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Actor Abhay Deol says stem cell therapy helped him overcome slipped disc pain: Why this therapy may not work for everybody

Therapy is not US FDA approved, lacks enough evidence, is still experimental, says doctor.

4 min readUpdated: Jan 22, 2026 02:44 AM IST

Abhay Deol (right) talked about meeting Dr Abraham An, one of Korea’s leading experts in regenerative medicine and aesthetic surgery. (Credit: abhaydeol)

Actor Abhay Deol recently opened up about his struggles with persistent knee pain and sciatica caused by a slipped disc and how stem cell therapy in Korea helped him deal with the pain.

In an Instagram post, he wrote, “For a long time, I’ve had pain in my knees and sciatica in my left leg due to a slipped disc. I felt quite hopeless at times because I didn’t want surgery of any kind, especially for my lower back. I thought it to be safe enough to give it (stem cell therapy) a shot.” He then talked about meeting Dr Abraham An, one of Korea’s leading experts in regenerative medicine and aesthetic surgery.

However Dr Vivek Loomba, pain management specialist at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj, says “the therapy is still experimental, there is not enough evidence about its efficacy, is not approved and even if cleared in the future will be extremely costly.”

What is stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy involves using a patient’s own stem cells that are capable of developing into different cell types to repair, replace, or restore damaged tissues or organs. These stem cells are often prepared in a lab and implanted in the body to support healing and regeneration of injured or diseased tissue.

How does it help in slipped disc cases?

Sometimes the soft cushion tissue between the bones in your spine bulges outward. A slipped disc happens when this soft inner part of the disc bulges or leaks out through a tear in the outer layer. It slips out and hits the nerves, causing inflammation and intense, sharp pain, akin to an electric shock, which courses through the neck and upper arm. Sciatica is when the pain, tingling numbness or weakness radiates to the lower legs.

Also Read | How you can beat back pain with these core workouts under 7 minutes

Can stem cell therapy help in treating slipped discs?

Theoretically, stem cell therapy could work because it uses the patient’s own stem cells. But it is still experimental and not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There has not been enough research and evidence about its success. For slipped discs, doctors usually draw stem cells from the hip bone marrow and fat tissue. These cells are then processed and injected into the affected part of the spine (such as a damaged disc or joint) to help reduce inflammation and regenerate them.
Expected side effects could mean abnormal cell growth at the site of injection.

However, this therapy can work only in milder cases, when there is no severe nerve compression. It is not a permanent cure.

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What works for slipped discs?

Most slipped discs heal naturally over time when pressure on the disc is reduced and inflammation settles. The body reabsorbs the bulge as the surrounding muscles and posture are corrected with exercise to reduce pressure. So recovery is about healing, decompression and allowing the disc to shrink.

Tested therapies like corticosteroid and epidural injections work to decrease inflammation. Surgery is recommended if there is severe nerve compression, progressive leg weakness and loss of bladder/bowel control. Once these therapies are done, then the spine is strengthened with physiotherapy, core exercises, back and posture correction, nerve mobilisation and flexibility training. Always choose safer alternatives first.