Bone Marrow Concentrate Injections
Bone marrow is the factory where blood cells are created. There are stem cells and progenitor cells in the bone marrow that are blank cells and can be used to make blood cells or other types of tissue. Bone marrow also contains growth factors, platelets and cytokines that are integral in healing tissue. Bone marrow concentrate can be harvested to be used to stimulate healing for a variety of conditions. Caliber Pain™ offers bone marrow concentrate injections as one of our regenerative medicine treatments at our medical facility in Midtown Manhattan.
Bone marrow concentrate, or BMC, is harvested using a hollow needle that is inserted into a large bone. Once the aspirate is collected, it is filtered through a centrifuge to create a concentrate of stem cells for use in treatments. Stem cell, or bone concentrate, injections are used for pain management to help heal tendons, reduce osteoarthritis inflammation and to stimulate cartilage repairs.
Stem Cell or BMC Injections – What to Expect
You should avoid anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen for four to six weeks after a therapeutic injection with stem cells while the injury heals. This is because the biologic material injected stimulates the body’s inflammatory response, which is an important part of healing. If the injection site is sore, we may recommend over-the-counter acetaminophen and applying an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time, three times a day.
Avoid strenuous activities for four weeks after an injection to give the injured tissue time to heal. We will evaluate the healing process in 4 to 6 weeks. Our medical team may recommend an additional stem cell injection depending on the extent of the damage to your joint and amount of relief you experience.
Bone marrow concentrate is one of the sources of stem cells we utilize at Caliber Pain™ for regenerative treatments. If you are interested in learning more about bone marrow concentrate injections and other advanced pain management treatments we offer, contact our clinic in New York City.