Natural alternative to Steroid Injections

[Rob Wilson]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/561076

Wouldn't it be great if this could help us with lingering radicuar symptoms?

[Harrison]

Rob, thx for posting this...I'll dig up my Medscape log-in to retrieve the article later tonight...or pls post it.

__________________________________________________ ________________________________________

Efficacy of Epidural Perineural Injections With Autologous Conditioned Serum for Lumbar Radicular Compression: An Investigator-Initiated, Prospective, Double-Blind, Reference-Controlled Study

Cordelia Becker, MD; Stefan Heidersdorf, MD; Sascha Drewlo, MSc; Sonja Zirke de Rodriguez; Juergen Krämer, MD; Roland Ernst Willburger, MD
Spine. 2007;32(17):1803-1808.
Posted 08/21/2007

Abstract and Introduction

Study Design: Prospective, double-blind, reference-controlled, investigator-initiated, single center.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Autologous Conditioned Serum (ACS; Orthokine) for the treatment of lumbar radicular compression in comparison to triamcinolone.

Summary of Background Data: Evidence from animal studies indicates that cytokines such as interleukin-1 play a decisive role in the pathophysiology of lumbar radiculopathy. ACS is enriched in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and other anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Methods: Thirty-two patients were treated by epidural perineural injections with ACS; 27 patients were treated with 5 mg triamcinolone and 25 patients with 10 mg triamcinolone. Treatment was applied once per week for 3 consecutive weeks and followed for 6 months. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of low back pain was the primary outcome measure. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was the secondary endpoint of the study. All statistical analyses were performed in an exploratory manner using SAS for Windows, version 8.2, on a personal computer. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the VAS and ODI by treatment group and time point. The data were submitted to a repeated-measurements analysis of variance with effects on treatment group, time, and treatment group-by-time interaction.

Results: Patients with lumbar back pain who were treated with ACS or the 2 triamcinolone concentrations showed a clinically remarkable and statistically significant reduction in pain and disability, as measured by patient administered outcome measurements. From Week 12 to the final evaluation at Week 22, injections with ACS showed a consistent pattern of superiority over both triamcinolone groups with regard to the VAS score for pain, but statistical significance was observed only at Week 22 in direct comparison to the triamcinolone 5 group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 triamcinolone dosages during the 6 months of the study.

Conclusion: ACS is an encouraging treatment option for patients with unilateral lumbar radicular compression. The decrease in pain was pronounced, clinically remarkable, and potentially superior to steroid injection.

[Harrison]

I wanted to refresh this topic, as I've not heard anything about it! Has anyone learned anything about this?!

[Keano16]

My buddy in Croatia is doctor educated in some top biological institutes in Austria and Germany, and he uses similar technology to avoid use of steroids. I can find more information if needed.

[Harrison]

This kind of alternative treatment could help many others, if in fact it is available. So thx, yes, pls let us know if there are any updates on this.

[mrau]

The link below is to an article on golfer Fred Couples and speaks to this procedure in a general sense:

Does Orthokine Therapy Really Work for Back Pain?

If you google "Orthokine" or "Orthokine therapy" you can locate more technical explanations of the procedure.

It isn't approved by the US FDA yet, but the Dusseldorf, Germany clinic that is run by one of the pioneers of Orthokine e-mailed me the names of two clinics in the US that are doing this procedure. They call it regenokine here, but it's the exact same procedure. I don't know if Harrison wants links to the two US clinics posted on here, but if he says "okay" I'll do so.

I'm looking at doing it pretty seriously, but it's not cheap and it's money out of pocket since insurance doesn't cover it. Looks like average relief lasts from 2-4 years, so it would really depend on your pain situation as well as your finances.

If you've done this or know someone who has, please post your/their experiences with it. I'll certainly do so if I have it done.

[Harrison]

Treating Back Pain Effectively

Since back pain may have many different causes, it is important that you consult your physician, so that he may perform treatment, according to the correct diagnosis. The most important goal is to reduce pain. A combination of medication, physical therapy, acupuncture and improving your way of life is bound to lead to pain reduction and improvement of mobility. Besides diverse analgesic and antiinflammatory medication, the Orthokine®-Therapy provides a unique biological approach, concerning autologous treatment, free of foreign material.

The Orthokine®-Therapy makes use of antiinflammatory and analgesic proteins derived from the blood, which is injected into the nerval root. One of these proteins is the Interleukin-1-Receptor-Antagonist. The autologous serum eases pain and prevents nerval inflammation. Thus, a true improvement of your back pain is achieved.

[mrau]

Originally Posted by Harrison

Treating Back Pain Effectively

Since back pain may have many different causes, it is important that you consult your physician, so that he may perform treatment, according to the correct diagnosis. The most important goal is to reduce pain. A combination of medication, physical therapy, acupuncture and improving your way of life is bound to lead to pain reduction and improvement of mobility. Besides diverse analgesic and antiinflammatory medication, the Orthokine®-Therapy provides a unique biological approach, concerning autologous treatment, free of foreign material.

The Orthokine®-Therapy makes use of antiinflammatory and analgesic proteins derived from the blood, which is injected into the nerval root. One of these proteins is the Interleukin-1-Receptor-Antagonist. The autologous serum eases pain and prevents nerval inflammation. Thus, a true improvement of your back pain is achieved.

The bolded part is what confuses me about the FDA being so slow to approve this in the US. It's your fluid out and then your fluid back in. Even with big Pharma and Orthopedic surgeon groups opposing it here in the US, the procedure has a 10 year track record in Dusseldorf. And they aren't introducing any foreign substances into your body.

[annapurna]

Regenexx was all but outlawed for removing stem cells from your own blood and injecting them back into your body. Do not attempt to use logic to understand the FDA's approval process. Following the money, or who might have money taken out of their pocket if you get healed cheaply, and you'll figure out more about the process.

[back2lifeplease]

He was swearing by it in a interview. So the pain goes away but will the disc continue to wither away or does it promote re hydration of the disc?