Does stem cell therapy fix osteoarthritis? Having been dealing with it in my knee since my early 30s, I was curious to find out. There were no solid alternatives to improve the condition, so it was essentially the only viable option available to me.
My biggest challenge was finding a place and a doctor I trusted enough to carry out the procedure. There are countless doctors and medical facilities making outrageous claims and using underhanded marketing tactics to convince people they are qualified. That is the major reason I’m writing an article detailing my own experience.
This review of Revival Clinic Bangkok is not paid for, nor did I receive any discounts for treatment. I will gladly show you my receipts and bank account statements. Just shoot me an e-mail.
My goal is to help answer the question: does stem cell therapy fix osteoarthritis? Here is my experience.
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My situation
Osteoarthritis came on quickly in my kneed and was severe. I never had any real problems with until one day after playing basketball. My left knee swelled up for more than a week. After the swelling went down, I noticed the strength in my knee was significantly reduced. Running and jumping were much more difficult.
Stupidly, I continued to try and play on it. The process was basically the same. After every game, my knee would swell up for a week or two. This continued for eight months before I decided to have an MRI to see what the problem was.
The MRI revealed that I had almost no cartilage and was suffering from osteoarthritis. There was no structural damage which was good. On the flip side, the doctor’s recommendation was not so great. He told me to rest my knee for a few years and take glucosamine.
Apart from that, he mentioned that knee replacement would be an option, although probably not ideal for someone as young as me.
I drank a lot of glucosamine over the next four years but never saw any results. I didn’t put much stress on my knee for the first year. Eventually, I became frustrated and started doing elliptical at the gym. This, swimming and riding a stationary bike were essentially the only cardio activities I could do without triggering swelling in my knee.
After about two-and-a-half years, I started to experience popping in my knee. This wasn’t accompanied by any pain, however. It was just these annoying, loud pops that would basically happen anytime I stood up.
From my first doctor visit in 2016 to having the procedure done in December 2020, I had looked into stem cell therapy to fix my osteoarthritis. I knew it was an option and it seemed to work having spoken to a few people who had the procedure done. However, you’re still sort of skeptical. I mean, does stem cell therapy fix osteoarthritis? It sounds too good to be true.
Finding a stem cell therapy doctor in Bangkok
I started seriously kicking the tires on having stem cell therapy done to fix my osteoarthritis in 2019. Bangkok has several clinics that can do the process which is both good and bad. The positive is that you have lots of doctors to choose from. The negative is that there is more of a chance you will pick a bad one.
Being based in Thailand allowed me to visit the facilities and meet with the doctors in person which was important to me. It is possible to schedule consultations and meet with them from overseas, but I prefer face-to-face.
My first meeting with a doctor offering stem cell therapy to fix osteoarthritis was in 2019. I went to one of the more well-known clinics doing the procedure. Overall, the experience was good. He was knowledgeable and took the time to answer my questions. However, the price was far greater than I was willing to pay.
About a year later, I had a consultation with another clinic. The experience here was not good. Not only did the doctor sort of rush through the meeting but I was then quoted a much higher price than initially told when scheduling my appointment with a bunch of add-ons I didn’t want. Everything about the consultation was decidedly unimpressive and they even charged me for the meeting which lasted all of 15 minutes.
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Why did I choose Revival Clinic Bangkok?
Eventually, I found Revival Clinic Bangkok after doing some research online. Two things stood out to me about the clinic. Firstly, the online reviews were positive and seemingly authentic. Secondly, their website was very detailed when comparing most places offering stem cell therapy in Thailand.
To that fact, they were the only provider I could find with a price list available online. And, of course, the consultation was free, so I had nothing to lose.
When I spoke to Doctor Chontirot Srikasedsarakul (Dr. Cho) during our first consultation, I was really impressed by the fact that she answered questions honestly. There was no hard selling. No false promises. Her focus was on finding out if the process was something that would benefit me.
She also helped me understand what I needed to do to make the process more successful. Dr. Cho made it perfectly clear that undergoing treatment wasn’t enough and that I would need to make lifestyle changes as well.
Ultimately, that honesty and commitment to my health and wellbeing is what gave me the confidence to have the procedure done at Revival Clinic Bangkok.
The pre-procedure process
Before moving ahead with stem cell therapy to fix my osteoarthritis, Dr. Cho wanted to have the orthopedic surgeon who oversees the procedure analyze the MRI of my knee. While she had checked it out and heard the popping for herself, it was necessary to have a second opinion.
This kind of surprised me because I was ready to pay. However, she wanted to confirm with an orthopedic surgeon that this was, in fact, the right treatment and would be beneficial. The second opinion of my MRI confirmed that I was a suitable candidate for stem cell therapy.
Next was a second consultation where Dr. Cho explained what would happen on the day of treatment as well as other facts I should be aware of. The most important thing was that I needed to avoid impact on my knee to ensure there was no swelling or inflammation. These can both significantly reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
Apart from that, there are no major restrictions, and you won’t have to alter your daily life leading up to the procedure.
