NJ Cops April2018 | Page 88

HEALTH & WELLNESS Bone on bone? Stem cell therapy offers new hope for an alternative to joint surgery Many of us have been suffering from chronic knee and joint pain. Unfortunately, these condi- tions become worse with age and wear and tear. There is hope even for those who believe surgery is their only option. Here are some answers to ques- tions about alternatives to having surgery: ASK DR. MAZ What should patients do who do not want to go under the knife? Consider stem cell and regenerative therapy, a successful method to improve joint osteoarthritis – especially knee joint – peripheral neuropathy, low back pain and soft tissue pain. In many cases, after only “one” injection, millions of cells are injected to the area of your knee joint, for example. These cells will see what is missing in the area – i.e. bone cells, joint cells, nerve cells, muscle or ligament cells or all – then migrate, duplicate and replicate to become the missing healthy cells. Many professional athletes have used this meth- od, and now it is available to us. As a result of using stem cell therapy, pain diminishes, inflammation disappears and repairs 88 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ APRIL 2018 and regeneration starts at a rapid rate with virtually no side ef- fects. So, are you saying patients who are a candidate for knee re- placement should explore stem cell therapy first?