Conditions
Each guide starts with conventional treatment, then explains where regenerative options may help, who should not have them, and what the evidence says.
Spine & Nerve
- Bulging Disc TreatmentBulging disc treatment is usually conservative: staying active, exercise-based physiotherapy and short-term pain relief. Disc bulges are common on scans of people without pain, so a doctor first checks whether the bulge explains your symptoms. Injections are occasionally used; regenerative disc treatments remain experimental.
- Degenerative Disc Disease TreatmentDegenerative disc disease treatment centres on exercise-based physiotherapy, staying active, weight management and short-term pain relief. Injections or surgery are considered for persistent, disabling pain. Stem cell and PRP disc injections aim to support disc health; small early trials show pain improvement for some patients, but the evidence remains experimental.
- Diabetic NeuropathyDiabetic neuropathy treatment focuses on tight blood sugar control, daily foot care and nerve pain medicines such as duloxetine, pregabalin or amitriptyline. Spinal cord stimulation helps some people with severe pain. Stem cell, PRP and exosome therapies for nerve repair are experimental, with mostly animal and small early human studies.
- Herniated Disc TreatmentHerniated disc treatment usually begins with staying active, physiotherapy and pain relief, because many disc herniations shrink and settle within weeks to months. Epidural injections or microdiscectomy are options for persistent nerve pain. Stem cell and PRP disc injections are being studied but remain early-stage, experimental treatments.
- Lower Back Pain TreatmentLower back pain treatment usually relies on staying active, exercise-based physiotherapy and short-term pain relief, because most episodes improve within weeks. For persistent pain, a clear diagnosis guides options such as injections or surgery. PRP and stem cell therapy are being studied for disc and joint pain, with early-stage evidence.
- Neck Pain TreatmentNeck pain treatment usually involves staying active, posture and exercise-based physiotherapy, and short-term pain relief, since most neck pain improves within weeks. Persistent pain with arm symptoms may need an MRI, injections or surgery. PRP and stem cell injections for cervical disc and joint pain remain experimental.
- Peripheral Neuropathy TreatmentPeripheral neuropathy treatment focuses on finding and controlling the cause, such as diabetes or vitamin B12 deficiency, protecting the feet and relieving nerve pain with medicines like duloxetine or pregabalin. Stem cell and other regenerative treatments for neuropathy are experimental, supported mainly by animal studies and small early human trials.
- Pinched Nerve TreatmentPinched nerve treatment usually starts with staying active, physiotherapy and short-term pain relief, because most compressed nerves in the neck or back settle within weeks to months. Steroid injections or surgery are options for persistent or severe cases. PRP and stem cell injections remain experimental, with only small studies.
- Sciatica TreatmentSciatica treatment usually starts with activity, exercise-based physiotherapy and pain relief, as most episodes improve within weeks. Persistent cases may need an MRI, epidural steroid injection or surgery. Regenerative options such as PRP or stem cell injections are still experimental for sciatica, with only small early studies.
- Spinal Cord InjuryStem cell therapy for spinal cord injury is experimental. Early trials, including a 2024 Mayo Clinic study using fat-derived stem cells, show acceptable safety and some motor or sensory changes in some patients, but none reliably restores walking. Specialist rehabilitation and newer stimulation therapies remain the core of care.
- Spinal Stenosis TreatmentSpinal stenosis treatment starts with physiotherapy and pain medicines, with epidural injections for flare-ups. Decompression surgery is considered when walking is severely limited or nerves are at risk. Stem cell therapy cannot widen a narrowed canal and is studied only for related disc or joint pain, with early evidence.
Joints
- Achilles Tendonitis TreatmentAchilles tendonitis treatment is based on a progressive tendon-loading exercise program, temporary load reduction and footwear changes; most people improve over three to six months. Shockwave therapy helps some persistent cases. Trials of PRP injections have not shown clear benefit over placebo, and stem cell treatment remains experimental.
