BENEFITS OF STEM CELL THERAPY
8 conditions
Stem cell therapy can be very helpful in managing long-term, chronic conditions, including conditions that cause pain and other symptoms. While therapy can be used on its own, it’s often used in combination with other therapies for optimal effects. Here are eight conditions where stem cell therapy may prove beneficial:
Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects our joints. Stem cell therapy can help by repairing damaged joint cartilage and by reducing inflammation that occurs in and around the joint.
Cancer
Stem cell transplants can be used to treat leukemia and lymphoma, replacing cells that have been damaged by the disease.
Parkinson’s disease
Stem cells may be used to repair nerve damagethat occurs in Parkinson’s disease, and novel research shows the therapy may help replace dopamine-producing brain cells destroyed by the disease.
Heart disease
Cardiac regeneration using stem cell therapy is being used to help patients who’ve had heart attacks, patients with heart failure, and even patients with large and small vessel disease. In each case, the goal of treatment is to allow the stem cells to repair and replace damaged tissue in the heart and the blood vessels.
Multiple sclerosis
Stem cells are being used to help repair neurological damage that occurs in MS, and studies show they’re also able to travel directly to brain lesions and improve brain cell health. Stem cells alo help control unusual immune system activity, which plays a significant role in MS.
Diabetes
Stem cells may help replace missing or damaged beta cells, special cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes involve problems with beta cells (either there are not enough — or any — beta cells or the cells don’t function properly). Stem cell therapy might be helpful in patients with either type.
Fibromyalgia
Stem cells can be very helpful in modulating inflammatory responses, including inflammation thought to be associated with fibromyalgia. They can also help repair and regenerate damaged nerve cells that can “misfire,” sending pain signals when there is no painful stimulus.
Kidney disease
Because stem cells have the ability to transform into many other types of cells, including kidney tissue, they’re being used to treat both acute and chronic kidney injury and kidney disease. The goal is to replace damaged cells and cells that have already been lost due to tissue damage.
This list is not exhaustive. Depending on your medical history and your symptoms, Dr. O’Connell might recommend stem cell therapy for other medical conditions, as well.
Find out if stem cell therapy can help you
FAQs
Stem cells are cells that can develop into many different types of cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born, and it contains stem cells that can be used to treat many diseases
Cord blood stem cells can treat many diseases, including cancers, immune deficiencies, genetic disorders, and blood disorders like sickle cell anemia.
Cord blood stem cells can be used even if there isn't a perfect match between the donor and recipient, which can make it easier to find a match. Cord blood stem cells are also ready for use more quickly than bone marrow stem cells.
Cord blood stem cells are collected at birth from the umbilical cord, are younger, and less likely to cause immune rejection. Bone marrow stem cells come from the hip bone of a donor and are more mature. Other stem cell procedures may use fat or blood-derived cells, depending on the source and purpose.
The frequency of stem cell procedures depends on the condition treated and the doctor’s recommendation. Some may require a single treatment, while others may need multiple sessions spaced weeks or months apart.
Cord blood stem cells (CBSC) can be administered through various methods depending on the condition being treated:
- Intravenous (IV): Delivered into a vein for systemic distribution, commonly used in blood disorders or immune system therapies.
- Intrathecal: Injected into the spinal canal to target neurological conditions.
- Intra-articular: Injected directly into joints to repair cartilage or treat arthritis.
- Intramuscular: Delivered into muscle tissue for localized repair.
- Dermal: Injected into the skin for wound healing or cosmetic applications.
Each method is chosen to ensure maximum effectiveness based on the treatment goals.
After a live birth, cord blood is safely collected from the umbilical cord and placenta using a sterile needle, causing no harm to mother or baby. Mothers are pre-screened through medical history , tested for bacteria and sterility, lifestyle assessments, and blood tests for infections or genetic disorders to ensure the stem cells are healthy. The collected blood is processed, tested, and cryopreserved for future use in treatments.
There are no side effects unless the patient is allergic to sulfa that he may get flu like symptoms.