New Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis: How Maria Francisco Found Relief with Stem Cell Therapy in Dominican Republic

“What was left for me was practically going back to a sedentary life and not doing anything—not even the activities that bring me joy. I couldn’t continue, and I felt really, really down during those days.”

“My name is Maria Francisco. I'm an industrial engineer, and I work for the Dominican company Claro as a business analysis engineer. To summarize my lifestyle, I really enjoy swimming. Besides swimming, I also like going to the gym. I started experiencing some pain in my arms and had to go downtown to get it checked. I always had mild discomfort, but it became more noticeable over time.”

“I also enjoy hiking and camping. I once went to a mountain called Valle de Dios. I tried to train before the trip, but after we completed the route and descended, my knees were very sore for a whole week. Although the pain calmed down later, when I resumed my physical activities—like going to the gym—it came back and wouldn’t go away.”

“When I couldn’t stand the pain anymore, I traveled to Cartagena for a week, and even while falling asleep, I felt like I needed painkillers. That’s when I decided to see an orthopedist. They ran all the necessary tests, including an MRI, and diagnosed me with joint wear and tear, fluid buildup, and inflammation. They recommended therapy and medication.”

“What I didn’t like about that recommendation was that they told me I had to live my life more cautiously. I’d have to avoid certain activities—like hiking—and even limit how often I used stairs. That was hard to accept, especially at only 29 years old.”

“I shared my case with a friend who had gone through prolotherapy at this center. He told me, “Look, go get evaluated. I can send your case to the doctor.” The doctor reviewed it and said, “Your case is manageable—it can be treated.” So, I had my first evaluation, and that’s when the journey began.”

“They treated me twice. Honestly, the prolotherapy worked wonders. Based on the condition of my injury, I expected the treatment process to take much longer. On the day of my first session, everyone at the clinic was so kind. That’s what I really love about this center—the staff is super friendly, easygoing, and they make you feel truly comfortable.”

“After that, they recommended I do strengthening exercises and follow-up routines. They even followed up with me to ask how I was doing and encouraged me to share daily feedback through the app. That process really helped me mentally—it taught me to listen to my body and understand what triggered my pain.”

“After resting, exercising, and my second session, they saw my progress and were very pleased. Dr. Susana treated me and said, “Let’s do another round of prolotherapy.” We laughed a lot during the second session—it was just like the first.”

“Before my third session, I went hiking to a waterfall and later told Dr. Susana, “Everything’s great!” She asked, “What else did you do?” I said, “Well... I went hiking at the San Cristobal Snake trail.” She was surprised and said, “You did that route? Let’s check your knees.” She found everything to be in such good condition that she said I didn’t need further treatment!”

“I’ve already recommended this place to others. I’ve sent about five patients here. My advice to anyone considering this treatment: be patient and enjoy the process. Sure, you might wince at the thought of the injections, but the care you receive here makes it all worth it. You’ll forget the discomfort because of how nicely you’re treated.”

• Onset & Progression: Initial "mild discomfort" became more noticeable over time. A challenging hike ("Valle de Dios") significantly aggravated the pain. "After we completed the route and descended, my knees were very sore for a whole week." Although the intense pain subsided temporarily, it returned persistently when she resumed her gym activities.
• Debilitating Symptoms: The pain became constant, even interfering with sleep. "When I couldn’t stand the pain anymore, I traveled to Cartagena for a week, and even while falling asleep, I felt like I needed painkillers."
• Diagnosis: Seeking orthopedic help led to MRI scans confirming "joint wear and tear, fluid buildup, and inflammation" – the hallmarks of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

• Physical Therapy: To strengthen supporting muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, hips) and improve joint mechanics.
• Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain and swelling; sometimes joint lubricant injections (hyaluronic acid).
• Activity Modification: Avoiding high-impact activities that aggravate the joint.
• Corticosteroid Injections: For temporary, potent inflammation and pain relief.

• What it is: Prolotherapy (short for "proliferative therapy") is a non-surgical injection technique aimed at stimulating the body's natural healing processes to repair injured or weakened connective tissues, primarily ligaments and tendons.
• How it Works for Knee OA: Osteoarthritis isn't just about worn cartilage; it often involves laxity (looseness) in the ligaments that stabilize the knee joint. This instability leads to abnormal joint movement, increased stress on the cartilage, and pain. Prolotherapy involves injecting a mild irritant solution (most commonly dextrose, a simple sugar) precisely into these weakened ligament attachments and tendon insertions around the knee.
• The Healing Cascade: These injections trigger a localized inflammatory response, which signals the body to send growth factors and repair cells to the area. This process stimulates the production of new collagen fibers, leading to stronger, tighter ligaments and tendons over time.
• The Goal: By restoring stability to the knee joint, Prolotherapy aims to reduce abnormal forces, alleviate pain originating from strained connective tissues, improve joint function, and potentially slow the progression of OA changes.