- CostochondritisCostochondritis is inflammation of the cartilage joining the ribs to the breastbone, causing sharp chest wall pain that worsens with pressure, movement or deep breaths. It is usually harmless and settles within weeks to months with rest, pain relief and stretching. New chest pain always needs heart causes excluded.
- Frozen Shoulder TreatmentFrozen shoulder treatment aims to control pain and restore movement while the condition runs its course, often over one to three years. Options include pain relief, gentle physiotherapy, steroid injections, hydrodilatation and, for stubborn cases, surgical release. PRP and stem cell injections for frozen shoulder have only small, early studies.
- Hip BursitisHip bursitis treatment usually means load management, targeted strengthening physiotherapy and pain relief, with steroid injections for short-term relief. Many cases are actually gluteal tendon problems. PRP injections have some trial evidence for stubborn gluteal tendinopathy; surgery is rarely needed.
- Hip Flexor Strain TreatmentHip flexor strain treatment is mostly conservative: relative rest, ice or heat, pain relief and a progressive stretching and strengthening programme. Most mild and moderate strains recover within weeks. Scans are needed for severe or persistent pain. Evidence that PRP speeds muscle healing is limited and mixed.
- Hip ImpingementHip impingement treatment starts with physiotherapy, activity changes and pain relief. Hip arthroscopy to reshape bone and repair the labrum is an option when symptoms persist. Injections, including PRP or stem cells, cannot change bone shape and have little evidence in femoroacetabular impingement.
- Hip Labral TearHip labral tear treatment usually starts with physiotherapy, activity changes and pain relief, sometimes with an image-guided injection. Hip arthroscopy to repair or trim the labrum is considered when symptoms persist. PRP and stem cell injections are being studied, but evidence for labral tears is very limited.
- Hip OsteoarthritisHip osteoarthritis treatment starts with exercise, weight management, physiotherapy and pain relief, with hip replacement for severe disease. Injections such as PRP and stem cells are studied for mild to moderate hip arthritis, but evidence is still limited and they do not regrow a worn-out joint.
- Knee Arthritis TreatmentKnee arthritis treatment for osteoarthritis starts with exercise, weight management and pain relief, with steroid injections for flare-ups and knee replacement for severe disease. PRP and stem cell knee injections may reduce pain in mild to moderate arthritis, but trial results are mixed and they do not reliably regrow cartilage.
- Knee Cartilage DamageKnee cartilage damage has limited natural healing. Treatment ranges from physiotherapy for small, stable lesions to surgical repair such as microfracture, cell implantation or grafts for larger defects. Knee cartilage regeneration with stem cells is an active research area; some trials show tissue repair, but injection-only treatments remain unproven.
- Meniscus Tear TreatmentMeniscus tear treatment depends on the tear type and your age. Degenerative tears in middle-aged knees often respond to physiotherapy as well as to surgery, while some traumatic tears in younger people need surgical repair. PRP and stem cell injections are being studied to support meniscus healing; evidence is early.
- Osteoarthritis TreatmentOsteoarthritis treatment is built on exercise, weight management and pain relief, with injections for flare-ups and joint replacement for severe disease. Regenerative medicine for osteoarthritis, such as PRP and stem cell injections, may ease pain in mild to moderate cases, but evidence is limited and lost cartilage is not regrown.
- Plantar Fasciitis TreatmentPlantar fasciitis treatment starts with calf and plantar fascia stretching, supportive footwear or insoles, load reduction and pain relief, and most people improve within a year. Shockwave therapy or injections help persistent heel pain. PRP injections show promising results in trials, while stem cell treatment for plantar fasciitis remains experimental.
- Rotator Cuff Tear and InjuryRotator cuff treatment depends on whether the tendon is irritated, partly torn or fully torn. Most tendinopathy and many degenerative tears improve with physiotherapy and pain relief, while large or traumatic tears often need surgical repair. PRP and stem cells are studied to improve tendon healing, with mixed, early evidence.
- Shoulder Bursitis TreatmentShoulder bursitis treatment usually involves activity modification, pain relief and an exercise-based physiotherapy programme, which help most people over weeks to months. A corticosteroid injection can ease pain short term. Surgery is rarely needed. PRP has been studied in small trials with mixed results.
