Growth factor therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses the body’s own growth factors to promote the healing of wounds, chronic pain, degenerative diseases such as arthritis, and other conditions. Growth factors are substances produced in the body that stimulate the growth and proliferation of cells involved with inflammation and healing, which aid in the body’s natural ability to repair itself.
What You Need to Know About Growth Factors
There are several different types of growth factors produced in the body, including:
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF): Stimulates the growth of fibroblasts, which are the cells that build collagen.
- Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF): Promotes the growth of keratinocytes, which secrete the protein keratin.
- Transforming growth factors (TGF): Promotes the growth of new blood vessels to create the proper supply of blood flow to a healing wound.
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF): Encourages the growth of angiogenesis, or new blood vessels.
- Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF): Attracts fibroblasts and macrophages to the area of injured tissue.
Administering Growth Factor Therapy
Growth factor therapy is most effectively administered through an injection that’s minimally invasive and yields quick results.
Sometimes growth therapy can be delivered through a cream or gel that’s applied to the wound, incorporated into wound dressings, or through skin grafts.
Conditions That Can Be Treated By Growth Factor Therapy
Growth factor therapy can be used to treat a number of different conditions, including:
- Arthritis
- Tendinitis
- Cartilage defects
- Back and neck pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Knee ligament injuries
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sacroiliac joint pain
- Tennis elbow
Advantages of Growth Factor Therapy
Growth factor therapy uses the body’s own cells to promote a more natural form of healing and less reliance on artificial agents. Some of the additional benefits include:
- Speeding up the time needed for the body to heal and for pain to subside
- Reduction of discomfort or disability for the patient
- Minimal side effects and complications are rare
- May be combined with other forms of treatment
Effects of Growth Factor Therapy
Growth factor therapy delivered by an injection can bring up to two or more years of relief from arthritic pain. Only one to two days of recovery are needed following an injection and results can be felt in as little as a week. Most patients need only one round of treatment for prolonged relief, and around 80% of our patients respond in a positive manner to growth factor therapy.
Schedule Your Complimentary Appointment Today
We were one of the first clinics in the Charlotte, North Carolina, region to perform growth factor therapy and have now performed more treatments than anyone in the southeast United States. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary appointment to discuss your pain with our team, and learn how growth factor therapy can make a difference in your life.