• The Plan: After her evaluation, Maria proceeded with Prolotherapy, likely administered by "Dr. Susana" (Dra. Susana Vargas Camilo). She initially anticipated a longer process but found remarkable success quickly.
• Treatment Course: She received two prolotherapy sessions.
• Procedure Experience: Maria found the sessions comfortable, emphasizing the clinic's atmosphere: "everyone at the clinic was so kind... super friendly, easygoing, and they make you feel truly comfortable." She even noted, "We laughed a lot during the second session—it was just like the first."

• Guided Exercise: "After that, they recommended I do strengthening exercises and follow-up routines." This is crucial for translating tissue healing into improved function and stability.
• App-Based Support: "They even followed up with me to ask how I was doing and encouraged me to share daily feedback through the app." This modern approach facilitates communication and helps patients track progress.
• Body Awareness: "That process really helped me mentally—it taught me to listen to my body and understand what triggered my pain." This self-awareness is vital for long-term management and preventing re-injury.

• Functional Recovery: "Before my third session, I went hiking to a waterfall..." This demonstrates a return to challenging activities previously impossible due to pain.
• Pain Resolution & Healing Confirmed: "...and later told Dr. Susana, 'Everything’s great!' She asked, 'What else did you do?' I said, 'Well... I went hiking at the San Cristobal Snake trail.' She was surprised and said, 'You did that route? Let’s check your knees.' She found everything to be in such good condition that she said I didn’t need further treatment!"
• Efficiency: Achieving full recovery and being cleared from needing further sessions after only two Prolotherapy treatments highlights the potential effectiveness of this approach for her specific condition.

• Staff Demeanor: Consistently described as "so kind," "super friendly," and "easygoing."
• Comfortable Atmosphere: Feeling truly comfortable during procedures.
• Patient Recommendation: Her advice focuses on this: "Sure, you might wince at the thought of the injections, but the care you receive here makes it all worth it. You’ll forget the discomfort because of how nicely you’re treated."

• You have mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis confirmed by imaging.
• Your pain seems linked to activity or instability.
• You haven't found lasting relief with standard conservative care (PT, NSAIDs).
• You are motivated to actively participate in rehabilitation alongside injections.
• You wish to explore non-surgical options before considering joint replacement.

• Expertise: Look for centers focusing specifically on regenerative orthopedics (Prolotherapy, PRP, Stem Cells) with physicians experienced in treating knee OA and utilizing diagnostic tools like musculoskeletal ultrasound.
• Cost Considerations: While still an investment requiring out-of-pocket payment (as these therapies are typically not covered by insurance), the cost of comprehensive regenerative protocols in Santo Domingo is generally significantly lower than pursuing similar treatments in the US or other high-cost regions. Treatment packages may be available; inquire directly for personalized quotes.

Q: What's the difference between Prolotherapy (which Maria had) and Stem Cell Therapy for knee OA?

A: Prolotherapy primarily targets ligaments and tendons around the knee using an irritant solution (like dextrose) to stimulate strengthening and improve stability. Stem Cell Therapy uses Mesenchymal Stem Cells (often from bone marrow or fat) injected into the joint and potentially surrounding structures, aiming to reduce inflammation more powerfully and potentially stimulate cartilage repair directly. The choice depends on the specific findings (instability vs. significant cartilage damage) and severity. Maria's case suggests Prolotherapy was sufficient for her "wear and tear" diagnosis, likely addressing underlying instability effectively.

Q: How many Prolotherapy sessions are usually needed for knee OA? Maria only needed two.

A: Maria's rapid response after two sessions is excellent but might be faster than average. Typically, knee OA protocols involving Prolotherapy often require 3-6 sessions, spaced several weeks apart, to achieve optimal ligament/tendon strengthening and stability.

Q: Is Prolotherapy painful?

A: The injections use small needles, and local anesthetic is mixed in. There is often some post-injection soreness for a few days as the intended healing inflammation occurs. Maria found the overall experience comfortable due to the clinic's care.

Q: Can these treatments reverse severe "bone-on-bone" arthritis?

A: For severe, end-stage osteoarthritis where cartilage is completely gone, regenerative injections (Prolo, PRP, or Stem Cells) are less likely to fully restore the joint. They might still offer significant pain relief and functional improvement for some, potentially delaying the need for joint replacement, but realistic expectations are crucial. They tend to work best for mild to moderate OA.

Q: Do I still need physical therapy after these injections?

A: Yes. As Maria's experience shows, rehabilitation exercises are a vital component of recovery. The injections stimulate healing and improve stability, but targeted exercises rebuild strength, flexibility, and proper movement patterns for lasting function.