Key Takeaways
- Uses your own cells, not donor products. At Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness, we use BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate) harvested from your own body—no third-party products, no lab-cultured cells.
- Minimally invasive option to explore before surgery. For patients with mild to moderate hip conditions, bone marrow stem cell therapy offers an approach to consider before committing to hip replacement.
- Best suited for earlier-stage conditions. Ideal candidates typically have mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis. Advanced, end-stage “bone-on-bone” arthritis generally requires surgical intervention.
- Gradual response over months. This isn’t a quick fix—the body’s response develops over weeks to months as natural processes occur.
- Results vary by individual. Not all patients experience meaningful improvement. Honest evaluation and realistic expectations are essential.
- Comprehensive evaluation determines appropriateness. Dr. Goyle provides thorough assessment to determine if this approach may be suitable for your specific hip condition.
Exploring Options Beyond Hip Replacement
Hip pain from osteoarthritis can significantly impact your quality of life—affecting your ability to walk, exercise, sleep, and enjoy daily activities. For many patients, the traditional path leads toward hip replacement surgery, a major procedure with significant recovery time.
But for some patients with mild to moderate hip conditions, there may be options worth exploring before committing to surgery.
Bone marrow stem cell therapy offers a minimally invasive approach that uses your body’s own cells to support natural healing processes in the hip joint. While not appropriate for everyone—and not a guaranteed alternative to surgery—it represents an option that some patients find valuable to consider as part of their treatment journey.
This guide examines how bone marrow stem cell therapy for hip pain works, who may be appropriate candidates, what to realistically expect, and how to determine if it might be worth exploring for your situation.
What Is Bone Marrow Stem Cell Therapy for Hip Pain?
Bone marrow stem cell therapy—specifically BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate)—is a regenerative approach that uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) harvested from your own bone marrow to support natural processes in the hip joint.
How It Works at Our Clinic:
At Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness, we harvest bone marrow from your iliac crest (hip bone), process it in our office to concentrate the stem cells and growth factors, and deliver it directly into the hip joint using image guidance—all on the same day.
The concentrated bone marrow contains:
- Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs): Multipotent cells that may differentiate into various tissue types
- Growth factors: Proteins involved in cellular signaling
- Cytokines: Molecules that play roles in cellular communication
- Other regenerative components: Various cells and proteins that may support natural processes
Potential Mechanisms:
Once delivered to the hip joint, the concentrated bone marrow cells may work through several potential mechanisms:
- Paracrine signaling: MSCs secrete growth factors and cytokines that communicate with surrounding tissues
- Immunomodulation: Components may help modulate inflammatory responses in the joint
- Cellular interaction: MSCs may interact with existing cells to support the local tissue environment
- Differentiation potential: In certain environments, MSCs may differentiate into cell types relevant to joint tissues
It’s important to understand that individual responses vary significantly, and these potential mechanisms don’t guarantee specific outcomes for any patient.
Why We Use Only Your Own Cells
At Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness, we exclusively use autologous bone marrow—cells harvested from your own body, processed fresh in our office, and delivered the same day.
What We Don’t Use:
- Adipose (fat) tissue-derived cells
- Umbilical cord tissue products
- Amniotic fluid products
- Lab-cultured or expanded cells
- Any third-party donor materials
Why This Matters:
Many clinics advertise “stem cell therapy” using various products—some from donors, some cultured in labs to increase cell numbers, some of uncertain origin and viability. These approaches raise questions about:
- Cell viability after processing, storage, and shipping
- Quality control and consistency
- Regulatory compliance
- What you’re actually receiving
By using only your own bone marrow, processed fresh the same day, you know exactly what’s being delivered to your hip joint. This autologous approach also eliminates rejection risk and keeps treatment within FDA guidelines for minimally manipulated cells.
Who May Be a Good Candidate for Hip Stem Cell Therapy?
Not everyone with hip pain is an appropriate candidate for bone marrow stem cell therapy. Candidacy depends on your specific condition, its severity, and your overall health.