Important things to note
Perhaps the most important thing to note is that you can’t be sick or dealing with other injuries when undergoing stem cell therapy to fix osteoarthritis. It’s possible stem cells travel to repair other parts of the body in those instances. And if you’re suffering from diarrhea, well, you’re likely to end up expelling your costly investment.
Additionally, you need to provide the doctor with 24-hour advance notice should you need to delay the treatment. That’s because the stem cells need to be transported and stored correctly.
The treatment
It’s a straightforward series of injections that takes less than an hour. There really isn’t much more to it than that.
After the stem cell therapy treatment
For the first seven days after the stem cell therapy treatment, I needed to avoid putting any real stress on my knee. I wasn’t bedridden or anything, but no long walks, climbing stairs or anything like that. I purposely chose to have the procedure done during the holidays to ensure I could stay home for that week.
If I’m being honest, there wasn’t any pain, although my knee was swollen for a while after the procedure. The popping persisted for two months, but this is a normal aspect of the process. After that first week of rest, it’s possible to scale up activity. Nothing major, but things like walking or swimming are fine. The goal is to minimize impact and allow the stem cells to work their magic in restoring cartilage.
After 30 days, it’s possible to resume more normal activities. I didn’t push it at that point, however. Ultimately, you don’t want to do too much too soon since it takes months for the stem cells to reach full effect.
One thing I will say is that Dr. Cho was regularly checking up on me in the months after receiving treatment. And if I ever had a question or concern, she was always available to answer. Having that aftercare support is invaluable.
When did I experience results?
I really tried to avoid doing anything involving my knee after receiving stem cell therapy to fix my osteoarthritis. The first time I noticed a real difference was roughly six weeks after having the procedure. I was crossing the street and needed to do so quickly. As I was jogging, I noticed that there was a power in my knee that I hadn’t felt in years.
It was around the same time that I began to notice going down a flight of stairs was much easier. There was no greater challenge for me prior to treatment than making my way down a flight of stairs. Usually, I would have to do it one step at a time. However, that was no longer the case.
Dr. Cho did explain that when people start to see results does vary quite a bit. I never approached my recovery expecting anything as I didn’t want to be tempted to push myself too early and risk stunting progress. Even after feeling an improvement, I was still very cautious about how much stress I would put on my knee.
Update after six months
After a little more than six months after I had stem cell therapy to fix my osteoarthritis, the results were really good. I won’t claim my knee is completely healed or anything like that by that time. It was not. I would estimate that the joint was probably 70 percent if 100 percent was my mid-20s peak.
One of the most interesting, or depressing, things I have realized after six months is just how much better my left knee felt compared to my right knee and both elbows. I made progress, although the rest of my body had more wear and tear than I originally thought.
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Update after two years
It has been more than two years since I had the procedure, and the knee has continued to improve. Popping is all but gone these days. My mobility is outstanding. I still avoid doing high-impact activities for a long duration just because I don’t want to reverse the results, but I could if I wanted to.
Does stem cell therapy really fix osteoarthritis?
Yes. Without a doubt. My left knee has noticeably improved and there is no more swelling when I perform activities. However, the most noticeable change is doing little things. Getting out of bed or sitting down on the ground used to be problematic. Since the procedure, going from seated or lying down to standing is no longer an issue.
It must be pointed out that your experience will vary. This was something Dr. Cho stressed to me during our first consultation at Revival Clinic Bangkok and cannot be emphasized enough. Despite what a lot of doctors and medical facilities out there say, stem cell therapy isn’t a magic bullet to fix osteoarthritis.
This is a medical procedure just like any other which means nothing is guaranteed. How much improvement you see depends on a few factors. The most notable being the reaction of your body to treatment. But there is also your ability to make the necessary changes that support the procedure.
For example, if you’re overweight, you will need to lose a few pounds in order to reduce the burden on your knee. That is something I struggled with doing and has likely hampered my results to a certain degree. You may also need to strengthen your leg muscles to ensure it has more support. Stem cell therapy helps repair and restore joints but isn’t a standalone solution for long-term relief.
Final thoughts
Of course, there will always be skeptics, but stem cell therapy does really fix osteoarthritis. I have felt this firsthand. The improvement has been noticeable, and my quality of life is much improved.
The biggest challenge for me was finding a place that I trusted. There are heaps and heaps of bad information, false promises and unscrupulous facilities out there which greatly complicates things. Regardless of if you are undergoing treatment in Thailand or elsewhere, be sure to do your homework.
If you’re considering having the procedure done, I would strongly recommend speaking to Dr. Cho at Revival Clinic Bangkok. Her honest insights were invaluable in helping me through the entire process, from first consultation to recovery. Too many places will take your money, do the injection and send you on your way.
My experience with Revival Clinic Bangkok was the total opposite. Dr. Cho made sure I understood everything about the process, including offering realistic expectations. I could not be thankful enough for that.
Stem cell therapy does fix osteoarthritis, but it’s not right for everyone. If you are a suitable candidate, it can be a great investment in your health. Just make sure you fully understand the risks as well as what changes you’ll need to make to ensure it can be genuinely beneficial.
Revival Clinic Bangkok
Tel: +66 095 096 8774
Line: @RevivalClinic
