If you’ve been keeping your ear out in the world of regenerative medicine, then you’ll have heard about stem cell therapy. Stem cells therapy itself has only been around for a few decades, so it’s total applications and how effective they are is still being investigated.
That doesn’t mean we don’t know what stem cells can be used for, just that we don’t know the full extent of what they can be used for.
What can stem cells be used for? From treating disease to even helping repair damaged cells, this guide will help you understand its current, and potential future applications:
Stem Cell Basics
In order to fully get into what can stem cells be used for, you first need to understand what are stem cells in the first place.
In short, stem cells are the master cells. They can become other cells if and when needed by your body to replace cells after they naturally die or if they’re damaged.
Stem Cell Types
There are two main stem cell types.
- Adult Stem Cells: These are stem cells found in adults. They can become specific cells. For example, bone marrow stem cells can become red or white blood cells, but not nerve cells.
- Embryonic Stem Cells: Embryonic stem cells sourced from donated embryos (from discontinued IVF treatments). They can become any cell in the human body, but come with ethical concerns.
What Can Stem Cells Be Used For?
Stem cell treatment potential is split. Currently, limited research trials are underway using embryonic stem cells to treat people with severe conditions, like blindness. Since embryonic stem cells can only be acquired from donated IVF treatments, they are limited, and therefore scarce.
The good news is that there is also research into what’s known as induced pluripotent stem cells. These are adult cells that have been reprogrammed into an embryonic state. It is very expensive currently, but as that research expands and becomes more widespread, there is hope that we can start using embryonic cells, without touching actual embryos.
What you personally will get treated with (unless you’re part of one of the few research trials) is adult cells. Despite only becoming specific cells, they can be used to treat people and treat disease with a variety of different symptoms.
Conditions Stem Cells Can Treat
So, what can stem cells be used for? Though not extensive, this list covers many of the top uses for stem cell treatments today:
- Spinal cord injury
- Chronic pain
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Anti-aging
- Sports injuries
- Multiple sclerosis
- Autoimmune diseases
- Autism symptoms
You can get a stem cell transplant for any of the above conditions here at Bioxcellerator. The cells used for those treatments are also adult cells, so they are more affordable than induced pluripotent treatments or embryonic treatments.
We also use a specific type of stem cells known colloquially as juvenile cells. These cells are sourced from the Wharton’s Jelly that surrounds donated umbilical cords. They are adult cells, but they also lack a specific surface protein that recipient’s bodies tend to notice and attack.
By using cells without that surface protein, there’s a higher chance that your body will accept the new cells, and put them to work.
Getting Insurance Coverage for Stem Cell Therapies
Unfortunately you can only get insurance coverage for stem cell treatment if it’s being used to treat people with blood cancers and similar conditions. This is known widely as bone marrow transplants. You would typically use your own stem cells in this case (don’t worry, as you can grow stem cells back yourself) or those of a family member.
The good news for those with any of the other conditions is that you can choose to get stem cells treatment to treat disease yourself privately. This does mean you need to take on the cost your yourself, so it’s a good idea to understand the full stem cell therapy cost and what payment plans you can have access to before jumping in.
How Do Stem Cell Injections Work?
You need to understand what are stem cell injections, how they’re administered, and what they do once they’re administered to start to understand how they can help you recover or minimize symptoms.
For one, stem cell injections are typically purified adult cells and, at most, a growth hormone to help them replicate faster and more efficiently. They are either administered via an IV or with an injection. It’s a largely non-invasive procedure, though sometimes we will use an ultrasound device to make sure we inject your stem cells precisely where they are needed.
Once they are in the body (and accepted by your body), the additional stem cells will start to recognize the damaged cells in your system. They will then start to transform into the cell that are needed, which in turn can help you heal (after an injury) or enjoy greater mobility and freedom (if dealing with a chronic issue).
Will Stem Cells Work for My Condition?
Stem cell treatments, especially as research delves into how to induce cells into a pluripotent state, or into how we can grow stem cells in a lab, is only set to become more widespread throughout medicine.
For now, however, it’s largely available on your own dime. There’s also no guarantee that the treatment will work (your body may reject all the cells, regardless of the precautions taken). That’s why we always go through your full medical history and take your case to debate. We will only move forward with your treatment if we believe there’s a good chance that the treatment will work for you.
We want you to have the best chances of success with our treatment. That’s why, if you’re curious about how stem cell treatments can help you, specifically, then check the locations we cover, and get in touch. We’ll be happy to answer all of your questions and give you a consultation so you can learn just how stem cells can help you, specifically.
