The Medical Advisor

In these past few years, stem cells and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) have been hot topics among researchers and doctors. However, these forms of treatments are often mixed up and are confusing for most average consumers.  As of January 2024, there are  more than 300,000 studies  related to "stem cell" and  more than 14,000 studies  related to PRP on PubMed (US NIH Library of Medicine Database).  Nevertheless, stem cell and PRP-related therapies are not yet established as standard treatments, given their relatively recent emergence. Regenerative medicine is also becoming a buzzword in the medical community. Why? Because the human body is specially equipped to heal itself, and regenerative therapies tap into this powerful ability. Regenerative medicine includes treatments like stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Research around these therapies is expanding every day and it's not easy to keep updated. We will cover the essentials, diff...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. OA of the knee happens when the cartilage — the cushion between the knee joints — breaks down. This can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. There is no cure for OA of the knee, but treatment can help relieve discomfort and slow the damage. It can improve also your quality of life and help you better keep up with your day-to-day activities. Your treatment options will depend on your individual needs. These include your medical history, level of pain, and the impact of OA on your daily life. Treatment usually includes a combination of therapies and lifestyle choices. What Causes Chronic Knee Pain? Temporary knee pain is different from chronic knee pain. Many people experience temporary knee pain as a result of an injury or accident.  Chronic knee pain rarely goes away without treatment, and it isn’t always attributable to one incident. It’s most often the result of several causes or conditions. Step 1 in dealing with a chroni...

If you are looking for knee pain treatment, you've come to the right place. This article is based on relevant peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and medical associations. Chronic knee pain is long-term pain, swelling, or sensitivity in one or both knees. The cause of your knee pain can determine the symptoms you experience. Many conditions can cause or contribute to chronic knee pain, and many treatments exist. Each person’s experience with chronic knee pain will be different. What causes chronic knee pain? Temporary knee pain is different from chronic knee pain. Many people experience temporary knee pain as a result of an injury or accident.  Chronic knee pain rarely goes away without treatment, and it isn’t always attributable to one incident. It’s most often the result of several causes or conditions. Step 1 in addressing chronic knee pain is to determine the underlying cause, often referred to as the 'diagnosis' in medical terms. Step 2 involves initi...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. OA of the knee happens when the cartilage — the cushion between the knee joints — breaks down. This can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. There is no cure for OA of the knee, but treatment can help relieve discomfort and slow the damage. It can improve also your quality of life and help you better keep up with your day-to-day activities. Your treatment options will depend on your individual needs. These include your medical history, level of pain, and the impact of OA on your daily life. Treatment usually includes a combination of therapies and lifestyle choices. Injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are a novel treatment for managing pain related to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Some PRP preparations have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but approval does not yet cover the use of PRP in OA of the knee. Nevertheless, some clinics may offer it “off-label”. Following is a review of the available effec...

The Old Gaurd versus the New Kid One of the things that orthopedic surgery suffers from is that the basic technology is decades old and came into being at a time when there were very low research standards for surgical care. Take for example a knee replacement. If this procedure didn’t exist and I were to propose to the FDA and insurance companies today that I wanted to amputate a major part of someone’s body and insert a metal and plastic replacement, both would require large randomized controlled trials and a decade of research before allowing this to be approved and covered. Despite that, it took decades before someone tested a knee replacement against conservative care. Why is that a big deal? Because we didn’t know until that study that whacking out someone’s knee joint and replacing it with a prosthesis was better than going to physical therapy. In addition, we still don’t have a single study that compares a knee replacement to a placebo procedure (the medical term is sham). Why...