Stem Cell Therapy
Most current stem cell therapies are to relieve inflammation in soft tissue and joint areas of the body. By sending a gift of these compact regenerative cells directly to impacted areas, the cells help expedite healing, reduce inflammation, which in turn dials down the pain in those areas. This therapy, while new in relation to others available, has shown tremendous success. Through aging, disease, and other factors, a body’s ability to activate these cells that allow rejuvenation in times of injury is reinforced with these new cells. It provides a natural solution to these medical issues. This details all the questions you may have when considering such a technique.
What is Stem Cell Therapy?
A variety of cells are harvested and compacted into a single or sometimes multiple injections into injured or diseased areas of the body. When possible, patients will first have their cells collected. This minimizes risks introduced by adding external cells to one's body. These are run through a laboratory process to concentrate them and then injected directly back into the body to facilitate healing in impacted areas.
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Healthy cells are harvested from the bone marrow and conditioned through a lab process. Conditioning ensures that the cells re-injected through an infusion are clear of any disease or defect. Be sure and review the exact forms of conditioning that will be used during your treatment. Then once conditioned, the cells are reintroduced to the impacted part of the body through an injection called infusion.
How Long Does Stem Cell Therapy Last?
After infusion, the impacts of these new cells will last approximately a year. These new cells target the injured or diseased area and begin to create new cells. Stem cell technologies usually are less invasive than surgical or other medical interventions for similar concerns. Degenerative diseases get worse with time until surgical intervention was once the only option outside of the living with debilitating pain.
Now, these new therapies allow one's cells and body to help alleviate, and even to some degree, the degeneration of such things as arthritis by building new cells in the area. Stem cell therapies are not magic once and done cure. Rather, it is a treatment therapy that may require additional treatments with time depending on the medical reasons it is being administered.Additionally, age and other factors may prove this to be a temporary solution, holding off surgeries for more extended periods but eventually still requiring such interventions.
Does Insurance Cover Stem Cell Therapy?
Currently, stem cell therapies are still in the experimental phase, according to insurance companies, and as such, not covered by most insurers. Early on in stem cell research therapies, several concerns about safety, cancers, and other side effects did label these experimental. As more research is done, these therapies are proving useful to treat or supplement other medical issues, these labels are being disproved. They are expected down the road to be more accepted, and with that lead to insurance coverage. While the actual procedure will more than likely not be covered, the consultation and some of the other items such as bloodwork and diagnosis services typically are still under the umbrella of policy coverage. It is a good idea always to check to see the rules of your plan before considering such treatment options.Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy?
This science is being touted as revolutionary and is changing the landscape of specific medical specialties. This advanced regenerative product injection allows the body to start internally healing itself, through activation of cells to help regenerate health organs and tissues. Frequently, this procedure will also be married with a Platelet Rich Plasma therapy to help continue to support the body's healing properties. Regenerative stem cell therapies are most commonly used in joints being examined for replacement, knee, back, feet, and sports-related joint injuries.Cost of Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem cell therapies can range from a couple of thousand dollars to upwards of $25,000 for complex therapies. Additionally, platelet-rich therapy, which is often an accompaniment of stem cell therapies, can range between $500 and $2,000. A number of the factors that come into play in stem cell injection cost are the number of treatments that will be required, the clinic quality and accreditation, and the physician’s expertise. Not all healthcare professionals will do these therapies, and like all specialties, some are better than others.The multi-steps from diagnosis, harvesting, and infusion along with post-procedure monitoring, also is a factor causing costs to multiple with these therapies. This is not a therapy that is advertised for the cost savings, but rather the real regenerative and healing properties that these stem cell therapies are proving out in patients. Every day new options and diseases are being studied to see if they can benefit from what has been and will be learned about the capability of these cells.
What Is The Recovery Time For Stem Cell Injection?
Recovery time can last from a few hours up to twelve weeks after the injection. Side effects such as nausea, flushing, or shortness of breath may dissipate quickly. While the cells start to go to work, injection site soreness and even the pain first experienced may not go away immediately. Cells will begin working soon after the infusion, but depending on the extent of damage or diseased tissue, the results will vary as to when expected effects should start to be seen.Some patients have reported pretty immediate inflammation decreases along with pain, and others need a few treatments and support before these may begin to become evident. Have a frank conversation with the medical professional before going these treatments to help set realistic expectations about recovery times for yourself.
Is Stem Cell Therapy FDA Approved?
Currently, only limited uses of hematopoietic progenitor cells that are obtained from a mother’s cord blood are FDA approved. As new research is proven out, there may be more and more therapies approved down the road. The FDA does currently warn consumers to be on the lookout for treatments by non-licensed professionals touting stem cell miracle cures.While some proven effectiveness has been documented, there is still much to learn and go through FDA trials for approval to back all claims. Do the research and ensure that the professional you deal with gives you the facts — both good and bad, to help inform the best decision for your medical treatment.
Stem Cell Transplant Side Effects
It must be noted that radiation or chemotherapy is used to wipe out bone marrow before the infusion of stem cells back into the body. Mild side effects from these procedures can include mouth sores, throat pain, nausea, vomiting, and even light infections. While usually milder than cancer patients, it is similar due to the same procedures being administered. Patients range in reactions from none to more substantial symptoms that can last for days. Some medications can be applied to minimize, but as with any medical treatment, your side effects and experience will be unique. Additionally, an added risk of bleeding can occur because conditioning of the cells impedes the body's ability to make cells. Thus, blood transfusions are a frequently administered therapy companion to help support the platelets and immune system during this critical time. Some additional chronic symptoms and side effects can occur in some patients and should be part of the consideration when making evaluations of these therapies. Healthier patients with sound immune systems using these therapies for injury-related benefits versus those with compromised systems traditionally do better overall.Embryonic Stem Cell Research
These cells are harvested from newly formed embryos and do require what many consider the loss of life. These cells have the potential to provide information and possible cures for many of the world’s diseases. The cells have already proven useful in several cures, but it is still funded by taxpayers in several instances, causing outrage. These cells can be turned into diseased cells and allow scientists to have models of diseases not previously known. This is a delicate balancing act with proponents on both sides of this debate, whether the research and cures eliminate the deterrent in potential human life that is lost early to this end.Alternative stem cell therapy treatment
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Conclusion
While the debate on embryonic stem cell research continues, stem cell therapies with human adult cells move forward. There are numerous options out there for various degenerative joint, tissue, and injury-related treatments. While none are currently FDA approved nor covered by insurance, which means they are an out of pocket expense for patients, the benefits may outweigh that concern.
The ability to utilize one’s cells to infuse them back into damaged parts of the body to help restore healthy growth of tissues and joints is enticing. The ability to minimize pain, inflammation, and even the possibility of surgery has thousands of patients each year flocking to medical professionals for these treatments. Research both the therapies and the professionals administering. Weigh the side effects, and benefits to see if this cutting edge technology might not be the solution you have been hoping to find.