Surgery is often viewed as the next inevitable step for people living with chronic spine, joint or soft tissue pain. However, Arizona physician Dr. Ruchir Gupta of Mountain View Headache & Spine says that isn’t always the case.

Advances in regenerative medicine have expanded the number of non-surgical treatment options available for appropriately selected patients, allowing some to reduce pain, improve function and potentially delay, or even avoid, surgery by using the body’s own healing properties.

“One of the biggest misconceptions we see is that surgery is the only solution for chronic spine or joint pain,” said Dr. Ruchir Gupta, Founder of Mountain View Headache & Spine. “While surgery is absolutely the right choice for some patients, many others may benefit from regenerative treatments that help reduce pain, improve function and potentially delay, or even eliminate, the need for an operation.”

Mountain View Headache & Spine’s three Arizona locations specialize in a variety of these treatments, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet lysate (PL) and a stem cell therapy procedure called bone marrow concentrate (BMC), which can help target and manage orthopedic and spine-related pain.

The practice is also part of the licensed Regenexx network, an internationally established group of musculoskeletal specialists who are trained in image-guided orthobiologic procedures that aim to reduce pain and improve function, all without surgery.

“What these treatments share in common is the ability to utilize the body’s own incredible healing components,” said Dr. Gupta, who is also a Regenexx physician and board-certified physician with a background in anesthesia and interventional pain management. “With the help of ultrasounds and fluoroscopy, we are able to deliver precisely placed injections of these treatments exactly where the patient is experiencing pain – for instance in the ligaments, joints or around the irritated nerves.”

The conditions that are treated with PRP, PL and BMC are found in the:

• Spine: including disc-related pain, spinal stenosis, facet-related pain, and other degenerative spine conditions
• Joints and soft tissue: for example, in the shoulder, hip, knee, hand or wrist.

Prior to administering any of these treatments, Dr. Gupta will review the patient’s history, imaging and will perform a functional exam.

“This will help me to identify the root cause of the pain and design a targeted plan that is tailored to the patient and their needs,” he said.

According to follow-up studies with Regenexx patients, PRP, PL and BMC have all been linked to significant improvements.

For instance, for patients who underwent a cervical spine procedure, they regained an average function of 77%, along with a 32% decrease in joint pain after one month, and a 45% overall improvement after three months. Patients who underwent a lumbar spine or thoracic spine procedure saw similar improvement.

“For the right patient, these treatments can provide an effective alternative to surgery while allowing them to receive care in an outpatient setting,” Dr. Gupta said. “As regenerative medicine continues to grow in popularity, it’s important for patients to understand that not every clinic follows the same standards – especially for those exploring options out of the country. Experience, training and proper technique matter.”

For more information on Mountain View Headache & Spine, visit www.mountainviewheadacheandspine.com, call 602.767.0007 or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.