Aging is a natural part of life, and there’s no way to stop the hands of time. But thanks to the power of regenerative medicine, the team at Interventional Pain and Regenerative Medicine Specialists in Northern Virginia can slow the natural aging process and treat many age-related health conditions, like arthritis.
Board-certified physicians John Huffman, MD, and Talal Ghazal, MD, provide specialized age management care at our office in Arlington, Virginia. This unique branch of medical care works to minimize any unpleasant symptoms associated with aging and slow or reverse many age-related conditions. Here’s a look at how it works.
As we age, our bodies go through many dynamic changes. While some of these changes don’t cause health-related problems, others can lead to declines in health that impact our everyday lives.
Aging, or getting older, is often associated with a loss of functionality in our senses, increased illness, and chronic diseases, like osteoarthritis, related to normal “wear-and-tear” on our bodies. It’s also linked to the health of our major organs, like the heart and lungs.
But the good news is that your chronological age, or your age based solely on the number of years you’ve been alive, is only one measure of age. You also have what scientists refer to as biological age.
Your biological age refers to your body or physiology and how it changes with time. Some people are affected by age-related changes earlier than others, while some people have a biological age well below their chronological number.
You can age successfully and stay in good health by postponing or reversing the negative side effects of aging. In addition to eating a nutrient-rich diet based on whole foods, exercising regularly, and staying engaged both mentally and socially, you can improve your biological age with the help of regenerative medicine.
You were born with the tools your body needs to repair and regenerate cells that become damaged. But as we age, the natural healing processes slow and it gets harder for your body to regenerate and repair damaged parts of the body.
Regenerative medicine uses your body’s natural healing process to encourage cells to regenerate, heal damaged tissues, decrease pain, and improve or return normal function and mobility where you need it most. This type of medicine can address many age-related health problems, including:
The way regenerative medicine works is by injecting the types of cells your body already uses to heal. There are different types of regenerative medicine, but at Integrative Pain and Regenerative Medicine Specialists, we’ve found two therapies to be particularly effective: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell therapy.
Your body produces platelets, which contain the necessary factors to treat cellular inflammation and repair damaged tissues. During PRP therapy, your provider draws a small amount of your blood, then places it in a special machine, called a centrifuge, to separate the platelets from the rest of your blood.
Your doctor then injects the platelet-rich plasma into the areas where you’re struggling with an age-related condition. Because the solution used in PRP therapy contains many times more platelets than your blood alone, it boosts the natural healing process and rejuvenates your body.
Everyone has stem cells or unspecialized cells that become a new cell type when you need them to repair or regenerate aging or damaged tissues. These cells can be found in different parts of the body.
At Integrative Pain and Regenerative Medicine Specialists, we use stem cells from the umbilical cords, fat, or bone marrow from healthy donors. When your provider injects these stem cells into the parts of your body needing treatment, they help repair the tissue damaged by age, reduce inflammation, and ease your aches and pain.
Ready to learn if regenerative medicine can address your age-related health problems? Contact the experts at Interventional Pain and Regenerative Medicine Specialists in Northern Virginia by calling 571-210-1813 or by booking an appointment online.