Characteristics of Potential Candidates:
- Hip osteoarthritis in mild to moderate stages
- Functional hip pain that affects daily activities
- Have tried conservative treatments (physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, possibly injections) without adequate relief
- Good overall health
- Looking to explore options before considering hip replacement
- Realistic expectations about gradual improvement and variable outcomes
Conditions That May Be Considered:
- Hip osteoarthritis (OA): Mild to moderate degenerative changes where joint space remains and bone-on-bone contact hasn’t occurred
- Early degenerative changes: Identified on imaging but not yet advanced
- Hip pain limiting function: When conservative care hasn’t provided adequate relief
Who May Not Be a Good Candidate:
- Advanced, end-stage arthritis: Severe “bone-on-bone” degeneration with significant joint space loss typically requires surgical intervention
- Significant structural damage: Complete cartilage loss, major bone changes, or severe deformity
- Avascular necrosis (AVN) with collapse: Advanced AVN with femoral head collapse generally requires surgical management
- Active infections or certain health conditions
- Those expecting guaranteed results or immediate relief
The Importance of Staging:
The stage of your hip condition significantly influences whether regenerative treatment may be worth considering. Earlier-stage conditions—where cartilage damage is present but not complete, and joint structure remains reasonably intact—may be more appropriate for this approach than advanced disease.
During your consultation, Dr. Goyle will review your imaging to assess your hip’s current condition and provide honest guidance about whether bone marrow stem cell therapy makes sense for your situation.
What Can You Realistically Expect?
Setting appropriate expectations is essential for making good decisions about your care.
What Bone Marrow Stem Cell Therapy May Offer:
- A minimally invasive procedure performed in our office
- Use of your own biological materials
- An option to explore before committing to major surgery
- Support for your body’s natural processes
- Gradual response development over weeks to months
What It Cannot Guarantee:
- Specific outcomes or success rates
- That it will work for you specifically
- That you will avoid hip replacement
- Immediate pain relief
- Regrowth of severely damaged cartilage
- Results equivalent to hip replacement for advanced disease
Realistic Timeline:
The body’s response to bone marrow stem cell therapy develops gradually:
- Weeks 1-2: Some discomfort at aspiration and injection sites is normal
- Weeks 4-8: Some patients begin noticing gradual changes
- Months 3-6: Continued response; this is when many patients report the most noticeable changes if treatment is beneficial
- Months 6-12+: Ongoing gradual response for some patients
Individual timelines vary significantly. Some patients experience meaningful improvement; others don’t notice significant changes. During your consultation, Dr. Goyle will discuss realistic expectations based on your specific condition.
Understanding Variable Outcomes:
We want to be transparent: not all patients respond to bone marrow stem cell therapy. Individual outcomes depend on many factors, including:
- The specific condition and its severity
- How much healthy tissue remains
- Overall health and lifestyle factors
- Individual biological response (which we cannot fully predict)
If you proceed with treatment and don’t experience adequate improvement, other options remain available—including additional regenerative approaches, interventional procedures, or surgical consultation.
The Treatment Process for Hip Pain
If you’re determined to be a good candidate and decide to proceed, here’s what the treatment involves.
Consultation and Evaluation:
Before any treatment, Dr. Goyle conducts a thorough evaluation:
- Review of your complete medical history
- Discussion of your hip symptoms, when they started, and how they affect you
- Physical examination of your hip
- Review of diagnostic imaging (X-rays, MRI) to assess joint condition and stage
- Assessment of previous treatments and their results
- Discussion of your goals and expectations
- Honest guidance about whether this approach may be appropriate
The BMAC Procedure:
If you proceed with treatment:
- Bone marrow aspiration: Using local anesthesia for comfort, Dr. Goyle extracts a small sample of bone marrow from your posterior iliac crest (back of your hip bone). Most patients tolerate this well.
- Processing: The bone marrow sample is processed in our office using specialized equipment to concentrate the mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors. This happens the same day—your cells are never sent to outside labs or cultured.
- Image-guided injection: Using fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray) or ultrasound, Dr. Goyle delivers the concentrated BMAC directly into your hip joint. This image guidance ensures accurate placement within the joint space.
The entire procedure is performed as an outpatient in our office. Most patients return home the same day.
After Your Procedure:
- Some soreness at the aspiration and injection sites is normal
- Avoid anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) as directed
- Follow activity guidelines—typically limited weight-bearing initially, then gradual return to normal activities
- Attend follow-up appointments to monitor your response
- Be patient—responses develop over months, not days
How Does This Compare to Other Hip Pain Treatments?
Understanding how bone marrow stem cell therapy fits among your options helps you make informed decisions.
Compared to Conservative Treatment:
Conservative treatments (physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, activity modification) should typically be tried first. Bone marrow stem cell therapy is generally considered when conservative care hasn’t provided adequate relief—usually after at least 3-6 months of appropriate effort.
Compared to Cortisone Injections:
Cortisone injections provide temporary anti-inflammatory effects in the hip joint, typically lasting weeks to months. They can help manage symptoms but don’t address underlying tissue changes. Bone marrow stem cell therapy takes a different approach—delivering your own regenerative cells to the joint. Some patients use both at different points in their treatment journey.
