A2M
Remedy Pain Solutions is a state-of-the-art medical center that focuses on regenerative treatments for chronic pain, spinal pain, arthritis, and other degenerative conditions. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common degenerative conditions in the US — over 30 million Americans suffer from various levels of osteoarthritis. We’re proud to announce that we’re now using Alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M) injection therapy to prevent cartilage breakdown, promote tissue growth, and treat/ reverse the source of osteoarthritis.
Please schedule an appointment with our interventional pain specialists at Marina del Rey to discuss your A2M treatment options.
What is A2M?
A2M is one of the most groundbreaking discoveries in the fight against osteoarthritis. Clinical research shows that A2M injection therapy can stop or reverse osteoarthritis at the molecular level, i.e., addressing the root cause of this degenerative condition that, until recently, had no long-term solution.
A2M is a Broad Spectrum Multi-Purpose Protease Inhibitor, i.e., a chemical that destroys the proteins responsible for arthritis. It essentially captures and neutralizes the chemicals that eventually lead to cartilage and joint degeneration. Once A2M captures these chemicals, your body is empowered to eliminate them, thereby stopping osteoarthritis.
The Science Behind A2M Therapy
Fibronectin–Aggrecan Complex (FAC) is a molecular complex that, according to recent studies, leads to cartilage breakdown and joint injury pains. Joints affected by osteoarthritis display high numbers of FACs, and this complex is the only serum biomarker that proportionally quantifies the severity of the joint injury. To put it simply, higher numbers of FACs correlate to a greater degree of joint injuries and osteoarthritis. Alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M) has been scientifically proven to reduce FACs.
A2M is a naturally-occurring plasma protein produced by the liver. It’s harvested from a sample of your blood and purified in a centrifuge. Pure A2M is an incredibly powerful inhibitor of protease, an enzyme that breaks down bodily proteins and the cells that make up the cartilages in the body. A2M inhibits all the harmful proteases, including the cytokines Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-A) and Interleukin 1 (IL-1), matrix metalloproteases, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS).
The administration of A2M into the affected joints and cartilages decreases the level of the FACs serum biomarker and the aforementioned proteases. By inhibiting the harmful proteases with A2M, you prevent joint and cartilage degradation, which, in turn, reduces the level of FACs, which further strengthens the joints and reduces pain. As such, all of these components come together to stop or reverse the effects of osteoarthritis.
The A2M Procedure
The A2M therapy is performed as a simple in-office and outpatient procedure that concludes within 30 minutes. The interventional pain specialist draws a sample of your blood using a syringe. Your blood is placed into a centrifuge to isolate the A2M, which rises to the top of the test tube because of its low density. The plasma is then placed in a hemoconcentration to isolate and purify the A2M concentrate, removing the water. The purified A2M solution is finally injected into the affected tissues, usually under fluoroscopic guidance for accuracy.
Candidates for A2M Therapy
A2M therapy is a suitable treatment option for most pain conditions related to the joints and cartilages. Our interventional pain specialists perform a simple biomarker test to determine if you’re a viable candidate. They also discuss your symptoms, review your health history, and perform imaging tests, such as CT scans, MRIs, and x-rays, to determine if you can truly benefit from the procedure. We prefer regenerative treatments, like A2M, because they use natural biological processes to repair your body’s internal damages.
Generally speaking, you might be a suitable candidate for A2M therapy if you suffer from the following conditions:
- Osteoarthritis on any part of the body
- Joint injuries on any part of the body
- Torn meniscus
- Spinal injuries causing neck and back pain
- Coccydynia
- Lumbar radiculopathy, also known as sciatica
- Disc herniation, slipped disc, disc displacement, etc.
- Degenerative disc disease
