What Is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine focuses on helping the body repair itself using its own natural healing mechanisms. Rather than relying solely on medications or surgery, regenerative treatments aim to stimulate tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and improve function by supporting the body’s ability to heal.
In my practice, I use regenerative medicine to treat spine, joint, tendon, and ligament conditions, helping patients restore mobility and reduce pain when traditional treatments have not provided lasting results.
What Regenerative Medicine Is Not
Regenerative medicine is an exciting and rapidly advancing field — but it’s important to be realistic about what it can and cannot do. At this stage of scientific development, we cannot fully regenerate joints, tendons, or discs to their original, pre-injury state.
Treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) do not “grow new cartilage” or reverse arthritis overnight. Instead, they can modulate inflammation, enhance tissue repair, and help slow degenerative processes — often leading to meaningful improvements in pain and function.
My goal is to help you make informed decisions based on science, not hype.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is one of the most established and researched forms of regenerative medicine. It involves drawing a small amount of your blood, processing it in a centrifuge to isolate the platelet-rich layer, and injecting that concentrated plasma into the area of injury under ultrasound or x-ray guidance for accuracy and safety.
Platelets don’t just release growth factors — they also release signaling proteins and messengers that help reduce inflammation, attract your body’s own repair cells, form new blood vessels, and rebuild tissue. These combined effects support healing and improve how tissues recover after injury.
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)
Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) is a treatment made using a small sample of your own bone marrow, often taken from the pelvic bone. The sample is processed to concentrate helpful cells and natural growth signals that support healing and help calm inflammation. These cells do not turn into new tissue, but instead send signals that help your body repair itself. BMAC is not approved by the FDA as a drug or stem cell treatment for arthritis or other orthopedic problems.
Doctors may legally use it as part of medical care when it is taken from you and used in the same procedure, without claiming it can regrow tissue. BMAC may be considered for early joint arthritis, certain tendon or ligament problems, or cartilage injuries, especially when physical therapy, medications, or injections have not helped enough. It is not a good option for severe, bone-on-bone arthritis, large tears, major structural damage, or when surgery is clearly needed, and it should not be described as a cure or a way to grow new cartilage or bone.
How PRP & BMAC Fit into My Practice
In my practice, PRP and BMAC are not a one-size-fits-all solution. The pathology I will see on your imaging studies, in correlation to your functional capacity as well as your overall health condition, will help me whether PRP, BMACor another treatment — such as image-guided injections or neuromodulation procedures — may be more appropriate.
Is PRP or BMAC Right for You?
PRP or BMAC may be a good option if you:
- Have joint, tendon, or spine pain, with x-rays or MRIs showing mild to moderate degeneration.
- Prefer to delay surgery and want to explore another option for reduction of pain and inflammation.