- Subchondral SclerosisSubchondral sclerosis is thickening and hardening of the bone just beneath joint cartilage, seen on X-ray or MRI. It is a common sign of osteoarthritis, not a separate disease. Treatment targets the underlying arthritis with exercise, weight management, pain relief and injections, with joint replacement for advanced cases.
- Tennis Elbow TreatmentTennis elbow treatment centres on activity modification, a forearm strengthening program and time, as most cases settle within 6 to 12 months. Steroid injections give short-term relief but are linked to more recurrence. PRP injections have some trial support for persistent cases; stem cell treatment for tennis elbow remains experimental.
Longevity
Chronic
- COPDStem cell treatment for COPD is experimental. Small trials show mesenchymal stem cell infusions are generally safe, but they have not been shown to improve lung function or regrow damaged lung tissue. Stopping smoking, inhalers, pulmonary rehabilitation and vaccinations remain the proven treatments for COPD.
- Erectile DysfunctionStem cell therapy for erectile dysfunction is experimental, supported by small early-phase studies, mostly in men after prostate surgery or with diabetes. PRP and shockwave therapy have mixed trial results. Proven treatments include PDE5 tablets, injections and implants, and ED should first be checked as a sign of heart disease.
- Gluteal TendinopathyGluteal tendinopathy treatment is based on education, reducing tendon compression and a progressive exercise programme, which outperformed steroid injection in a randomised trial. Steroid injections give short-term relief. PRP injections have some trial evidence for stubborn cases. Stem cell injections remain experimental.
- Heart FailureStem cell treatment for heart failure is experimental. Large randomised trials, including DREAM-HF, have not shown that cell injections reduce hospital admissions or death, although research continues. Proven heart failure treatments, including four core medicine groups, devices and lifestyle changes, save lives and must never be stopped or replaced.
- LupusLupus treatment is managed by a rheumatologist using hydroxychloroquine, steroids, immunosuppressants and biologics such as belimumab or anifrolumab. CAR-T cell therapy has shown striking early results in small research studies, and mesenchymal stem cells are under investigation, but neither is an approved or proven lupus treatment.
- Multiple SclerosisStem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis covers two different treatments. Autologous HSCT, a chemotherapy-based transplant, has strong evidence for selected highly active relapsing MS at specialist centres. Mesenchymal stem cell infusions are experimental with limited evidence. Neither replaces disease-modifying therapy chosen with your neurologist.
- Parkinson's DiseaseStem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease is still experimental. Lab-grown dopamine neurons implanted into the brain showed early safety in small 2025 trials and are moving into larger studies. Mesenchymal stem cell infusions have limited, low-quality evidence. Standard care with levodopa, other medicines and deep brain stimulation remains essential.
- Rheumatoid ArthritisRheumatoid arthritis treatment is led by a rheumatologist and centres on disease-modifying drugs such as methotrexate and biologics, started early to prevent joint damage. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis is experimental, studied in small early-phase trials, and should only ever complement, never replace, standard medication.
- Stroke RecoveryStem cell therapy for stroke is experimental. Clinical trials show cell infusions are generally safe, but larger randomised trials such as MASTERS and TREASURE did not meet their main recovery goals. Intensive rehabilitation and preventing another stroke remain the proven foundations of stroke recovery.
- Trigeminal Neuralgia TreatmentTrigeminal neuralgia treatment usually starts with the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, or oxcarbazepine, which controls pain for many people. When medicines fail or cause side effects, options include microvascular decompression surgery, needle procedures and stereotactic radiosurgery. Stem cell therapy has no established clinical evidence for trigeminal neuralgia.
- Type 2 DiabetesStem cell therapy for type 2 diabetes is experimental. Small trials of mesenchymal stem cell infusions report modest, often temporary changes in blood sugar or insulin needs, but evidence quality is low. Lifestyle change, weight loss and proven medicines such as metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 drugs and insulin remain essential.