Compared to PRP Therapy:
Both BMAC and PRP use your own biological materials. PRP concentrates platelets and their associated growth factors from your blood. BMAC concentrates mesenchymal stem cells plus growth factors from your bone marrow.
For hip conditions, BMAC is often considered when a more concentrated regenerative approach is desired. The treatments can also be combined. Dr. Goyle can discuss which approach—or combination—might be most appropriate for your situation.
Compared to Hip Replacement Surgery:
Hip replacement is highly effective for advanced hip arthritis, providing reliable pain relief and function restoration for appropriate candidates. However, it’s major surgery with significant recovery time, potential complications, and permanent structural changes.
For patients with mild to moderate hip conditions, bone marrow stem cell therapy offers a minimally invasive option to explore before committing to replacement. However, it’s not a substitute for hip replacement when replacement is truly indicated—particularly for advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis with severe symptoms.
If your hip condition has progressed to the point where replacement is clearly needed, we’ll be honest about that rather than suggesting regenerative treatment unlikely to provide adequate relief.
Our Complete Approach to Hip Pain
Bone marrow stem cell therapy is one option within our comprehensive approach to hip and joint pain. Depending on your condition, Dr. Goyle may also discuss:
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy:
Another autologous treatment using your own blood, concentrated to increase platelet and growth factor levels. PRP may be used alone or in conjunction with BMAC for hip conditions.
Autologous Conditioned Serum (Regenokine®):
Dr. Goyle is one of only nine physicians in the United States—and the only doctor in Arizona—offering the Regenokine® Program. This innovative treatment processes your own blood to create a serum concentrated with anti-inflammatory proteins that target inflammation at its source.
Regenokine® is the treatment professional athletes like the late Kobe Bryant used to return to competition with minimal downtime. It works through a different mechanism than bone marrow stem cell therapy—focusing on anti-inflammatory proteins rather than stem cells—and may be appropriate for certain hip conditions.
MLS M8 Class IV Laser Therapy:
Our state-of-the-art therapeutic laser delivers light energy to support the body’s natural processes and address inflammation. This non-invasive treatment can complement regenerative injections.
Interventional Procedures:
For certain hip conditions, other interventional approaches may be appropriate—either instead of or alongside regenerative options.
Surgical Referral:
If your hip condition has progressed beyond what regenerative approaches can reasonably address, we’ll provide honest guidance and appropriate referral for surgical consultation.
Cost Considerations
Bone marrow stem cell therapy for hip pain requires out-of-pocket payment, as it’s not typically covered by insurance for this application.
What Affects Cost:
- The complexity of your specific treatment plan
- Whether additional procedures (like PRP) are combined with BMAC
- Follow-up care requirements
Insurance Coverage:
Most insurance plans do not cover bone marrow stem cell therapy for hip osteoarthritis, classifying it as investigational. Treatment requires out-of-pocket payment.
During your consultation, Dr. Goyle can discuss specific costs and any available payment options. We believe in transparent pricing so you can make informed decisions.
Why Choose Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness
Cleveland Clinic Training:
Dr. Ashu Goyle completed his fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic—one of the nation’s premier medical institutions. This rigorous training with world leaders in pain medicine provided expertise in both interventional procedures and regenerative approaches.
Double Board Certification:
Dr. Goyle is board-certified in both anesthesiology and interventional pain management, demonstrating advanced competency in precise, image-guided procedures.
Autologous Only:
We exclusively use your own bone marrow cells—no adipose tissue, no third-party products, no lab-cultured cells. You know exactly what you’re receiving.
Image-Guided Precision:
Hip joint injections are performed using fluoroscopy guidance to ensure accurate placement within the joint space.
Exclusive Access:
As one of only nine Regenokine® providers nationwide—and the only provider in Arizona—Dr. Goyle offers treatment options unavailable elsewhere in the state.
Honest Evaluation:
We don’t treat everyone who asks. We provide thorough evaluation and honest guidance about whether bone marrow stem cell therapy is appropriate for your hip condition—or whether another approach would serve you better.
Recognition:
Dr. Goyle has been recognized as a Phoenix Magazine “Top Doc” from 2011-2020, reflecting his commitment to excellent patient care.
Is Bone Marrow Stem Cell Therapy Right for Your Hip?
