Long-Term Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy Compared to Other Pain Treatments

• Stem cell therapy may treat chronic pain without harmful opiates, cortisone shots, or surgical intervention.
• Pluripotent stem cells can help signal repair in various cell types, regenerating damaged tissue and reducing inflammation, treating chronic pain at the source.
• Patients may experience pain relief quickly without fear of side effects or complications.

Overcoming chronic pain can be a lifetime struggle for millions of Americans. Defined as pain experienced daily or on most days during the past three months or more, chronic pain reduces quality of life and can lead to depression and anxiety. Without a tailored long-term solution, it increases the risk of opioid misuse, suicide, and other adverse health outcomes (Dydyk & Conermann, 2024).

Stem cell therapy helps provide a whole-body solution to chronic pain without relying on traditional treatment methods like surgery, opioids, and cortisone shots. Instead of temporarily relieving symptoms, it may treat chronic pain at the source by removing toxins from the immune system and helping regenerate damaged tissue around the affected areas.

Compare stem cell therapy versus traditional pain management to discover how this revolutionary treatment can aid recovery.

An Introduction to Pain Treatment

Chronic pain remains a costly and widespread issue throughout the U.S. and abroad, yet few lasting solutions are available. Approximately 21% of adults in America experience chronic pain, and 8% live with high-impact chronic pain (HICP), which limits or impairs daily activities for three months or more (National Institutes of Health, 2023). The condition occurs more often than the most common chronic diseases, including diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure. Of those with chronic pain, two-thirds continue to experience symptoms a year later.

The Problem with Traditional Pain Treatments

Masking Symptoms vs. Healing the Root Cause

Traditional pain management treatments often provide temporary pain relief without preventing future flare-ups by impairing the brain signals that detect pain.

Preliminary options include anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy. If symptoms persist, patients may be prescribed opioids for pain relief. These medications come with a high risk of addiction and misuse, accounting for nearly 80,000 (around 76%) of drug overdose deaths in 2023 (CDC, 2025).

Cortisone shots temporarily relieve inflammation and pain, but can lead to tendon, nerve, bone, and muscle damage, cortisone flares that increase pain for 24 to 48 hours, and in some cases, infection.

Risks of Long-Term Use

Medications and cortisone shots can help manage symptoms in the short term. However, they generally become less effective over time. Patients gradually build tolerance for opioids and cortisone shots, requiring higher doses to provide adequate pain relief. Increasing the dosage and prolonged usage increases the risk of dependency and overdose.

Surgery as a Last Resort

Surgery may be required after an accident or injury to prevent cartilage loss and bones from pressing on the nerves. Undergoing surgery carries a risk of complications and may be traumatizing for some individuals. Anesthesia can cause allergic reactions, and prosthetic joints must be replaced every 10 to 20 years as they degrade.

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Reducing chronic pain can be one of the long-term benefits of stem cell therapy. The procedure is minimally invasive and used to treat a wide range of chronic conditions associated with chronic pain, including diabetes, arthritis, nerve damage, neuropathy, spinal cord injuries, and fibromyalgia.

Stem cell therapy is the only treatment that may provide lasting pain relief by helping to treat the root causes of pain: inflammation and tissue degeneration. It carries fewer risks and adverse side effects than other pain management techniques and may provide benefits on par with surgery (Han et al., 2019).

How It Works

Stem cells are universal cells that signal repair in nearly every cell type.

They treat chronic pain in two ways. They can trigger an immunological response that removes toxins from the body, including heavy metals and bacteria. This may reduce swelling that contributes to chronic pain and improve immunological function.

They can simultaneously transmit signals to neighboring cells to help promote tissue regeneration throughout the affected area. The body may begin to heal by regrowing damaged cartilage, nerve, and bone cells. Healthy tissue increases mobility and insulates the nerves to prevent pain naturally without interfering with signals to the brain.   

