Degenerative diseases cause progressive deterioration of a person’s physical or mental abilities. They may also lead to decreased quality of life. While conventional treatment options can help slow down the deterioration, stem cell therapy may provide hope for those who suffer from these debilitating diseases.
Thus, you may consider non-surgical regenerative treatments. In that case, you can find more details about QC Kinetix on their website – the provider offers various complementary or biological remedies to help stem the progression of degenerative disorders.
These illnesses occur for various reasons, including the natural aging process, environmental factors, genetic predisposition, or underlying medical conditions. Examples of common degenerative diseases include Alzheimer’s, Lewy body disease, Spinal muscular atrophy, and Huntington’s Disease.
Fortunately, research suggests stem cell therapy can help alleviate the effect of many degenerative diseases. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s first understand what stem cells are and how they work.
What are Stem Cells?
For starters, stem cells are primitive, unspecialized cells that can divide and become specialized adult cells. These mother cells have the potential to become any type of cell and are thus considered “blank canvases.” This ability makes them particularly useful in medical treatments.
Stem cell therapy can facilitate the treatment of degenerative diseases. These conditions are hard to treat with conventional medications as they tend to be progressive. For instance, by using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from the bone marrow, physicians can help restore lost cells – a common symptom of degenerative diseases.
When a blood vessel breaks, as would be the case during injury, stem cells attached to the vessels help repair damaged tissue and facilitate healing. Typically, a physician inserts the cells into the damaged area to help regenerate cells, enabling you to heal faster.
The same concept applies to degenerative diseases where MSCs act as a “reset” button for damaged cells, allowing them to start over and regenerate. In addition, stem cell therapies have been shown to improve the body’s ability to fight off infection and inflammation and modulate its immune system.
Research and Trials Show Promise
Chronic degenerative ailments tend to worsen over time, as mentioned. As a result, conventional treatments tend to be only partially successful in slowing down their progression. That said, clinical trials using stem cells to treat degenerative diseases offer promising results. And as more cases come to the fore, the possibilities of stem cell therapy become increasingly evident.
In a recent clinical trial on Alzheimer’s disease, researchers injected MSCs into a patient’s spinal cord. They observed reduced inflammation and improved cognitive function.
Likewise, the potential to help reproduce tissue or repair damaged organs implies stem cells can give a damaged spine or brain a fighting chance. The treatment works by replacing lost cells or regenerating nerve bundles to help improve physical and mental dexterity. That way, the cells can delay the progression or even alleviate the symptoms of degenerative diseases.
Moreover, the potential of stem cell therapies is not limited to degenerative diseases. There is also the possibility of using stem cells to treat other neurological illnesses. To this end, stem cell treatment can replace lost neurons and modulate the immune system while protecting delicate brain cells.
Are You A Good Candidate for the Treatment?
Stem cell treatments may be suitable for people suffering from a degenerative disease. However, some patients may not benefit from the treatment. It’s therefore advisable to discuss your condition and needs with a doctor before taking the plunge.
Your physician may recommend the treatment if your condition has been unresponsive to conventional treatments. They’ll also consider other variables such as:
- Age – younger patients tend to have better results
- Duration of the condition – treatment is more likely to succeed if the degenerative disease has been present for a short period.
- Overall health – the patient’s physical and mental well-being can impact treatment outcomes.
- Medical history – pre-existing conditions can also influence the decision to pursue stem cell treatments.
Thus, a thorough medical evaluation is a prerequisite for stem cell treatment. If your doctor feels the risks outweigh the potential benefits, they may not recommend it.
Stem cell treatments offer a potential solution to combat degenerative diseases. While the efficacy of the treatment may vary depending on an individual’s medical history and other factors, we can’t dismiss the possibility of stem cell therapy providing a means to slow the progression of these ailments or relieve pain. Even so, discuss your options with a doctor before pursuing the treatment – a fact we cannot understate.
