Faster Recovery with Amniotic Therapy
Regenerative medicine gives a very valuable set of tools to treat many foot and ankle injuries – especially when soft tissues such as tendons, the plantar fascia, or even simply the skin are involved.
Amniotic stem cell therapy is part of the regenerative medicine toolset, and can make a marked improvement in success rates and recovery times in the treatment of many conditions. We are happy to provide it to our patients at Advanced Foot & Ankle Centers of Illinois, and to see its benefits firsthand.
So what exactly is this therapy, how does it work, and how might it help? We’ll be diving into the answers soon, but you don’t have to wait if you’re looking for solutions to foot and ankle problems now. Please contact us anytime to schedule an appointment and take your first steps toward relief.
What is Amniotic Therapy?
Amniotic therapy utilizes natural elements created by our bodies to promote faster healing and regeneration of damaged tissue.
These elements, referred to as growth factors, are found in amniotic fluid and the amniotic membrane. They can be processed into an injectable form to work directly at the site of an injury or damage.
When present at the site of damage, the growth factors from amniotic therapy can signal cells to perform their healing and regenerating processes. This often has the effect of reducing pain and inflammation, as well as shortening overall recovery time.
What Types of Conditions Can Amniotic Therapy Treat?
A wide variety of foot and ankle conditions may benefit from this form of treatment. It is very versatile, but tends to be most effective for soft tissue injuries.
Amniotic therapy has been used in the treatment of conditions including, but not limited to:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendinitis and tears
- Osteoarthritis
- Sprains
However, just because amniotic therapy may be applicable to a certain injury or condition does not mean we will always recommend it to every patient every time. Circumstances can vary from case to case, and an ideal form of treatment for one patient may not be the best course of action for another. If anti-inflammatory medications and specialized stretching have been providing good results, for example, then there may not be much need for amniotic injections.
We only make treatment recommendations after conducting a comprehensive examination of the problem and your needs as a patient, and will be happy to discuss why we recommend what we do.
Is Amniotic Therapy Safe? Is it Ethical?
We understand that this treatment’s foundation in amniotic tissues may raise questions or concerns, since it is adjacent to the development and birth of a child.
However, please rest assured that the creation of this therapy in no way whatsoever interferes with a child or mother at any point.
The amniotic membrane is voluntarily donated by healthy mothers undergoing planned Caesarean sections. Nothing is gathered until after a delivery is completed and the mother and child are both safe.
The amniotic membrane is normally discarded following birth. Its voluntary donation can ensure the powerful growth factors it contains can be put to good use helping others!
As for the general safety of receiving an amniotic injection, all membrane donors are tested for infectious disease, similar to the way donors are tested for blood donation. The amniotic membrane tissue itself also undergoes a rigorous process of cleaning and sterilization before being processed into a form that we can prepare in our offices.
What Should I Expect from Amniotic Therapy Treatment?
The average session for an injection is very short and can be performed right in our office. Once the injection is complete, you can easily move on with your day with few or no restrictions.
Following the procedure, you might feel some soreness or discomfort in the area of the injection, as well as see some redness. This typically lasts 2-3 days.
We recommend applying ice several times per day and keeping the affected area elevated when possible, to help reduce discomfort. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you experience any unexpected problems.
Faster Recovery from Persistent Foot and Ankle Problems
Whether amniotic therapy is a recommended form of treatment for your circumstances or not, we always seek to resolve our patients’ foot and ankle problems as quickly and as safely as possible. Not only do we love seeing athletes get back to what they love following a sports injury, but we also want to see everyone able to do what they love without foot or ankle pain.
Our offices specialize in many other forms of advanced treatment as well, from EPAT to Aquaroll therapy. We are well equipped and experienced in a wide range of techniques to address the needs our patients have, and always aim to provide the best options.
We have offices throughout the greater Chicago area ready to hear from you, and are accepting telemedicine appointments in addition to in-office visits. Contact us today to take the first step toward finding the recovery and relief that you need.