Conditions It Can Treat

Regenerative medicine for chronic pain may help treat injuries and tissue damage throughout the body, including shoulder, back, knee, wrist, neck, and hip pain. It can also help treat chronic conditions that contribute to pain. Each procedure is tailored to the individual by regrowing tissue where degradation has occurred. Regular stem cell injections can be used instead of harmful medications and cortisone shots and may help delay or even eliminate the need for surgery.

Long-Term Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy

Sustainable Pain Relief

Regrowing healthy tissue is a sustainable way to treat chronic pain. The process revitalizes nerve endings, the cartilage between joints, and bone density to provide lasting relief without interfering with natural methods.

Unlike other treatments, stem cell therapy does not become less effective over time. It can eliminate the risk of addiction, complications, and adverse effects. If symptoms return, patients can sign up for another round of treatment without the potential of a lengthy recovery or disrupting their usual routine.

Improved Joint Health and Function

As the body heals damaged tissue, joint health and function improve. Patients can gradually expand their range of movement, build muscle, and return to activities that previously caused them pain. Staying active helps keep chronic pain at bay by keeping joints active and promoting weight loss.

Avoiding Surgery and Opioids

Patients seeking chronic pain relief can use stem cell therapy as an alternative to surgery and opioids, helping them avoid potential complications and dependency on prescription medications. Stem cell therapy is minimally invasive and only requires a minor skin biopsy. The process can be readministered every six months to a year to provide lasting relief.

Healing vs. Masking Symptoms

Regenerative medicine is the only potential treatment for chronic pain that can address root causes instead of masking symptoms. Stem cells can help harness the body’s ability to heal itself, treating the underlying source of pain instead of disrupting brain signals or inserting foreign materials into the body that do nothing to treat the original cause of the pain.

Comparing Stem Cell Therapy to Other Pain Treatments

Stem Cells vs. Cortisone Shots

Stem cells may provide longer-lasting relief than cortisone shots and do not temporarily increase pain. Depending on the underlying condition, cortisone shots often relieve pain for several weeks to several months, while the benefits of stem cells may last six months to several years or more.

Stem Cells vs. Opioids

Stem cells do not carry a risk of addiction or overdose. They contain no side effects, while opioids can lead to nausea, constipation, reduced sex drive, drowsiness, and mood changes. The therapy is safe and complies with the latest international safety regulations.

Stem Cells vs. Surgery

Stem cell therapy is minimally invasive and does not require anesthesia. Patients remain alert and cognizant during injections, and trained clinicians supervise their recovery. They do not need physical therapy or excessive downtime to recover from the procedure.

Relieve Your Chronic Pain

Relieving chronic pain without surgery, cortisone shots, or opioids is possible with stem cell therapy. You do not have to choose between increasing your risk of complications and dependency and living pain-free. Contact Stemaid Institute to talk to a licensed provider about your condition and discover how stem cell therapy can improve your chronic pain.

 

FAQs

Is stem cell therapy a permanent fix for pain?

Yes, stem cell therapy can relieve lasting pain by regenerating healthy tissue. Repairing damaged cartilage, nerves, and bones treats the pain at the source and allows patients to resume normal daily activities, which helps prevent the pain from resurfacing years later.

What are the long-term pros and cons of stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy is less invasive and carries fewer risks than traditional pain management techniques. By treating the root causes of pain, it can provide longer-lasting relief.

Stem therapy is not typically covered by insurance, with patients often paying out of pocket. However, therapy costs significantly less in Mexico than in the U.S.

How long does pain relief from stem cells last?

Pain relief from stem cells can last six months to several years or more. Results vary based on the underlying condition, length of treatment, and lifestyle factors following treatment.

Is stem cell therapy safer than long-term opioid use?

Yes, stem cell therapy is safer than using opioids long-term. There are no side effects, and the procedure does not have a risk of addiction. Patients can use stem cell therapy to wean themselves off opioids by eliminating the need for pain relief.