicine carries some very high tech braces that are also called unloading braces for the knee in particular. An unloader brace will actually change the forces in the knee to alleviate knee joint pain. This is a great option for patients that have specific knee arthritis but want to stay active.
Can a brace help avoid knee surgery?
In many cases, a good brace coupled with a viscosupplementation injection will give the patient long lasting pain relief, and sometimes help them delay or avoid a knee replacement. For more information about braces and how they can help, contact us at our Raleigh, NC office.
Our Philosophy…
At Wake Sports Medicine we focus entirely on nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatments to relieve knee pain, promote healing, rehabilitate, and prevent future injuries. We also strongly feel that the key to a long and healthy lifestyle is to stay active, and we make every attempt to return patients to the recreational and competitive activities that they enjoy.
Don’t wait! Contact us today to experience knee pain relief without the risk of surgery. Call our office in Raleigh, NC at (919) 719-2270.