The right decision depends on your individual situation. Bone marrow stem cell therapy for hip pain may be worth exploring if:
- You have mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis
- Conservative treatments haven’t provided adequate relief
- You want to explore minimally invasive options before considering hip replacement
- You prefer an approach using your own biological materials
- You have realistic expectations about gradual improvement and variable outcomes
- You’re in reasonably good overall health
The Only Way to Know:
The best way to determine whether bone marrow stem cell therapy is appropriate for your hip is a consultation with Dr. Goyle. During this visit, we’ll:
- Review your hip imaging to assess condition and stage
- Evaluate your symptoms and how they affect your function
- Discuss your treatment history and goals
- Provide honest guidance about your options
- Set realistic expectations if you’re a potential candidate
If bone marrow stem cell therapy isn’t appropriate for your situation, we’ll explain why and recommend alternatives—whether that’s continued conservative care, other interventional options, or surgical consultation.
Take the Next Step
Don’t let hip pain limit your quality of life without exploring your options. At Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness, we provide thorough evaluation and honest guidance to help you make informed decisions about your care.
Whether bone marrow stem cell therapy is right for you, or whether another approach would better serve your needs, the first step is a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Goyle.
Contact Integrated Spine, Pain, and Wellness today to schedule your evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is bone marrow stem cell therapy an alternative to hip replacement?
For some patients with mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis, bone marrow stem cell therapy may be worth exploring before committing to hip replacement. However, it’s not a substitute for hip replacement when replacement is clearly indicated—particularly for advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis. The appropriate path depends on your specific condition and its severity. Dr. Goyle will provide honest guidance about what’s realistic for your situation.
Q2. What type of stem cells do you use for hip treatment?
We exclusively use autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC)—stem cells harvested from your own bone marrow, processed fresh in our office, and delivered the same day. We don’t use adipose (fat) tissue, umbilical cord products, lab-cultured cells, or any third-party materials.
Q3. How do I know if I’m a good candidate?
Ideal candidates typically have mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis, have tried conservative treatments without adequate relief, and are looking to explore options before surgery. Advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis generally requires surgical intervention rather than regenerative treatment. During your consultation, Dr. Goyle will review your imaging and provide honest guidance about candidacy.
Q4. How long until I might notice improvement?
The body’s response develops gradually over weeks to months. Some patients begin noticing changes around 4-8 weeks, with continued response over 3-6 months. Individual timelines vary significantly, and not all patients experience meaningful improvement. This isn’t a quick fix—it’s supporting gradual natural processes.
Q5. What if stem cell therapy doesn’t help my hip?
Not all patients respond to treatment. If bone marrow stem cell therapy doesn’t provide adequate relief for your hip, other options remain available—including additional regenerative approaches, other interventional procedures, or surgical consultation for hip replacement. We’ll continue working with you to find the best path forward.
Q6. Is this treatment covered by insurance?
No, bone marrow stem cell therapy for hip osteoarthritis is not typically covered by insurance. Treatment requires out-of-pocket payment. Dr. Goyle can discuss specific costs and any available payment options during your consultation.
Q7. What is Regenokine® and can it be used for hip pain?
Yes, Regenokine® can be used for hip conditions. It’s an autologous conditioned serum therapy that concentrates anti-inflammatory proteins from your own blood. Dr. Goyle is one of only nine physicians in the U.S. offering this treatment—and the only provider in Arizona. It’s the approach professional athletes like the late Kobe Bryant used. Regenokine® works through a different mechanism than stem cell therapy and may be appropriate for certain hip conditions. Dr. Goyle can discuss which approach might be best for your situation.
Q8. What are the risks?
Common side effects include soreness at the bone marrow aspiration site (hip) and injection site, temporary increased discomfort, and minor bruising. These typically resolve within days to a couple of weeks. Rare risks include infection. Using your own cells eliminates rejection risk. Dr. Goyle will discuss all potential risks specific to your situation during your consultation.
Q9. How does this compare to cortisone injections for hip pain?
Cortisone injections provide temporary anti-inflammatory effects, typically lasting weeks to months. They can help manage symptoms but don’t address underlying tissue changes. Bone marrow stem cell therapy takes a different approach—delivering your own regenerative cells to the joint. Both have roles in hip pain management, and some patients use both at different points in their treatment journey.
Q10. What are Dr. Goyle’s qualifications?
Dr. Ashu Goyle is double board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain management. He completed his fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic—one of the nation’s premier medical institutions. He has been recognized as a Phoenix Magazine “Top Doc” from 2011-2020 and is one of only nine Regenokine® providers in the country—the only one in Arizona.
