Regenerative Therapy for Back Pain in Bellevue

Chronic back pain is one of the most common ailments. Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes can alleviate the problem, such as losing weight or doing daily stretches for lower back pain. But what if your back injury has escalated to the point that surgery, high-dose pain medications, or repetitive steroid injections seem like the only options? We may be able to offer you back pain relief and help alleviate your symptoms.

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There is hope with regenerative therapy an alternative to back surgery

Interventional regenerative medicine can offer a non-invasive alternative, using your body’s stem cells to repair the damage. What back conditions can be treated with regenerative medicine?

Stenosis
Annular tears of the disc
Disc degeneration
Disc herniation

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Regenerative medicine alternatives

At Seattle Regenerative Medicine Center (SRMC) in Bellevue, we specialize in providing the most advanced therapeutic options to treat your back injury. Overseen by Dr. Lucy Hostetter, SRMC offers a wide variety of regenerative medicine treatments for those suffering from chronic, debilitating back pain.

Epidural steroid injections

A lumbar epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed to help relieve neck, arm, back, and leg pain caused by inflamed spinal nerves. Inflamed spinal nerves can be caused by several underlying conditions such as spinal stenosis or disc herniation. The transforaminal epidural steroid injection works by inserting medicines into the epidural space. Pain relief may last for several days or even years. The goal is to reduce pain so that you may resume normal activities.

Medial branch block

What is a medial branch block? Pain from facet joints travels to the brain along nerve endings called medial branches. In order to determine whether facet joints are causing pain, medial branch nerves can be blocked so the patient can determine whether there were changes in their pain as a result of the procedure. A lumbar medial branch block is performed to confirm the correct diagnoses and the correct number of facets contributing to pain.

Radiofrequency ablation

This procedure is performed after the initial medial branch diagnostic injection has determined that facet joints are the source of your back pain symptoms. A radiofrequency ablation procedure uses radio-magnetic waves to stop the lumbar medial branch nerve from transmitting pain signals from the facet joints to the brain. The doctor uses an X-ray to direct specialized needles to the specific medial branches that are transmitting pain.

Once the location of each needle is finalized, an anesthetic is used, and a radiofrequency procedure is performed. What to expect after radiofrequency ablation? The benefits of getting a radiofrequency ablation in Seattle include reduced lower back pain, more flexibility, and enhanced function.

PRP therapy

What is PRP therapy? PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. It is blood plasma with a high concentration of platelets. PRP injections are effective for sufferers of chronic lumbar “lower-back” pain. They promote the healing and repair of some of the most common causes of chronic lower back pain, including damaged discs, compression of spinal nerve roots, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease.

Learn more about PRP Therapy

Stem cell therapy

Stem Cell therapy utilizes your own body’s regenerative abilities to address common injuries, including stenosis, annular tears of the disc, degenerative disc disease, and other degenerative back issues. Stem Cell Therapy addresses the cause of the pain rather than simply managing symptoms. Stem Cell Therapy provides growth factors to aid in the healing of tissues that are injured, allowing you to heal faster and have less pain than traditional medicine.

Learn more about Stem Cell Therapy

Meet our medical director: Dr. Lucy Hostetter

Dr. Hostetter is a nationally recognized, board-certified, fellowship-trained anesthesiologist who built her career specializing in orthopedic and spine surgery with expertise in regional anesthesia. She brings her expert needling techniques and passion for innovative pain treatment strategies to the field of regenerative medicine, providing stem cell therapy in Seattle.

After earning her MD from the UCLA School of Medicine, Dr. Hostetter completed her anesthesiology residency at Virginia Mason Medical Center. After her residency, she was awarded the Moore-Bridenbaugh Regional Anesthesia Research Fellowship, where she honed her interest and skill in pain management by training anesthesia residents and researching alternate ways to treat acute pain.