Health
Why Your
Knee Hurts, and
What
to Do About It ESSENTIAL Naples
By Dr. Richard Hiler, DABCN
D
SUMMER 2022
42 “The natural fluid within the knee joint space is normally high in hyaluronic acid molecules. As we age, the concentration of these molecules is reduced; therefore, the addition of these products can help the joint move better and feel better for a time.” —Dr. Richard Hiler, DABCN
ue to injuries, mechanical issues, or overuse and aging, cartilage may be damaged or lost, resulting in pain. Even if patients have already had joint replacements and all medical options have been tried, correcting the muscle mechanics and alignment can often give a good amount of relief. And although orthopedic surgeons are brilliant when it comes to joint replacements and other surgeries, they are not usually knowledgeable and would probably even be skeptical of the following natural corrective procedures.
Regenerative Medicine for Cartilage Wear or Tear
• Stem Cell Allograft: In times of injury the body recruits its own stem cells for repair and healing. As we age, our own stem cells become less efficient. The addition of millions of young, potent stem cells from an allograft helps the body heal like it did when it was younger. Allograft is a tissue donation and transplant from one person to another. Connective tissue from one source containing live mesenchymal stem cells may help with inflammation and regeneration of cells in a recipient. Wharton’s jelly is a connective tissue from which umbilical cord stem cells are derived. The allograft has nothing to do with the baby; it comes from the umbilical cord from a healthy birth. The umbilical tissue could either be discarded or preserved for medical benefits. The tissue contains no antigens so there is no rejection and no matching required for the recipient. The allograft is administered with a simple injection and there is no downtime after the procedure.
• Placental and Amniotic Fluid Allograft: While Wharton’s jelly contains 7% by volume mesenchymal stem cells and 93% other growth factors, the placental allograft contains no live stem cells but 100% growth factors. While this application doesn’t work quite as well as the live cells combined with the growth factors, if it is done more than once similar results and outcomes can be obtained. • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): Platelets from your own blood draw are concentrated and injected into the site of needed repair. There are many techniques for concentrating the platelets, and your own platelets release growth factors in the area to also assist in regenerative healing. The younger and healthier the patient, the healthier the platelets will be, and better outcomes can therefore be expected. • Prolozone Therapy: A proliferative mix of vitamins, natural sugars, and ozone are combined to cause a reduction in inflammation and stimulate tissue repair. • Viscosupplementation: This process uses hyaluronic acid molecules. There are many hyaluronic acid products available that are commonly used to cushion and lubricate the joints. The natural fluid within the knee joint space is normally high in hyaluronic acid molecules. As we age, the concentration of these molecules is reduced; therefore, the addition of these products can help the joint move better and feel better for a time. Examples of these products are Genvisc, Hymovis, Hyalgan, and Synvisc. These products will do nothing to regenerate or repair the joint, however, and the results are temporary.
